more on functional academics, prevocational tasks, and life skills. Beyond the day-to-day objectives, teachers must keep in mind the abilities their students with ASD will need for success in later settings, whether that involves life skills, study skills, or simply learning what is appropriate for their next campus. It should include community- based instruction, development of skills to participate in leisure activities, and job
sampling. Teaching to the next environment is crucial to prepare these students for transitions and life beyond graduation so they can be as independent as possible in the places where they will live, work, and play. We must make the most of students’ educational years so they will be as prepared as possible for their adult life when services may not be readily available.
Addressing Challenging Behavior A teacher comes to you for help with a student with ASD who is becoming increasingly aggressive. Where do you start? There should already be a framework in place to address behavior on a systemic level (school policies, staff training, emergency protocols, etc.). Then on an individual level, it is necessary to understand why the behavior is happening. All behavior serves a purpose or function, something it accomplishes for the person carrying it out; this is not autism- specific but applies to our own behavior as well! From an ABA perspective, these motivations are attempts to gain attention, items/activities, or sensory stimulation or to escape from specific situations. No matter how inappropriate the behavior in question, if the student continues to do it, it is “working” for him or her and accomplishing a goal. For example, when Jonah has to do a math assignment, he repeatedly pokes his neighbors. The teacher sends him to time- out, where he does not have to complete his math. The next time he wants to escape a task, he is likely to poke his neighbors. The teacher’s response did not have the intended effect because she addressed only Jonah’s actions not his motivation for doing it in the first place.
have general suggestions for the teacher, it is often more efficient in the long run to embark on the assessment process so the intervention can target the underlying cause. Analyzing detailed data on the behavior, what came before and what consequence followed, allows the team to create a plan that will teach the student more effective ways to meet his or her needs. Federal and state legislation reflect the importance of using positive behavioral supports and FBAs proactively in schools. It takes a lot of preparation to create an effective system that supports students, parents, and teachers in addressing challenging behaviors. It is necessary to train When we understand the function of a behavior, we learn what it may be expressing: Attention • “Look what I did.” • “Am I doing this right?” Tangibles • “I want…” Sensory • “This feels good.” • “I don’t know what else to do.” Escape • “I don’t want to do this.” • “I don’t understand.” • “I need a break.”
So after ruling out any medical causes for a change in behavior, a functional behavior assessment (FBA) should be conducted by a trained professional to determine which of these functions contribute to the student’s behavior. Back to our scenario of the aggressive student, while you may
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