Every October I send out a survey to find out what you all are struggling with. This year the top 2 answers were Engagement and Behavior Barriers. I talk about engagement often on the show, and in this episode, I am focusing on behavior barriers. 

If you’re trying to find ways to support your students who might have behavioral barriers or problem behaviors here are seven things to consider for preventing and handling these barriers:

1. Service delivery - Where are your students receiving services? Classroom, Therapy office, Individual setting, group, etc.
2. Staff support - Request support either with a behavior plan or with physical support from a paraprofessional or behavior technician
3. Visual Use visuals and familiar icons to help students know what to expect in your schedule and session
4. Have your materials ready - Be prepared, and don’t leave time for gathering materials during your session… be ready to go, and keep your student engaged.
5. Behavior Plan - Does your student have a behavior plan? Seek access to it or get the process started to create one.
6. Fun and Functional - Embed student interests into the session, and be the giver of fun things
7. Ask for help - The top priorities are for you to feel safe, the student to feel safe, and for intervention to take place…these things need to happen, advocate for them.

I also recommend recording ABC data. Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence. Write down and track every occurrence of behavior and the correlating information. As time continues you will understand, notice a pattern, and begin to prevent these behaviors. I offer an ABC sheet in my course Help Me Find My Voice, but ABC sheets are readily available via web search.

Not only is this podcast meant to help you give a voice to your learners, but also helps you have the confidence to reach and support all of your autistic students. If you found this helpful please subscribe so you don’t miss more important information you can put to use in your therapy room.

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• How can you reach and engage students with behavioral barriers?
• How to approach behavioral barriers in therapy.
• 7 things to consider when supporting students with behavior barriers.
• Giving the provider confidence to help ALL autistic students.

Mentioned In This Episode:
ABASpeechByRose - Rose Griffin - Instagram
ABA Speech: Home
ABA SPEECH Your Autism Resource