Pre-Referral Intervention Manual

Top “10” Elementary Behavioral Problems &

Preferred Intervention Strategies

Does not follow verbal directions

• Speak to student
• Explain what he/she is doing wrong
• Explain what he/she should be doing
• Give directions in a variety of ways to increase probability of understanding
• Ensure directions are given at students level so they can be successful
• One-step directions may be necessary
• Deliver directions in a non-threatening manner
• Positive voice/tone
• Positive facial expressions/smile
• Have the student repeat directions
• Reduce distracting stimuli
• Front row seating
• Provide student with signal when he/she is not following directions

Makes unnecessary noises and comments

• Explain to student why making inappropriate comments/noises is inappropriate
• Distracting
• Impolite
• Hurts others feelings
• Interact frequently with the student to reduce the need to make noises/comments
• Maintain visibility with the student ( teacher and student should be able to see each other)
• Make frequent eye contact with student
• Ensure student’s feelings are considered if necessary to deal with comments/noises
• Do not diminish students enthusiasm
• Teach student to recognize and make appropriate comments
• Make student aware of number of times he/she makes inappropriate comments or unnecessary noise

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Makes unnecessary physical contact or fights with other students

• Teach student problem solving skills
• Teach student alternative ways to deal with situations that are frustrating or angering
• Using words
• Walking away
• Ensure student understands natural consequences of hurting others
• Loss of freedom
• Limit opportunities for students to be in areas where they are more likely to be aggressive
• Separate student from peer/s who encourage inappropriate behavior
• Maintain maximum supervision of student and gradually decrease as appropriate behavior is exhibited more frequently.
• Teach student appropriate ways to interact with others
• Remove student from group/activity until he/she can demonstrate self-control

Will not share

• Teach student the concept of sharing
• Have student practice loaning and borrowing with others
• Encourage sharing by giving assignments that require sharing
• Put student in charge of communal items so he/she may experience sharing
• Scizzors
• Glue Sticks
• Point out natural rewards of sharing
• Friendship
• People sharing in return
• Establish rules for sharing school materials
• Ask to borrow
• Return borrowed items
• Offer to share your items

Tattles

• Make certain student knows what information is appropriate to report
• Emergencies
• Injuries
• Fighting
• Make certain student knows what is not appropriate to share
• Peers whispering
• Copying
• Not working
• Be objective, make decisions based on what you observe rather than what is reported to you
• Explain natural consequences of tattling
• Peers will not want to interact with you
• Peers will retaliate
• Be a model: publicly praise & privately redirect student behavior

Moves about unnecessarily

• Give student frequent opportunities to leave seat for appropriate reasons
• Getting materials
• Running errands
• Assisting teacher
• Ensure student has all necessary materials at desk to reduce need to leave seat
• Avoid discussions of topics sensitive to student
• Divorce
• Death
• Alcoholism
• Unemployment
• Facilitate on-task behavior by providing a full schedule of daily events
• Schedule short activities for student to perform while seated
• Gradually increase length of activity as student demonstrates success in remaining seated

Responds inappropriately to others

• Teach student social interaction skills
• How to respond to others
• Help student develop social awareness
• People may be embarrassed by what you say
• Feelings can be hurt by comments
• Treat others in the same way you want to be treated
• Provide opportunities for appropriate interactions in the classroom
• Peer modeling
• Teach student appropriate way to communicate needs to others
• Waiting
• Say excuse me
• Raise hand
• Help students develop friendships by pairing students for activities

Lies, denies, or distorts the truth

• Teach student that making inaccurate statements does not prevent consequences
• Help student learn that telling the truth prevents future problems
• Admitting a mistake was made makes it easier to correct situation
• Take no action where conclusive evidence does not exist
• Allow natural consequences to occur
• Others will not believe you
• Remove punishment for accidents, forgetting, or situations w/ inadequate evidence
• Punishment often causes students to lie
• Avoid putting student in situations with an opportunity to lie
• Competitive activities
• Limited supervision
• Provide student with many social and academic successes

Inappropriate seat behavior

• Model the appropriate way to sit in the chair or at the desk
• Maintain consistency of expectations for sitting appropriately in seat
• Ensure student is aware of natural consequences that may occur for sitting inappropriately
• Injury
• Damaging property
• Hurting others
• Implement logical consequences for failing to sit appropriately
• Sit on floor
• Stand next to desk
• No desk
• Ensure the desk and chair is appropriate for the student
• Desk is not to high/low
• Chair is not too big/small

Does not follow directives from teachers or staff

• Teach student direction following skills
• Listen carefully
• Ask questions
• Wait until all directions are given before beginning
• Maintain consistency in rules, routing, and expectations of conduct
• Present tasks in an interesting and attractive manner
• Post rules in various places
• Have peer model following directives
• Allow natural consequences
• Assignments performed incorrectly
• Accidents occur
• Limit opportunities to engage in activities where student will not follow directives
• Recess
• Field trips

PRIM suggestions for all behaviors

• Communicate with the parents
• Note home/email
• Phone call
• Establish classroom rules/expectations
• Reinforce the student
• Give student tangible reward for desired behavior
• Catchya Ticket
• Classroom reinforcements
• Give student intangible reward
• Praise
• Smile
• Recognise other students who are exhibiting desired behavior
• Write a contract with student specifying expected behavior

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