Students with behavior disorders often require specific interventions to improve their behavioral outcomes. Common interventions to use with these students include teaching appropriate behaviors, focusing on positive behaviors, noting the start of behaviors and intervening early, and providing appropriate reinforcements. To enhance the…

Language training for severely developmentally delayed children in the home should be as undisruptive as possible and should use natural training contexts, emphasize functional responses, and provide natural reinforcers or consequences. After identifying the communicative contexts, teaching the response is accomplished through reinforcement,…

The point system used at Boys Town is often misunderstood, but the approach is a middle ground between two extremes: one relying on classical behavior modification, the other, rejecting behavior as a starting place for helping children get better. There are two major characteristics of the Boys Town approach: (1) teaching skills, such as…

Provided are suggestions for parents who want to know how best to help their children develop study habits that will insure a good chance for school success. After a description of the importance of good study habits, the responsibilities of parents, teachers, and students for developing appropriate study settings and behaviors are set out.…

Discusses five myths associated with parents' giving praise or positive feedback to their children. Myths are children thrive on praise; praise increases a child's self-confidence; lavish praise is not addictive; praise motivates children; and parents should practice withholding praise to toughen up children. (BB)

An effective discipline technique that helps children develop a good self-concept is to reinforce positive behavior. Suggestions for structuring an emotionally healthy environment where there is open communication between adult and child are discussed. (DF)

Intended for teachers and parents, the handbook provides suggestions for diagnosis and remediation of the learning disability dysgraphia (difficulty with handwriting). The seven chapters have the following titles and sample subtopics: (1) "The Student with a Learning Disability" (what causes dysgraphia, the Gerstmann Syndrome); (2) "Parents'…

Family literacy programs are developed on the premise that the important relationships between children and adults affect literacy achievement and activity. The programs bring parents and children together in a teaching and learning environment. The critical teacher in a child's life is the parent. Family programs support and strengthen family…

This informational brochure for parents of children with behavior disorders discusses positive behavioral support that focuses on rewarding appropriate behavior, altering environments, and teaching appropriate social, academic, or behavior skills. It explains that functional behavioral assessments can identify triggers of inappropriate behavior…

The collection of readings for children was developed as part of the Portage Project which serves approximately 150 rural preschool handicapped and nonhandicapped children by providing them with a home teacher who instructs parents on how to teach their children. Readings cover the following topics: definitions of terms to know; the home teaching…

Practical suggestions are offered for parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for managing the behavior of their children through the use of positive and negative consequences. Suggestions focus on the child getting up in the morning, getting ready for school, homework, chores, dinner time, free time, bed time,…

This practical booklet for teachers and parents describes methods for improving children's disciplinary training and successful performance at school and at home. Ten steps to achieving effective discipline are outlined: understanding effective discipline; determining needs and interests; setting goals and expectations; establishing guiding rules;…

Parents should realize the importance of being their child's first teacher and should project an attitude of respect in helping children acquire skills while maintaining self-esteem. The five basic tools necessary for teaching children include: nonjudgmental feedback, task analysis, starting with the last step first, prompting, and praise. (JDD)

Developed for K-3 teachers to send home with their students, this collection of learning activities and games is offered to help reinforce students' language arts and mathematics skills and to enhance parental involvement. Suggestions to the teacher include sending home only those pages containing activities for skills currently being studied and…

Many children have inappropriate behaviors that are part of their disability. These behaviors may make it difficult to learn, cause harm to the child or others, or isolate a child from his or her peers. Some children have behaviors that they can't control, such as tics for a child with Tourette syndrome or self-harming behaviors for some children…