EBD

Celia and Leif's stuff =Teaching Students with Emotional Behavioral Disabilities=

Mathematics
RESEARCH Emotional Behavioral Disability can be divided into two categories, externalizing behaviors and internalizing behaviors. Also, behaviors exhibited by a student with an EBD are often categorized as involving Conduct Disorders, Hyperactivity, Socialized Agrression, Immaturity, Depression, or Anxiety-Withdrawal.

When evaluating a student for a possible EBD, there are several factors to take into account: Duration and Frequency, Spectrum of Environments in which the behavior occurs, Triggers, Specific situations where the behavior is never exhibited, Relationship with others, Severity, anf what success has been had in reducing the problem.

There are several ways in which students with EBD can be helped. An organized environment and schedule, positive relationships, clearly dilineated expectations, punishments and reinforcements, conflict resolution and promoting self-control, and community based emotinal aides can all help reduce negative behavior in a student with an EBD.

In the classroom, there are several ways to provide a positive learning environment for students with an EBD. Ensuring that students always have a task and that the task has a clear purpose, mixing academic and social learning, using high interest learning tools and teaching self monitoring can all help a student to get the most out of the classroom experience.

Here are two journal articles that could be helpful:

Maccini P, Gagnon J. Mathematics Instructional Practices and Assessment Accommodations Special and General Educators. //Exceptional Children// [serial online]. Winter2006 2006;72(2):217-234. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 17, 2009.

Mooney P, Ryan J, Uhing B, Reid R, Epstein M. A Review of Self-Management Interventions Targeting Academic Outcomes for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. //Journal of Behavioral Education// [serial online]. September 2005;14(3):203-221. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 17, 2009.



PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

The one student I have taught with an Emotional Behavioral Disability was very well behaved in class in that she did not cause any disruptions unless antagonized by another student. She did however refuse to do any work unless specifically instructed personally. In math this meant that I had to specifically instruct here how to do each step of an activity, otherwise she would do the first step and then stop. This specific instruction often took 3-4 minutes. Unfortunately she was only in my class for 1 week, the 3rd week of school, so I did not have time to make any formal observations. However I found that quiet, warm logical instruction and discussion if she was somewhat defiant tended to work. -Leif

I have a student in one of my geometry classes who has an emotional behavioral disorder and is generally in the most restrictive placement classroom. He comes to my class twice a week, sometimes with an aide. We have had lots of disruption problems because my classroom has a lot of distractions that he cannot avoid. He also likes to rap out loud at random. The most successful day we have ever had was last Thursday. He is missing a few homework assignments and we made a deal that if he wrote down something new he learned at five minute intervals throughout the class, he would get a reprieve on the late penalty for his assignment. He was focused the entire time and learned more because of it. I am looking to find a more permanent solution that has him constantly checking himself and having to refocus on what's going on in the front of the classroom rather than all around him. -Celia

RESOURCES [] : This is the Wisconsin DPI website regarding Emotional Behavioral Disabilities. [] : This is a sub-page of the dpi site that gives specific instructional strategies for teachers who have students with an Emotional Behavioral Disability.

Math