Promoting Inclusion of Students with Challenging Behavior: A Framework for Classroom Management

This presentation outlines a behavior management framework that minimizes exclusionary discipline and fosters inclusion through proactive strategies, explicit teaching of expectations, and positive reinforcement. Participants will learn practical strategies they can immediately implement in their classrooms. Participants will be able to: 1. Use direct instruction to teach expected classroom behavior, emphasizing the importance of modeling, guided practice, and independent practice. 2. Identify and implement effective antecedent interventions—including instructional choice, behavioral momentum, and increased opportunities to respond—to prevent or reduce disruptive behavior. 3. Learn how to plan these strategies in advance and apply them spontaneously to de-escalate unexpected behavior. 4. Deliver individualized, behavior-specific praise to reinforce prosocial behavior. 5. Understand how to use praise effectively on its own or alongside reinforcement systems like token economies. 6. Learn how to tailor praise to align with students’ age, ability levels, and cultural contexts.