Teaching and Learning: Positive Behaviour Supports

Overview

Course description

In this advanced course, students will apply principles of teaching and learning to support people whose actions challenge us. The emphasis will be on communication and responding to individuals in context.

Course content

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

Behaviour is a form of communication. A person’s actions serve functions for that individual.
A single behaviour can fulfill many needs. Different behaviours may meet the same need. Why individuals act in a given manner may change from moment to moment.
Individuals are complex human beings who have unique personal histories and circumstances. Effective practitioners must look at the context and conditions when considering an individual’s actions.
The presence of a “challenging behaviour” can be a signal that the individual feels that they are not valued by others, that they have no choices or control and may feel that they do not “belong”
The more capable an individual is perceived, the more their unusual actions may be tolerated.
Effective practitioners need well developed listening and observation skills. These skills develop through practice and over time and are building blocks of effective practice.
Problems don’t necessarily reside within an individual. Solutions may involve changes to situations and systems. Support should be person-centred, meeting individuals’ needs.
Practitioners need to practice ways of taking care of themselves in order to be effective and able to support others.
Using positive approaches with individuals who may have “challenging behaviours” empowers both the individual being supported and the practitioners.

Learning activities

Lecture
Small Group Work
Practice
Video
Guest Speaker

Means of assessment

This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations.

Summary Profile
Plan Development
Product Development and Analysis
Self and Peer Assessments

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Analyze complex nature of individuals’ behaviour, considering context, history & possible multiple meanings of single behaviour
- Recognizes behaviour as a powerful form of communication
- Uses context to understand purpose of behaviour e.g. health issues, social situation, emotional well-being
Apply principles underlying positive behaviour support strategies
- Considers whole person when supporting individual
- Facilitates communication, connections and choice as essential elements for everyone
- Considers influence of historical trends and person’s own history
- Applies observation, recording, information gathering skills when developing plan
- Enhances wellness of individual, self and others
Practice clear communication skills verbally, written, & non-verbally in assessing, planning, implementing and revising positive behaviour support strategies/adaptations
- Listens to individual communication including their actions, interaction and reactions
- Collaborates with others (e.g. individual, team members, families, etc.) to make considered thoughtful support decisions
- Monitors, supports and enhances team unity and effectiveness
- Uses a variety of environmental, preventative, teaching, and consequence support strategies (e.g. instructional control, social skill instruction, changes to the antecedent, development of Social Stories^TM, functional communication training, and positive reinforcement)

Textbook materials

TBA

Requisites

Prerequisites

No prerequisite courses.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

May 2016 (Current)