Opportunities to respond (OTR) offer a useful approach to actively engage all students, including those with emotional and behavioral disorders, by enhancing their learning experiences and effectively reducing student problematic behavior due to lack of academic engagement. In this article, we discuss common challenges faced by teachers in…

Special educators who work with students with significant behavior support needs require professional development opportunities that provide practice-based professional development and create the social support inherent in communities of practice. We outline a practice-based professional development model with follow-up sessions using the U.S.…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) may benefit from specific instruction on ways to prepare for and participate in their own Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. In this article, we describe the application of a research-based self-directed IEP process that can be used by educators to effectively foster…

Overwhelming events such as neglect, abuse, and violence impact students in a number of ways. Typically, students who have experienced trauma demonstrate significant deficits in skills that promote emotional and behavioral regulation. When these deficits are displayed in the classroom, learning can be significantly disrupted for the survivor and…

Fluency in math facts and procedures is critical for math achievement overall and often challenging for students with emotional and behavioral disorders to develop. This article describes how to implement two complementary and evidence-based practice strategies, incremental rehearsal and Cover-Copy-Compare, to build declarative and procedural…

All students have emotional and behavioral difficulties periodically. Some students have difficulties at a rate, duration, and intensity significantly higher than those of their peers. We summarize the knowledge base on the development, maintenance, and change of emotional and behavioral disorders across the school years. Building from dynamic…

Check-in/check-out (CICO) is an evidence-based practice for addressing the behavioral needs of students with and without disabilities from kindergarten through the 12th grade. The CICO intervention is easily adapted to address other areas of need, beyond behavior, including academics and social integration, making CICO appealing for all school…

Some students with disabilities, particularly those with emotional and behavioral disorders, may struggle with transitions, demonstrating inappropriate behaviors during them. Visual supports, previously determined to be an evidence-based practice for students with autism, is a proactive classroom management strategy addressing transitioning. In…

Functional communication training (FCT) is a strategy to address problem behavior for students with various disabilities that is supported by a broad evidence base. Despite this support, multiple factors continue to dissuade educators from utilizing FCT in their classrooms. This article outlines the process of developing and implementing FCT plans…