Response interruption and redirection, commonly referred to as RIR, is an evidence-based intervention that has been demonstrated to quickly reduce moderate to high levels of vocal stereotypy in children with autism spectrum disorder. The RIR intervention is a simple, three-step procedure that can be embedded in classroom instruction with minimal…

This paper is an explication of the conceptual underpinnings of a new, narrative career counselling method: fluttering-hope. The method presents a new approach to addressing repetition compulsion, a condition characterised by repeated career-destructive behaviour and experiences of failure. Fluttering-hope is formulated on the basis of the chaos…

ESOL teacher Barbara Gottshalk frequently hears well-intentioned but misinformed comments and questions about English language learners and her teaching field. In this article, she clarifies the misconceptions revealed by 10 common remarks--for example, "The students will never learn English if they don't speak it in their home,"…

Mary Santelman discusses all forms of biting, the labeling of a biter, the biter as victim or victimizer, and record keeping of biting behavior. On the list of toddler behaviors, she also examines tantrums, including insights into the child's emotional needs, calming down, kicking, hugging, throwing things, and hurting people. Mary describes…

One hundred repetitions--100 "useful" repetitions. This notion has guided the author's work in alternative education programs for almost 20 years, dealing with the most challenging students, from addicts to conduct-disordered adolescents to traumatized 5th graders. There are no magic tricks. The role of educators is to align with the healthy…

Boosting high school graduation rates is a growing concern to educators and policymakers. Researchers stress that, although graduation rates have varied little in recent years, "[w]hat makes current graduation rates alarming is a reality of the new U.S. economy: It is practically impossible for individuals lacking a high school diploma to…

Researchers target 9th grade as the make or break year for completing high school. During the 9th-grade year, many students for the first time have to earn passing grades in core courses, and these core courses are typically some of the toughest and most rigorous academic classes a student must take in high school. Furthermore, the rising use of…

Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth merged mother-child file, this article examines the relationship between living in four different family structures on key measures of youth well-being, studied separately by race. The authors also examine whether contextual factors mediate these associations. For Black youth, we find no…