Interventions based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) have been shown to be effective for children with a wide range of cognitive, adaptive, and functional abilities. Many special education teachers understand the principles of ABA and are adept at implementing ABA interventions for students. However, as the principles of ABA can be complex, communicating with parents about ABA interventions can be challenging. Providing parents with clear and succinct information in the form of a brief customized reference guide can be instrumental for facilitating and extending communication about their child's behavioral interventions. This article provides school personnel with guidelines and resources for helping parents understand and use interventions that are based on ABA. Specifically, this article presents 10 steps for creating an information guide for parents and provides recommendations for explaining the guide to parents.
M rs. Covey, a novice teacher in an urban school district, greets a vastly diverse group of spirited children who come bounding into her kindergarten classroom. During the first week of school, there are many challenging behaviors. During circle time, Miquel rolls around on the floor, Alex screams, and Carolyn hides under a table. During center time, Michelle runs around throwing materials and Leo teases his peers about the quality of their work. During snack, Kelly throws food. Mrs. Covey talks to students privately about their behavior, makes them apologize, or calls their parents. Disappointingly, these tactics have failed to produce the desired results. Early elementary inclusive classrooms present teachers with demanding responsibilities. The wide range of student backgrounds, ability levels, and previous school experiences require a well-managed classroom that maximizes instructional time. Valuable time is lost when teachers interrupt instruction to address behavior problems. In fact, teachers reported spending more time addressing disruptive behaviors than they thought they should (Beaman, Wheldall, & Kemp, 2007). In addition, most teachers who left the profession reported classroom 798340Y ECXXX10.
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