Why is challenging behavior such a problem in schools?

Learners with challenging behavior may do the following:

■ have low self-esteem and poor self-image (identity and feelings);

■ lack a useful language of social interaction (capability/skills);

■ be unable to respond assertively rather than aggressively (capability and feelings);

■ lack ‘emotional intelligence’ or sensitivity to their own feelings (capability/skills);

■ have experienced a series of academic failures and have poor self-belief (beliefs);

■ have developed a set of ‘habitual’ conflict-laden behaviors (beliefs and behavior);

■ be very vulnerable and lack ‘resilience’ (despite external toughness) (identity).

They may also find:

■ a greater level of conformity and cooperation is expected at school (environment);

■ academic pressures need to be sensitively managed (environment).

O’Connor and Seymour (1990) identify how challenging behavior can affect learners’ life-long learning opportunities as well as the occasions when challenging behavior is exhibited: ‘Behavior is often taken as evidence of identity or capability and this is how confidence and competence are destroyed in the classroom.’ An incidence of challenging behavior is rarely just a matter of conflict originating solely between two people at that one moment in time. There is nearly always a range of background factors, social, educational and personal, involved. If an educator has a working knowledge of ‘possible additional influences’ in the learner’s life, then, it is suggested, there is a better chance of achieving a change in the present state from the challenging behavior to a more desirable state. Engaging the learner and others involved in the problem-solving may also be a starting point for change. Resources will always be required when finding a solution to a learner’s challenging behavior. Sometimes these may involve physical or financial support, but equally these resources may be skills, persistence (personal skills) or knowledge. This is where the problem-solving is frequently required, because the necessary resources may not always be those of the school, the system or the adult. To make the present state change permanently to a more desirable state, considerable resourcefulness on the part of the learner is necessary as well.

مواضيع ذات صلة

Developing social skills and understanding

Parental partnership

Fairness and equity

Motivation

Structure

Visual learning

Interventions Poor coordination

Mental health issues

Diagnosis

Causation

Incidence

How does an ASD affect the individual?