Special Education: Analyze The FBA Example

Recently Liam has been acting out in math class. His teacher, Mr. Harper, decides to explore Liam's acting out behavior [B] using the A - B - C model. Through observation across several days, he discovers that Liam acts out whenever he calls students up to the board to work math problems [A]. Mr. Harper's response is generally to seat Liam away from the rest of the class when he acts out, so that the class peers can concentrate [C]. When Liam is reseated, it is less likely that he will be called to the board.

A

B

C

Calling students to board to work math problems

Acting out

Being reseated not called to the board

As Mr. Harper examined the A - B - C analysis of Liam's behavior, he hypothesized that the function of Brian's behavior was to "escape” having to come to the board and work a math problem in front of his peers. Therefore, the "acting out” behavior was "working” for Liam.

After reviewing Liam's recent performance in math, Mr. Harper noted that Liam's math performance was dropping. The question then became: How was Liam's behavior connected to his overall math performance? He recalled that Liam's acting out behavior began when they began a more difficult area of study 6 weeks prior. One hypothesis Mr. Harper made was that Liam did not want his class peers to know he was struggling to understand the new concepts. However, it might also be hypothesized that by seating Liam further away from instruction, Mr. Harper's consequence was making it more difficult for Liam to learn. Mr. Harper knew that his intervention needed to assure that optimal conditions were in place in the classroom for Liam to master the math concepts.

Read pp. 178-183 in the text Behavior Management: Principles And Practices of Positive Behavior Support and base your responses to the questions below on the material in textbook.

· What additional data might Mr. Harper want to gather to determine whether his hypothesis is correct about the function of Liam's behavior? How might he best collect that data? Who or what might be involved in the data collection?

· What other "functions” might Liam's behavior be serving? What might "self-worth theory" indicate?

· What changes in the classroom environment might Mr. Harper make that would better support Liam as a learner? How might "trust" be an important disposition?.

· What changes might Mr. Harper make in the tasks students are asked to perform, or activities they are engaged in, that might better support Liam as a learner?

Include APA formatted references in your response.