Sensory & Environmental
These things in a student's environment may cause them to feel overwhelmed or overstimulated.
What are noise, visual clutter, crowded areas, frequent changes, and sensory sensitivities?
Behavior is a way people communicate their needs and feelings when this is not available.
What is effective communication with words?
Difficulties with attention, memory, processing, and self-regulation that interfere with a person's ability to understand, manage, and respond to information effectively.
What are cognitive and executive function barriers?
What are barriers arising from past trauma from emotional experiences that can impact student behavior in school settings?
This framework focuses on designing lessons, curriculum, and environments that work for all types of learners.
What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?
Loud talking, excessive background noise, and sudden sounds are this type of trigger.
What is noise?
Aggression or withdrawal may be used by students as an attempt to do this when communication breaks down.
What is repair a communication gap?
When students with executive functioning challenges are expected to manage complex tasks without supports, behaviors like refusal, disruption, or inattention may occur because of this.
What is cognitive overload?
This anxiety-based condition causes children to speak regularly in some environments but not speak at school.
What is selective mutism?
Ensuring students with disabilities can access information and services as efficiently as those without disabilities defines this.
What is accessibility?
This strategy helps limit behavioral triggers by clearly communicating daily routines, transitions, and class work using visual cues.
What are visual supports?
Picture boards, ASL signs, and AAC tools support this type of communication targeted by SLPs.
What is functional communication?
This support breaks tasks into smaller, manageable steps to help students who struggle with multi-step directions.
What is a visual checklist?
Communication boards benefit students with selective mutism by allowing them to communicate without this.
What is the pressure to speak?
Providing verbal explanations along with pictures or videos aligns with this UDL principle.
What is multiple means of representation?
These devices improve access to speech and classroom instruction for students with hearing loss.
What are FM/DM sound systems, sound field amplification systems, or hearing aids?
Responses such as not paying attention, refusal, or acting out due to hearing difficulties are often misinterpreted as this.
What is disruptive behavior?
These assistive technology tools help students stay organized and reduce memory demands, such as timer apps, task apps, visual planners, and digital reminders.
What are AT tools that support executive functioning?
For students with emotional or trauma-related issues, educators are encouraged to not do this to their behavior.
What is force them to change their behavior?
Pencil grips, visual schedules, and communication boards are examples of this level of assistive technology.
What is low-tech assistive technology?
Keeping minimal competing sounds, consistent low-volume levels, and quality acoustics helps prevent this emotional response.
What is becoming overstimulated or overwhelmed?
Teaching peers how a student communicates helps build confidence and improves this classroom outcome.
What is social interaction and participation?
From a psychologist's perspective, behaviors that appear inattentive or disruptive often reflect this rather than intentional misbehavior.
What are challenges in processing and managing information?
Reducing fear and pressure over time may help students feel safe enough to possibly do this in the future.
What is begin speaking or communicating more?
Providing necessary accommodations and assistive technology before behaviors escalate reflects this approach to leadership.
What is proactively supporting students' needs?