Keep in mind that all behaviour is communication. Students "act out" to communicate a need. At one time, the behaviour served a function for the student. Some behaviours become so over-learned that the original purpose for the behaviour is forgotten; the behaviour becomes a pattern. In some instances it is appropriate for the student to exhibit a particular behaviour.

Try not to overreact to behaviour. An intense and abrupt reaction to behaviour may increase rather than diminish its frequency.

If a student's behaviour is sufficiently aggressive as to cause harm to self or others, contingencies should be in place to deal with the behaviour. No teacher or student should endure injury. Remember that all students have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Use of physical restraint should follow district guidelines and be discussed and agreed upon with the parent. Procedures and circumstances for use should be written into the IEP.

No single behaviour intervention model is guaranteed to work in all situations. Be confident in your own common sense. If all the strategies that have worked for you in the past do not work, don't feel that it is your fault. You may be setting yourself up for failure if you take sole responsibility for dealing with challenging behaviour. Someone in your school or district has very likely dealt with similar behaviour and can add to your repertoire of methods. You should communicate with the parents and the student's previous teachers and consult district specialists for advice.

When a student's behaviour is continuously disruptive to others in the classroom or interferes with progress in learning, teachers may wish to consider:

• determining why the student is behaving in the disruptive manner.
• setting clear expectations and routines.
• using a strategy.
• providing alternative opportunities for the student.

Determine why the student might be behaving in this way. An important first step is consulting parents to see if they have insight into the behaviour's cause.

• Avoid overreacting to the behaviour. Remember that there may be circumstances in which it is appropriate for the student to exhibit the particular behaviour.
• Review the student's file and talk to parents. Has this behaviour been a concern before? How was it dealt with? Was there success with this approach?
• Have a colleague come in to observe the student's behaviour and take notes. What typically happens just before the behaviour occurs? What typically happens after the behaviour has occurred? Teacher assistants might be assigned to collect this data.
• Consult with the behaviour specialist or counsellor, to determine possible causes for the behaviour (e.g., boredom, over-stimulation).
• Consult with the occupational therapist and physiotherapist to consider if there may be physical causes for the behaviour (e.g., sensory-motor problems).

Set up clear expectations and routines.

• Make your standard expectations and code of conduct known to all students at the beginning of the year. Determine what the limits are for students with intellectual disabilities. Discuss expectations and limits with students. You may wish to consider having a greater degree of tolerance for different behaviours, as long as they aren't interfering with learning.
• Identify a location in the school to use when the student is exhibiting extremely disruptive behaviour.
• Have a prearranged signal to use with the student so that the student knows to change the behaviour (e.g., verbal or physical cues). Explain the cue to others in the class, so they understand the process and can be a part of it. In this way, other students are involved in encouragement, rather than condemnation.
• Provide predictable routines to help the student anticipate transitions. For example, create a daily calendar with pictures representing key activities so the student can see a sequence of activities and anticipate changes. To facilitate the transition between activities the student can take a picture when the activity has been completed.

Some strategies include:

• Try bringing about a change in behaviour by changing what's going on in the classroom.
• Put the student in places/situations where the problematic behaviour is least likely to occur.
• Focus on the rest of the class, and give positive feedback to the students who are behaving appropriately (modelling can be a powerful persuader).
• Schedule activities to reflect the student's variable attention span. (e.g., it may be more effective to schedule several short sessions to complete a task, rather than one long session.)
• Try to determine what the student needs when he/she is exhibiting disruptive behaviour. Can it be provided without removing the student from the classroom? (e.g., a drink of water, a chance to stretch and move around the room for a while, moving to a different spot in the classroom, acknowledgment by the teacher).
• Redirect behaviour of the student by changing the activity, your tone of voice, or the mood of the activity.
• Ask other students in the classroom to engage in problem-solving and make suggestions of strategies for dealing with challenging behaviour
• Determine if the student is in need of a break from the regular routines and set up a plan to provide one.
• Have predetermined ways to deal with teacher stress overload and set them up with appropriate colleagues in the school.

Provide the student with opportunities to:

• explore the classroom thoroughly, touching and opening to satisfy curiosity (e.g., looking in cupboards and drawers, feeling objects).
• take responsibility for his/her own behaviour by using self-monitoring, and by choosing to go to a predetermined area to calm self down when the need arises.
• identify favourite activities and participate in scheduling the sequence of daily tasks.
• work toward a self-selected activity or other reinforcement.
• demonstrate proficiency in areas of strength, and assist other students who may be having difficulty in those areas.