Managing Challenging Behaviours in Pupils of Age 3-5 Years - Literature review Example

Managing challenging behaviours in pupils of age 3-5 years Name Institution Subject Instructor Date Introduction Challenging behaviours entirely depends with the context in which a particular situation is being addressed. This study focuses on challenging behaviour that is experienced at school to pupils in primary school aged 3-5 years. It comprises of various forms of behaviours that would ultimately interfere with the children learning process or, the development stage. Challenging behaviours in pupils of 3-5 years, is a condition that involves the behavioural problems that emanate due to emotional and social maladaptive that occur during their learning stage as stipulated by Allan and Kerri (2007); Bambara and Kern (2005). This is exhibited with, aggressiveness, withdrawal, passiveness, or self-injurious tendencies. Certain behaviour may be considered to be `good’, and may also be termed as challenging in certain situations (Janney and Snell, 2000). For instance, when a child runs very first in the school competition and wins the race, the act is termed as excellent. However, when the same is exhibited in the school compound during class time, this may deem to be challenging. As noted by Fox, Dunlap, Hemmeter, Joseph and Strain (2003), challenging behaviours experienced in class may be elaborated by acts such as; disruptions in class using of mobile phones, making noise, refusal to abide by the schools rules and regulations and unnecessary movement in class. All these contribute to challenging behaviours that may be exhibited in class. On the other hand, behaviour problem relates in the manner in which the pupils are emotionally distressed and tend to have a sense of negative feeling (Janney and Martha, 2008). This is manifested in the nail biting activities and acts of antisocial behaviour such as, being extremely hostile. Paradoxically, Gargiulo and Jennifer (2005) notes that, some more serious acts of challenging behaviour may deem easier to handle as an immediate actions may be taken that may involve the expulsion or suspension of the affected person. This suffices in removing the problem, temporarily if permanently. The challenging behaviour may emanate from the individuals habits such as; the personal traits of the individual, social factors within the family and the school factors that may arise as a result of the curriculum developed or the ethos that the pupils associated with (Alberto and Anne, 2009). Significance of the study Managing challenging behaviours in pupils of 3-5 years raised much interest for the intersection of the drive to raise academic standards and the behavioural management policies. Pupils with behavioural disorders vary in many respects. There is need to improve management of behavioural problems in primary school pupils to improve the quality of education offered in these schools. Literature review Literature search This involves collecting the relevant material for the study that would involve both the public and individual libraries. Additionally, different bibliographic databases would be used to carry out the study. Finding of the study would be synthesized in harmony that is in tandem with the theoretical framework which may destabilize the given set strategies which have been evaluated and the behaviours that are connected with the behavioural challenge. A standardized set of data-extraction guidelines would be utilized and applied in the outcome of evaluation. These guidelines would be used to code analysis in accordance to the age bracket of 3-5 years pupils with challenging behaviours in Saudi Arabia. Studies from (Fox aet al., 2003; Allan and Kerri, 2007) indicate that children at pre kindergarten schools exhibit high rate of expulsion s from schools as compared to the older students. On the other hand, pupils who do not have social and emotional skills are prone to exhibit aggressive behaviours as they mature. This is manifested as their teachers vie them to be less incompetent hence do not offer them a chance to interact with the rest of the students (Janney and Martha, 2008). Firstly, its is observed that, a great number of young people enjoy learning and always do well when they are well-behaved as noted by Merrell (2002). Challenging behaviors cause troubles for others and contribute to unfavorable conditions for learning activities as well as, interfering with their learning activities. Schools have been expected to solve these problems with the highest expectations of success despite the difficulties in coming into solution for certain problems as noted by Newcomer and Lewis (2004, p.177). This is because, a number of these problems require support from specialists and special provisions to cope with the challenging behaviors and allocation of more resources to assist in assisting those with challenging behaviors in school setting. Causes of challenging behaviours Medical condition Medical conditions may cause the pupils to develop challenging behaviour. This may be exhibited when they face Down’s syndrome that affects their respiratory system. This makes them to have difficulties in communicating hence lowering their self esteem (Scruggs, Mastropieri and McDuffie, 2007). Unhealthy diets may also cause withdrawal symptoms amongst the pupils hence affecting their learning. Consequently, challenging behavior may be considered as having been caused by medical causes when the child demonstrates the feelings of pain, illnesses and sensory difficulties. Certain difficulties also contribute to sensory difficulties. They include repeated involuntary movements of the body and uncontrollable sounds for the vocals such as Tourette's syndrome or obsessive behaviors such as Autistic Spectrum Disorders. As noted by Gargiulo and Jennifer (2005), children who do not get enough positive interactions with their parents may engage themselves in actions that ensure they get the attention they require as well as, control over others. In addition, there are problems such as difficulties in attention and hyperactivity that often results into difficulties in operation of certain areas of the brain (Janney and Snell, 2000). Another medical condition that may result into behavioral problems in primary pupils is the problem of impulsivity and difficulties in obtaining self-control at school, at home or in various stages of a child's life. Furthermore, certain children are born with the behaviors’ of being intense and have negative attitudes in their minds. These temperamental attitudes may contribute to bad behaviors in later stages of life. Social problems These are caused by effect of the society. This refers to the next immediate persons that the pupils interact with. The family members of the pupils would determine how one would behave and learn while at school (Merrell, 2002). Families that have constant quarrels would instil fear within the pupil hence develop sense of low self esteem. This would ultimately affect the learning outcome of the pupil. Presumptuously, most individuals believe that the pupils who exhibit challenging behaviours come from backgrounds that are socially deprived. Statistically, those who have been excluded would be proportionally and likely to exhibit a high level of special kind of education. If a child is born in a family where there are socio-economic difficulties, his behaviors are likely to be influenced in one way or another. This may result into poor social skills and language development as a result of poor skills of provision of parental care. The child may use the behavior as a technique of gaining attention from his friends within the social environment. For instance, if a child that is born in a family where poverty is high, marital problems are common and there are difficulties in learning may have social behavioral problems (Alberto and Anne, 2009). This behavior is most likely to affect children whose tempers make them to be more reactive. This condition is also caused by difficulties in communication. When a child is unable to communicate effectively with his friends, he may engage in challenging behaviors to ensure lack of understanding of the language is compensated by inappropriate behavior that may be used as a method of expressing the needs. This behavioral challenge can be managed by teaching the child the right methods of communication to ensure his needs are addressed in arriving at the solution to the problem one has. Environmental conditions Apparently, some pupils would react differently when subject to environmental conditions such as, cold, noise or heat (Gargiulo, and Jennifer, 2005). Some would even act negatively when they feel that their space has been invaded. Some would develop low self esteem hence becoming withdrawn. This would lastly affect their performance in class as they would not adequately participate in class activities. The emotional and social development of the children entirely depends in the nature in which they relate with their surroundings. These may include their parents or guardians who are close to them. Parents ought to offer guidance to their children to ensure they develop their social and emotional skills. Moreover, they are regarded as contributing to challenging behaviors in primary pupils when children show negative reactions to noise, heat or cold or when their space is invaded (Allan and Kerri, 2007). The specific children that are affected by environmental conditions are autistic children by demonstration of oversensitive behaviors towards certain stimuli such as noise, and show negative reactions as a result of these stimuli. Their peers also reject them, which makes them to have limited positive plays behaviours. Early rejections exhibited amongst the pupil’s offers influences the way in which these pupils view themselves and may lead them to hade school activities. This may be exhibited by poor performance and constant absenteeism in class. Management of challenging behaviour In order to ensure that the challenging behaviours are managed, systematic framework have to be in place that ensures that effective communication is conveyed between the teachers and the parents. The challenges should be shared amongst the school administrative framework to evaluate how best such challenge could be ameliorate. The teachers should also allocate some time so as they can speak with the pupils. The desire to manage the challenging behaviours is as a result of the situation in which, the schools ought to be inclusive. The integration of pupils also calls for the chance in which all pupils have to be normalized and given a favourable condition for learning. Promoting positive behaviors in classroom In classroom situation, teachers promote positive behaviors by treating their children with respect and ensuring positive relationship exists between them and the pupils. This ensures children react well to routines and regulations of classroom setting. The major strategy that has been used to ensure positive behaviors exist in classroom is by creating classroom rules and discussing them with the children (Janney and Snell, 2000). These are displayed on the walls of the classroom with pictures for students who cannot understand written materials. a particular example of such a rule may be ' We raise our hands when we want to speak' or ' We are not allowed to shout in class'. In addition, teachers can promote positive behaviors in their children by focusing on positive behaviors to reinforce them in their children (Stormont, Beckner, Mitchell, and Richter, 2005). This can be done by trying to catch children being good and rewarding them and advising majority of other students to behave in a similar manner. Teachers also need to formalize an approach for praise by providing children with tokens, points or recognitions fro positive behaviors. Teachers can also contribute to promotion of positive behaviors in their children by instructing their children clearly with regards to certain problems or instruction activities. Teachers have been observed to give their children at least thirty-five commands in half-an hour period. This has been observed to double in situation where children have difficulties in behaviors. Consequently, the teacher's command needs to be short, clear as well as specific; it should be expressed in a positive term and should be timed to ensure the children are able to comply. In addition, they should be accompanied by a reinforcement of children who are able to obey the command. Role of the whole school in promoting positive behaviors The whole school can contribute towards promoting a positive behavior by ensuring children respect each other, are responsible and more emphasis is placed on positive behaviors. This emphasis can be practiced in school assemblies, by celebrating success and welcoming of attitudes of parents that contributes to the promotion of the needs of younger children and sharing of duties with the students as well as ensuring students' first names are used. This approach ensures that the successes are shared by the entire school community such as the teachers, children, parents as well as the BOG. Furthermore, discipline measures to ensure bullying is prevented should be implemented by determining the measures that will be put into practice to ensure bullying is prevented. Parental involvement can also contribute towards promotion of positive behaviors in their children through the implementation of a note in the homework journal or providing parents with reports regarding the behaviors of their children (Bambara and Kern, 2005). It has been observed that children recognize a positive note sent home as a reward whereas a negative note is regarded as a sanction against them. Behavioural models strategies The techniques that are utilised by teachers to motivate the pupils include; encouraging the pupils to be active in class and, non-disruptive behaviour and not rewarding those that engage in disruptive and off-task behaviour. The teacher utilises the facilitation of visual aids such as, graphs and symbols in showing the children how well they were moving ahead towards getting rewards (Janney and Martha, 2008). Other models involve; use of assertive discipline, which involve preparing, of classroom rules and regulation then posted in classes. The pupils are assisted to interpret the rules by their teacher. Additionally, parents also assist in evaluating their children by reviewing the daily reports that would have been sent to them by the teachers. Cognitive behavioural Strategies This strategy aims at long-term changes utilizes the longer intervention periods. The study evidently gives an indication that an effective duration of eight hours that is utilized in teaching children on controlling themselves and observing carefully their own behaviour this was effective amongst children of between 3-5 years old (Gargiulo and Jennifer, 2005 Systematic models Strategies based on This involves aspect such as, sitting arrangements in the class. The manner in which the arrangement is done may have an impact in the pupil’s behaviour as noted by Alberto and Anne (2009). Apparently, it revealed that systematic changing of seating arrangement in classes from groups to rows was effective at given times especially when the children are disturbed. System of detection and intervention Pupils who have severe emotional and challenging behaviours may be admitted in mainstream school with the help of a specialist from a special school as noted by Merrell (2002). Additionally, the second set of educational conditions that is essential for the pupils with challenging behaviours. Conclusion In conclusion, managing Calls for development of comprehensive assessment articulate in the manner in which the pupils would behave. This involves identifying the environmental issues that affect the behaviour of pupils and the reactions that are associated in the continuance of such kind of behaviour. Inherently, utilization of functional assessment offers a better approach that would facilitate understanding of a given behaviour. . This gives an overview on which kind of behaviour deem to be most serious and would require quick intervention. The behaviour could be termed in the nature of how harmful is it to the child as well as, to the rest of the pupils. It may also be assessed in the nature in which it interferes with the learning activities, or it impedes the way in which the pupils socially interact with each other. Persons or individuals who are close to the pupil maybe interviewed so as to obtain their personal views. This elucidates the underlying activities within the environment that would probably lead to challenging behaviours. Antecedents are the environmental activities that lead to challenging behaviours, whereas, the consequences are the events which would maintain the challenging behaviours in a given set up. References Alberto, P. and Anne, T., 2009. Applied behaviour analysis for teachers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Pearson. Allan, R., and Kerri, P., 2007. "Effects of teacher greetings on student on-task behaviour." Journal of applied behaviour Analysis 40(2), pp. 317-20. Bambara, L. M. and Kern, L., 2005. Individualized supports for students with problem behaviors. New York: The Guilford Press. Fox, L., Dunlap, G., Hemmeter, M. L., Joseph, G. and Strain, P., 2003. The teaching pyramid: A model for supporting social competence and preventing challenging behaviour. Journal of young Children, 58(2), pp. 48-53. Gargiulo, M., and Jennifer, K., 2005.Young children with special needs: An introduction to early childhood special education. Albany, NY: Thomson/Delmar Learning Janney, R, and Martha, S., 2008. Behavioural support. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Pub. Janney, R. and Snell, M. E., 2000. Teachers’ guide to inclusive practices: Behavioural support. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes. Kern, L., Gallagher, P., Starosta, K., Hickman, W. and George, M.,2006. Longitudinal outcomes of functional behavioural assessment-based intervention. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8(2), pp. 67-78. Merrell, W., 2002. School social behavior scales user's guide. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub. Newcomer, L. L. and Lewis, T. J., 2004. Functional behavioural assessment: An investigation of assessment reliability and effectiveness of function-based interventions. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 12(2), pp. 168-181. Scruggs, E., Mastropieri, A., and McDuffie, A. 2007. Co-teaching in inclusive classrooms: A metasynthesis of qualitative research. Exceptional children. 73 (4) pp. 392–416. Stormont, M., Beckner, R., Mitchell, B., and Richter, M., 2005. Supporting successful transitions to kindergarten: General challenges and specific implications for students with problem behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 42(8), pp. 765-778. Read More