Understanding and Managing Emotional and Behavior Disorders in the Classroom

Book excerpt: Comprehensive and current, this new text will prepare future educators to successfully instruct students with emotional and behavior disorders in their classrooms. Readers will be given a sound introduction on the subject, from the foundations of the disorders, to a discussion of risk and protective factors, and also a general bio-psychosocial model. Several, particularly hard-to-manage disorders are featured in multiple chapters, and assessment is briefly addressed, including comparing Functional Behavior Assessment with regular assessment, the Behavior Intervention Plans, and Individual Education Plans. Behavior problems manifested and managed in the classroom is reviewed, with an emphasis on the development of positive behavioral interventions and supports. Also discussed are specific behavior interventions for problematic behavior, focusing on how such students are best taught, and how a positive school-wide program enhances the probability of program success. Families and siblings, along with promising future directions are also included, as well as thought-provoking case studies featured throughout the text. Special features of the text include: Overview and Discussion Questions at the beginning of every chapter, and a Summary and follow-up Discussion Questions at the conclusion, boxed features found throughout each chapter to clarify and further describe important content, including law-related issues, and thought-provoking case studies are dispersed throughout. The whole text will stimulate its readers to think about the behavior problems and issues they might address in the real classroom and how to best deal with each situation.