Student Behavior & Classroom Management Flashcards

Which of the following is a function-based approach to addressing challenging student behavior?

Answer: Determining what the student gains or avoids through the behavior before selecting an intervention

Function-based interventions identify the purpose of a behavior (gain attention, escape a task, etc.) so that the support directly addresses the underlying need.

Extinction in applied behavior analysis (ABA) refers to:

Answer: Withholding the reinforcer that has been maintaining a behavior

Extinction involves no longer providing the reinforcement that previously maintained the behavior, which over time leads to the behavior decreasing.

A student consistently disrupts class to gain peer attention. The most effective function-based intervention would be to:

Answer: Teach the student appropriate ways to seek peer attention and reinforce those behaviors

Teaching a replacement behavior that fulfills the same function (seeking peer attention appropriately) is more effective than simply punishing the disruption.

Which scenario best illustrates the use of differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI)?

Answer: Praising a student for walking calmly in the hallway, since walking and running cannot occur simultaneously

DRI reinforces a behavior that is physically incompatible with the problem behavior, making it impossible to do both at the same time.

A student with autism spectrum disorder begins to display self-stimulatory behavior (stimming) during a lesson. The paraprofessional should:

Answer: Assess whether the behavior is interfering with learning before deciding to intervene

Not all stimming requires intervention; the paraprofessional should determine if the behavior is disrupting learning or causing harm before acting.

Which statement about cultural differences in behavior is MOST accurate for a paraprofessional working with diverse students?

Answer: Behaviors considered disrespectful in one culture may be signs of respect in another, and this context matters

Understanding cultural context helps paraprofessionals avoid misinterpreting culturally influenced behaviors as defiance or disrespect.

A student frequently leaves their seat without permission during independent work time. Before assuming this is a behavioral issue, the paraprofessional should consider:

Answer: Whether the student has an unmet sensory, physical, or academic need driving the behavior

Off-task or out-of-seat behavior often signals an unmet need such as sensory input, discomfort, or difficulty with the assigned work rather than intentional defiance.