Emotional/Behavior Disorders Kimberly EllisPatricia Gonzalez Elyse GersbeckLori Miranda

Definition & Characteristics IDEA Definition of Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED): “ A condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree, which adversely affects educational performance:  An inability to learn which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors  An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers  Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances  A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression  A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.” ( Four typical patterns of the disorder are: conduct disorder socialized aggression Immaturity anxiety-withdrawal. Children with EBD may be aggressive, defiant, uncooperative, and disruptive. They may be distractible, impulsive, and have poor social skills.

Emotional/Behavioral Disorders... How they affects Speech and Language Children with E/BD and Speech and Language disorders are affected negatively in their school success 50-80% of students with language disorders also have an emotional disorder Children affected have problems with the majority of language arts skills

Students with E/BD Have Higher Risks Children with expressive language problems increase the risk of maintaining or increasing behavioral problems Have fewer opportunities to interact with peers Fewer opportunities for interactions leads to further language development delays

Pragmatics Connects to linguistic, cognitive, social, and emotional Children with E/BD may have problems with syntactic and semantic skills which are needed to form units of talk (conversations, monologues, narratives). They have difficulty speaking with peers because it is important to understand the needs of the other speaker and to take turns while shifting into different topics. The child must be able to understand the social and cognitive intentions of the other speaker They have difficulties using language for different purposes: – Requesting – Describing – Greeting – Protesting – Negotiating

Effects on Second Language Acquisition Internalizing Behavior Disorder Students are withdrawn, shy, and act depressed Second language acquisition is affected when students are unwilling or unable to vocalize within the classroom. Since new language acquisition requires the student to communicate, the teacher may have difficulty getting the student to open up enough necessary to acquire the new language. A student who is withdrawn will limit their opportunities to converse with their peers. Practice with conversational language is important when acquiring a second language. Externalizing Behavior Disorder Students act demanding, disobedient, and inattentive; may also avoid working with peers and be openly disruptive Second language acquisition can be affected when students are disruptive and inattentive. Learning a new language takes patience and attentiveness. Students who can not concentrate or remain on task will not be able to obtain the language as easily. The teacher will have a difficult time teaching a student who is openly disruptive and disobedient. The student will have a hard time following directions and listening enough to learn the new language. Similar to the internalizing behavior disorder, if the student is unwilling or unable to converse with their peers, they will limit themselves to the amount of conversational practice they receive with the new language.

Teaching Strategies 1.Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS): Students with EBD are paired with a peer “coach” to serve as a model and assist with academic and behavior activities. 2.Student Engagement: It is critical to have students with EBD maintain a high level of engagement. Students with EBD have tendencies to be restless, unmotivated, inattentive, aggressive, and easily irritated. 3. Direct Instruction: Students with EBD really need instruction that is explicit and systematic, and that is directed, guided, and modeled by the teacher. 4.Progress Monitoring: By keeping an ongoing form of observation and assessment, the teacher can monitor what is and what is not working for the student.

Resources &Websites: Intervention Central At Intervention Central school staff and parents can receive free tools and resources designed to promote positive classroom behaviors and foster effective learning. Education.com: Bringing learning to life D. Smith defines EBD and explains how it is diagnosed by explaining the testing involved in the process. This website also explains what to expect from a student with diagnosed EBD. National Dissemination for Center for Children with Disabilities The Early Intervention Resource page has current information and resources for providers and parents. Council for Exceptional Children Excellent site to research exceptionalities, resources, and current topics. Division on Developmental Disabilities Council for Exceptional Children Professional organization with resources, discussions, and forums Hyter, Y., Rogers-Adkinson, D.L., Self, T.L., Friederich Simmons, B., & Jantz, J. (2001). Pragmatic language intervention for children with language and emotional/behavioral disorders. Communication Disorders Quaterly, 23(1).