1. Behavior Escalation
What to do when you’ve tried the rest and the behavior continues?

2. Behavior Escalation Verbal Escalation
A student that continues to escalate in their behavior despite redirection, pivot praise etc. is sometimes referred to as a Defensive Student
A Defensive Student is one who is beginning to lose their rationality and is often belligerent – yelling, screaming, possibly using profanity and refuses to follow directions.
Is this student going to respond to previous methods of redirection? Can the student be reasoned with?
How you respond to a verbally escalated student can either escalate or de-escalate the situation.

3. Behavior Escalation
Verbal escalation is said to occur in a continuum from low to high disruption. However, people do not typically go through the escalation continuum in text book fashion. They tend to “jump” around so it is important to remain calm and recognize where the person is at so you can intervene accordingly.
Verbal Escalation Continuum:
Inquisitive: Challenging and Information seeking questions
Defiance: Non-compliance: continues on-going behavior
Venting: Typically venting involves yelling, screaming. It is an emotional outburst
Threatening: verbal or non-verbal gestures presented in an intimidating manner (you, your property, you family, etc)
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

4. Behavior Escalation Verbal Escalation & Intervention:
Inquisitive: There are 2 types of questioning
Information Seeking Questions: these are rational questions such as “where did you want me sit?”
Verbal Challenge: these types of questions challenge your authority or are evasive. It is here where you often get drawn into a power struggle.
Intervention:
Information Seeking Questions: Answer the question, give a rational response. “I want you to sit at the small table”
Verbal Challenge: Stick to the topic, redirect to the topic, ignore the challenge. If the student persists then, Set Limits (to be discussed in detail later).
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

5. Behavior Escalation Verbal Escalation & Intervention:
Defiance: Non-compliance, a refusal to follow direction. Can be either verbal or non-verbal. Typically referred to as “Defiance”
Intervention: Set Limits
Setting Limits is about being in control of the consequences and not about controlling the behavior of another.
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

6. Behavior Escalation
Setting Limits: is the offering of a choice and the consequences associated with option. The choice consist of engaging in the more desired behavior and having a positive consequence or continuing with the inappropriate behavior and having a negative consequence.
Example:
A student is talking to their neighbor friend during instruction and has been asked to stop talking twice but continues.
At this point, the teacher may state that the student can stop talking and remain seated next to her friend or if she continues talking she will have to move her seat.
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

7. Behavior Escalation Setting Limits: Keys to Setting Limits:
Simple & Clear
Reasonable
Must be enforceable. If you cannot follow through than you are only threatening the student.
When Setting Limits you have to be prepared to state both a positive consequence and a negative consequence.
There are 2 types of consequences that Teach: Natural and Logical
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

8. Behavior Escalation Setting Limits:
Natural Consequences: are those that follow naturally from an event.
Example:
Behavior: Student throws ball over playground fence
Natural Consequence: don’t get the ball or replace the ball until enough time has passed that the student experiences the loss.
What are some other examples?
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

9. Behavior Escalation Setting Limits:
Logical Consequences: These are prearranged contingencies that are logically related to the behavior for the purpose of teaching.
When thinking about logical consequences “think simple”. Most misbehavior involves the student with:
1. another student 2. an adult
2. an object/activity 4. a privilege
Logical consequences then may be to simply separate the child from the person/place/thing they are having a problem with (negative consequence). The positive consequence would then be to have continued access to that person/place/thing.
Example: Student wastes instructional time; have him make up the time during his preferred activity (working lunch). The positive consequence: work in class now and have lunch with friends in the cafeteria.
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

10. Behavior Escalation Setting Limits: A few last things:
Limits are better received when the desired behavior/positive consequence are stated first. Starting with the negative may be perceived as a challenge.
Can be used with students who are not verbally escalated. Use as often as needed to teach your expectations.
If you need to use the same consequences several times in one day, don’t be to quick to assume that the consequence is ineffective. Some learn faster than others.
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

11. Behavior Escalation Verbal Escalation & Intervention:
Venting: Verbal acting out, an emotional outburst that may involve yelling and the use of profanity. At this point the person has completely lost rationalization.
Intervention: Remove the audience or the acting out person (if possible). Allow student to “vent”. When the student begins to calm down give directives that are non-threatening and be prepared to follow through on any limits you have set.
A hands-on approach at this time may trigger physical acting out.
What are some examples?
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

12. Behavior Escalation Verbal Escalation & Intervention:
Threatening: this is when a student either verbally or non-verbally (postures/gestures) threatens an adult in some way.
Intervention: Seek assistance, do not intervene alone.
Remove the audience if you have not already done so. Once the audience is removed and assistance is there: keep your distance, continue to allow the student to “vent”.
Remove yourself if necessary and allow the support personnel to take over.
A hands-on approach at this point will result in an physically acting out student.
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

13. Behavior Escalation Things to be aware of: Our Verbal Behavior:
Remain calm, use a neutral tone of voice, be firm and directive. Leave the emotion out of it.
Our Body Language:
Are we giving the student their personal space?
Is our posture, hand gestures and facial expression non-challenging?
Can we get out of the situation if the student begins to act out physically?
May want to demonstrate based on CPI model

14. Behavior Escalation Tips & Techniques: Do Remain calm Be simple/clear
Enforce limits
Listen to the person
Be Aware of non-verbals: body language, personal space needs
Be consistent
Don’t
Overreact
Get in a power struggle
Make false promises
Fake attention
Be threatening
Use too many words

15. May want to demonstrate based on CPI model