Children with social behavior problems need teachers who are prepared to use evidence-based interventions to increase their likelihood of success. However, it is clear that teachers do not feel prepared to support children in this area. One approach for supporting teachers in using more effective interventions for children with behavior needs is the use of coaching. The purpose of this review of the literature is to explore the research to date that specifically targets coaching teachers on the use of social behavior interventions to improve children's social behavior outcomes. Criteria were established to increase the generalizability of the results of the review and 29 studies met inclusionary criteria. Of these studies, 86% documented positive findings and the remaining documented neutral findings. Only 31% of studies documented a measure of integrity for the coaching process. Main findings and implications for future research are discussed.

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Even with the use of effective universal classroom management practices, some students will need additional behavioral supports. However, to translate implementation of new strategies into the classroom, professional development programs need to be adaptive to the complexities teachers face in providing instruction and managing classroom behaviors among diverse learners. Teachers also need support to successfully implement universal practices as well as to develop and enact plans for supporting students with disruptive behavior. This article describes a universal classroom management program that embeds coaching within the model. The coach supported teachers both in implementing universal strategies and in developing and implementing behavior support plans for students with disruptive behavior. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the behavior support plans and the types of coaching activities used to support these plans. Findings indicated that during meetings with teachers, coaches spent time action planning and providing performance feedback to teachers on their implementation of the behavior support plans. In addition, teachers reduced their rate of reprimands with the targeted at-risk students. Students receiving behavioral supports demonstrated decreased rates of disruptive behavior, increased prosocial behavior, and a trend toward improved on-task behavior. In comparison, a matched sample of students with disruptive behaviors did not demonstrate improved outcomes. Implications for practice are discussed.

In an effort to reduce problem behavior, it is recommended that schools develop a continuum of positive behavior support (PBS) that focuses on prevention/early intervention as well as individualized student support systems for those students who display chronic problem behaviors. While there is a large database to support the use of PBS practices at the individual student level, the knowledge base supporting prevention/early intervention strategies is characterized as emerging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of PBS prevention/early intervention strategies on the rate of problem behavior displayed by elementary school students during recess. Specifically, this study examined the effects of directly teaching playground-related behaviors and the use of a group contingency to reinforce mastery in an elementary school. Results indicated that the intervention reduced the frequency of problem behavior across three recess periods. Results are discussed with respect to support of an emerging empirical database and implications for practice. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Schools confront a myriad of problems in their efforts to educate children and youth. One of the greatest challenges is managing student behavior. With respect to extreme management issues such as school violence, a recent report indicated that 1 in 10 American schools had at least one serious violent crime in the previous school year; 57% reported that one or more incidents of violence resulted in police involvement (U.S. Department of Education, 1998). In response to educators' needs for effective proactive management strategies, the U.S. Department of Education along with the Departments of Justice and Health have issued several reports delineating preferred and promising practices for students with and without disabilities (e. One common theme that cuts across all the recent reports developed by education, justice, and mental health is the need for proactive universal prevention/early intervention strategies. A central focus found within prevention/early intervention is an emphasis on building prosocial skills, not simply reducing problem behavior. A second theme contained within current recommendations is to build a continuum of supports from common universal strategies to highly individualized behavior support plans . Collectively, these two themes make up positive behavior support (PBS). Essential features of universal strategies of PBS include clearly defined expected behaviors, strategies to teach expected behavior, strategies to encourage and practice appropriate behavior, and consistency within and across school systems . Building on the foundation of universal strategies, the next layer of PBS focuses on students who are "at risk" and offers targeted support for individuals and small groups of students. The third layer of PBS focuses on individual students who continue to display problem behavior. Key components of the "individual student" focus are thorough functional behavior assessments, instruction-based plans, an...

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