Countering the Pursuit of “Magic Bullet” Solutions

Abstract

It is our contention that some teachers frequently pursue new or trendy interventions that they believe will help them easily modify their students’ challenging behaviors and/or academic deficits. Unfortunately, the quest for “magic bullet” solutions often leads to educators readily adopting interventions and materials from less-than-reputable online resources. A recommended alternative is the pursuit of behavioral and/or academic interventions that have research supporting them. For the past 32 years, Beyond Behavior has published articles on researchor evidence-based practices that can help teachers improve the outcomes of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Issue 32(2) continues this long and distinguished scholarly pursuit with six exceptional articles. The first article, by Erica McClure and Jonathan Burt, reviews how functional communication training (FCT) can address problem behavior for students with various disabilities. The authors outline the process of developing and implementing FCT plans through an efficient approach that includes essential components and tools to aid application. In the piece, the authors also highlight potential pitfalls for practitioners to avoid. In the second article, Jasmine Justus, Brittany Hott, and Sarah Heininger provide guidance on implementing the strategy of planned ignoring. The authors address questions that may arise during planning and implementation, describe stepby-step procedures for successful implementation, and provide forms and resources to assist with classroom implementation. Davida Rogers, Karan Bundrick, Joe Ryan, and Love Afram review the various types of timeout being used by schools to address inappropriate behavior in children in the third article. In practice, timeout is not a single strategy. Rather, it is a compilation of related practices. Some forms of timeout are research-based practices for modifying student behavior. However, others lack research support and are frequently misused, hindering academic performance and risking harm to children. The authors review the different types of timeout and share best practices to help teachers use timeout successfully. The fourth article, by Kinga Balint-Langel, Leonard Troughton, Ryan Nation, and Afzal Qureshi, discusses effective implementation of a student-directed Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. Such self-directed processes involve systematic training that enables students with EBD to lead and manage their own IEP meetings. Research support, a detailed overview, and guidelines on how educators can implement this research-based practice are included. In the fifth article, Jenna Gersib explains how educators can support student behavior change through motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing is an established, research-based intervention that focuses on building intrinsic motivation to promote healthy changes in a variety of situations, including improving student motivation, attendance, self-determination, and grades. The author describes a teaching framework and demonstrates how teachers can use motivational interviewing to help students with challenging behaviors experience increased school success. In the final article, Robbie Marsh, Heather Baltadano-Van Ness, and Sarup Mathur illustrate how educators can improve engagement in the virtual environment for students with EBD. Virtual learning is attracting more students with disabilities. However, virtual instruction may not effectively meet the needs of students with EBD. This article highlights how to develop culturally relevant behavioral expectations and parent engagement that can increase the likelihood that improved virtual learning outcomes will occur for students with EBD. Each component is highlighted with accompanying examples and explanations for special education teachers.