Carter, D., & Pool, J. (2012). Appropriate social behaviour: teaching expectations to young children. Early Childhood Journal, 40, 315-321.

Dr. Bradley's buzz:

This article does not muck around when it comes to behaviour guidance. The approach taken is teacher led and not really inclusive, but it could be modified to include children as agents in the development of positive behavioural expectations.

The programme reported on is Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports. The programme is designed as a method of systematically teaching appropriate behaviour, but it also creates a shared language that teachers and parents can use to discuss challenging behaviour. The key to the programme is consistency and predictability - which is similar to most behaviour modification programmes.

There are three phases of the programme: creating support links with parents and caregivers, explicit instruction of social skills, and individualised intervention when needed.

Once a reciprocal relationship has been built with parents/caregivers the programme begins with the definition of expections. This is split into two steps: step one involves creating broad expections in a language children can understand e.g., 'we take care of each other.' There should be no more than 5 expectations. The second step involves providing examples of what the expectation looks like in different settings or routine times, as well as examples of what not meeting the expectation looks like. Teachers can then draw up a behaviour expectation matrix which lists what expectations look like in practice.

Teachers then devise specific lessons for each part of the matrix. When teaching, it is best to move into the setting to give instruction. The article then introduces a four step approach to teaching behaviour expectations: "1. Tell children what the expectation is, what it looks like and why it is important. 2. Show children what it looks like to display the expectation in the target setting or routine and what it looks like to not meet the expectation. 3. Create opportunities for children to practice implementing the expectation in the target setting or routine. 4. Provide feedback to children for both meeting the expectation and not meeting the expectation in natural contexts" (Carter & Pool, 2012, p. 318.

This article was an easy read aimed at providing a structure for the intentional teaching of behavioural expectations. It challenges early childhood teachers to formulate lesson plans around behaviour modification but also reiterates throughout that consistency is the key.