-Content Expert Nicki Griffith
Early childhood applications of positive behavior support embrace features where:
- Parent-professional partnerships are considered essential
- Data are used to assess progress
- Interventions are multi-component, assessment-based, and designed to fit within natural routines
- Quality of life children, families, and other support providers is the ultimate goal.
This section includes resources focused on implementation of positive behavior support with young children (i.e., birth-5). It covers applications in preschool programs and home-based intervention with families.
Collaboration Among Systems
- Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (FSEFEL). Focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5 (free).
- Division for Early Childhood of the Counsel for Exceptional Children Position Statement on Challenging Behavior and Young Children (2017). This paper describes the position on the use of positive behavior support with young children as an affective alternative to reactive methods for addressing challenging behavior (free).
- Getting Involved with Positive Behavior Support at Your Child’s School, Michelle White & Meme Hieneman (Sep/Oct 2011), pp. 50-51. From the Parenting Special Needs Magazine an article for parents to better understand how they can become involved in the use of positive behavior support with their child in the school system (free).
- National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) Focus is on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to five, reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, using data for decision-making, integrating early childhood and infant mental health consultation and fostering inclusion (free).
- Working Together: Family-School Collaboration in Positive Behavior Support, Meme Hieneman, Andrew Garbacz, & Kimberli Breen (Jul/Aug, 2018), pp. 20-22. From the Parenting Special Needs Magazine an article with tips for parents for how to talk with their childs teachers about their needs (free).
Learning Modules
- AFIRM Modules – Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. Topic-based modules linked to FPG’s evidence-based practices clearinghouse. Designed for families and practitioners working in early childhood/autism, but content is generalizable (free).
- Center on the Social and Emotional foundations for Early Learning Training Modules - This website contains resources and training modules for early intervention professionals. Each training module was created from best practice and input from parents and educators (free).
- Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children: The Early Childhood Model of Individualized Positive Behavior Support - Dunlap, Wilson, Strain, & Lee (2013). Guide for professionals working in preschool settings that includes CD-Rom of fillable forms (for purchase).
Resources for Applying Positive Behavior Support
- Different Strokes: Using ABA to Teach Children Skills, Meme Hieneman & Erin Barton (free).
- Helping Children Succeed at Things They’d Rather Not Do, Meme Hieneman & Sarah Fefer (free).
- Helping Children Transition Between Activities - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations - A resource providing tips and strategies to try with supporting children with transitions in daily life (free).
- Making Learning Fun: Teaching Pivotal Skills, Jacoby Davani, Amy Sulger, Hana Jurgens, & Meme Hieneman (Jan/Feb, 2021)(Free).
- Preschool Behavior Support Self-Assessment - Hancock & Carter (2016). Summary, example, and implications for practice of a tool that can be used in preschools on the NAEYC website.
- Providing Positive Feedback and Encouragement - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations. A list of verbal praise statements that can be used beyond "good job" (free).
- Setting and Achieving High Expectations, Chantai Snellgrove & Meme Hieneman (Jan/Feb, 2018)(Free).
- UNSW Understanding Behaviour Support Practice: Young Children (0-8 years) with Developmental Delay and Disability. (2017) - Dew, A., Jones, A., Horvat, K., Cumming, T., Dillon Savage, I., & Dowse, L. UNSW Sydney.
- What Works - Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. A resource on various positive support strategies. This is a brief article on teaching children self-management skills (free).
