Students with Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Difficulties: The Alert Program Trial in Post-Primary Schools

Abstract

This article reports on the collaboration between teachers and occupational therapists in a program for students with challenging behaviors. The National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) adapted and trialed Williams and Shellenberger’s Alert Program (1996) in four mainstream partner post-primary schools in areas of social disadvantage in the academic year 2011–2012. Eighty-five students (aged 12 to 13 years) participated. Teachers, students, and occupational therapists reported that both content and approach engaged students who learned self-management strategies for the classroom (Mac Cobb, Fitzgerald, & Lanigan-O’Keeffe,2014). A whole school approach was recommended involving all teachers of the class group requiring collaborative consultation between therapists, teachers, and school management.

Keywords:

• emotional and behavioral difficulties
• self-regulation
• collaborative consultation
• social disadvantage

Acknowledgements

The teachers, school management, and students and parents are acknowledged for their contribution to this project. The national and regional NBSS team members were central in this collaborative endeavor, and this project would not have been successful without their support.