Clinical Articles Archives - Kevin Plummer, PhD

Intensity of Behavior

K. Plummer Site — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 11:18:15 +0000

The Severity and Intensity of Behavior Scale

Intensity of behavior is a relevant qualifying variable in the case of most students referred to or being considered for referral or change in a therapeutic program. It helps to have a scale that makes the discussion of intensity of behavior less subjective.
Related:
Episode Data Form
Measuring Student Performance
Monitoring Student Engagement Tolerance & Program Participation
Rating Guidelines
Program Student Evaluation
Documentation of Extreme Deterioration in Mental Status and Emotional Stability

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Sportsmanship Scoring Key

K. Plummer Site — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:31:34 +0000

A rating scale for supporting students and teachers in evaluating game play sportsmanship.

It is expected that most students would achieve between a 4 and a 5 on a regular basis. The lowest acceptable score would be in the range of 3 to 3.5. Anything below a 3 requires an increase in structure (as detailed in Levels of Independence/Instruction With Competitive Game Play) and consideration for further intervention. Students consistently achieving scores between 4 and 5 can be moved up to work on higher levels of independence (Levels of Independence/Instruction With Competitive Game Play).

Please Also See:

direct download (pdf)

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Levels of Independence/Instruction with Competitive Game Play

K. Plummer Site — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:24:16 +0000

A Rubric Scale

Please Also See:

direct download (pdf)

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Good Sportsmanship and Self-Control in Competitive Games: A Comprehension Guide

K. Plummer Site — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:14:50 +0000

A Guideline for Students
Playing a game is supposed to be enjoyable. Being a good sport means that you try to enjoy the experience and try to have fun, just as you let others enjoy themselves and have their fun. Being a good sport means that you appreciate the opportunity to play with someone else, just as you want them to appreciate the chance to play with you.

1. Acknowledge the skills and the efforts of your opponent, regardless of the outcome.

2. Cheer for and encourage teammates and show support, even when things aren’t going well…

Please Also See:

direct download (pdf)

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Comprehension Guides – Topic Directory

K. Plummer Site — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 04:02:34 +0000

Comprehension guides support children when comprehension breakdown is a significant contributor to their emotional and behavioral problems in the classroom. Behavior intervention programs are frequently limited in their success, because they do not adequately address student understanding of what is expected and what to expect. This is especially the case with students who have trouble discerning the nuances of routines and situations.

Comprehension guides provide detailed and visually supported guidelines to illustrate what is expected and why. They help students understand the nuances of classroom routines and they increase the precision of behavior intervention programs.

» Improving Comprehension of the Nuances of Routine

Related Materials about Routines:

Using Classroom Routines to Create a Therapeutic Brain Settling Effect
Important Things to Remember about Routines
Guidelines for Using Routines
Social Emotional Learning Routines

» Working in a Group: Comprehension Materials
» Whole Class Instruction Comprehension Guide
» Warm up/ Staying Neutral Program: Directions
» Teacher Decisions: Comprehension Guide
» Taking a Break: Comprehension Guide
» Making an Adjustment: Comprehension Guide
» Clearing up Confusion: Comprehension Guide
» Good Sportsmanship and Self-Control in Competitive Games: Comprehension Guide
» Being a Good Sport: Comprehension Guide
» Blurting Out The Answer: Comprehension Guide

Please also see the Distress Tolerance Program – Guide to Materials, which includes a number of comprehension guides designed to support students in alleviating stress, frustration and feelings of being “worn out.”

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Emotional Regulation and Sportsmanship in Competitive Games

K. Plummer Site — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:51 +0000

For Students Impacted by Mood Dysregulation Disorders

The materials in this section are designed to help students who enjoy competitive games during physical education classes, recess, and periods of free time, but are challenged to maintain satisfactory emotional regulation during these experiences. The traditional proactive approach has been to work on the development of social skills as well as mood regulation skills in an instructional setting. The traditional reactive approach has been to employ discipline and punitive measures to penalize the behavior or restrict access to the problematic situation. Both approaches have merit and they should probably both be employed at the same time.

Please Also See:

direct download (pdf)

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Why Focus on Developing Leisure and Play Skills?

K. Plummer Site — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:16 +0000

Regardless of the cause, the underdevelopment of leisure skills puts students—and those working with them—at a great disadvantage. The role of leisure skills in the overall progress of children impacted by emotional and behavioral challenges and by those impacted by developmental disabilities is outlined below in a long list of reasons for developing play and leisure skills. Revisiting these ideas can help support children in developing these skills even inside an academic environment.

Reasons for developing play and leisure skills include; Relief and Restore, Distraction, Reward Potency, Mood Regulation, Locus of Control, Social Connection, Engagement in the Present and others.

direct download (pdf)

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Why Visual?

K. Plummer Site — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:40 +0000

This is a question that is asked frequently when behavior intervention leans heavily on a visual component. Why are we emphasizing the use of visual supports, even for students who understand spoken language? Therapeutic intervention for emotionally, behaviorally, or developmentally impacted children should rely heavily on visual communication for several key reasons including; increased sense of stability, activated reward centers, predictability and clear expectations, and a clear path toward student independence.

direct download (pdf)

For additional examples of therapeutic programming with visual support see the following:

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Student Performance During Distance Learning

K. Plummer Site — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:22:33 +0000

Measuring Student Performance in Therapeutic Programs During Distance Learning

Even after the forced school closings of 2020 have generally ceased, the option of providing distance learning under special circumstances remains. Just as instruction has been adapted to fit a distance learning approach, measuring student performance has also been adapted. These measurement guidelines are based upon unique environment of distance learning. In-school performance measurement guidelines are here.

Direct download: Student Performance During Distance Learning

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Stress Feedback – Getting Back to Calm and Settled

K. Plummer Site — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 18:45:09 +0000

This scale is a teaching tool, designed to provide the settling student with continuous and incremental feedback on their progress from a stressed state to a settled state. It’s a tool that can be used as part of a Restorative Breaks Program.

You may also see
Break Proficiency Articles
Settled Scales
Taking a Break Comprehension Guide
Calm & Settled Visual

Direct download: Stress Feedback – Getting Back to Calm & Settled

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Social Detecting

K. Plummer Site — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 18:10:59 +0000

The Social Detecting Worksheet

This adult-facilitated worksheet is used with students who experience frequent misperceptions in social situations, leading to escalating behavior and the development of false memories and negative narratives. This worksheet is designed to accomplish two goals: 1) clarify what really happened, leading to a more successful problem resolution and 2) incrementally improve social perception skills for application in real time. The adult who facilitates this worksheet process is most effective if they’ve witnessed what happened or they are able to get a full account from others. Download: Social Detecting Worksheet
Also see: Social Comprehension Breakdown and Clearing up Confusion

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Being a Good Sport

K. Plummer Site — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 16:52:13 +0000

A Comprehension Guide
Part of the Good Fit Program

Being a Good Sport

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