Two-Part Choice Statement: Delivering Clear Consequences for Non-Compliance

When a student is non-compliant, the teacher can structure verbal requests to both acknowledge the student’s freedom to choose whether to comply and to present the logical consequences for non-compliance (e.g., poor grades, office disciplinary referral, etc.).

Type: Student Strategy

Procedure: 
The teacher frames requests to uncooperative students as a two-part 'choice' statement: 
(1) The teacher presents the negative, or non-compliant, choice and its consequences (e.g., if a seatwork assignment is not completed in class, the student must stay after school); 
(2) The teacher next states the positive behavioral choice that the student is encouraged to select (e.g., the student can complete the seatwork assignment within the allotted work time and not stay after school). 

Here is a sample 2-part choice statement, 'John, you can stay after school to finish the class assignment or you can finish the assignment now and not have to stay after class. It is your choice.'

Research Citation: Walker, H.M. (1997). The acting-out child: Coping with classroom disruption. Longmont, CO: SoprisWest.

Teacher Commands: Establishing Command and Control

Teacher commands play an important role in classroom behavior management.

Type: Core Instruction, Student Strategy

Procedure: 
Teacher commands are most likely to elicit student compliance when they:
(1) are delivered calmly, 
(2) are brief, 
(3) are stated when possible as DO statements rather than as DON'T statements, 
(4) use clear, simple language, and 
(5) are delivered one command at a time and appropriately paced to avoid confusing or overloading students. 

Effective teacher commands avoid both sarcasm or hostility and over-lengthy explanations that can distract or confuse students.

Source: http://www.interventioncentral.org/tools/behavior-intervention-planner

Research Citations: Kern, L. & Clemens, N. H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 44, 65-75.

Walker, H.M. & Walker, J.E. (1991). Coping with noncompliance in the classroom: A positive approach for teachers. Austin, TX:: Pro-Ed, Inc.

Say No with Preferred Alternative: Increasing Compliance

This strategy can reduce the non-compliance and acting-out of students who react negatively to being told that they cannot engage in a preferred activity or access a desired item.

Type: Student Strategy

Procedure: 
First, the teacher creates a list of those activities or items preferred by the student that can actually be provided. 

Then, whenever the student requests an unavailable activity or item, the  teacher structures the 'no' statement as follows: 
(1) The teacher states that the student cannot engage in the requested activity or have the desired item; 
(2) The teacher provides the student with an explanation for why the preferred activity or item is not available; 
(3) The teacher offers the student an alternative preferred activity or item in place of that originally requested. 

Here is a sample teacher 'no' statement with preferred alternative: "Roger, you cannot listen to your music now because student music players are not allowed in class. However, you can take a five-minute break to play the Math Blasters computer game that you like."

Source: http://www.interventioncentral.org/tools/behavior-intervention-planner

Research Citation: Mace, F. C., Pratt, J. L., Prager, K. L., & Pritchard, D. (2011). An evaluation of three methods of saying "no" to avoid an escalating response class hierarchy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44, 83-94.

Emphasize the Positive in Teacher Requests: Increasing Student Compliance

When an instructor's request has a positive 'spin', that teacher is less likely to trigger a power struggle and more likely to gain student compliance.

Type: Core Instruction, Student Strategy

Procedure: 
Whenever possible, the teacher avoids using negative phrasing (e.g., "If you don't return to your seat, I can’t help you with your assignment"). Instead, the teacher restates requests in positive terms (e.g., "I will be over to help you on the assignment just as soon as you return to your seat").

Source: http://www.interventioncentral.org/tools/behavior-intervention-planner

Research Citation: Braithwaite, R. (2001). Managing aggression. New York: Routledge.

Criticism Paired with Praise: Communicating Acceptance

When receiving critical feedback, some students may assume that the teacher is rejecting them personally and react strongly to this perceived rejection.

Type: Core Instruction, Student Strategy

Procedure: 
Here is a way to structure critical feedback to convey that the teacher continues to value the student despite the misbehavior: 
(1) The teacher describes the problem behavior that the student should target for change; 
(2) The teacher describes (or encourages the student to brainstorm) appropriate behavioral alternatives; 
(3) The teacher praises some noteworthy aspect of the student's past classroom behavior or accomplishments, and finally 
(4) The teacher affirms that he or she values having the student as a part of the classroom community.

Here is an example of this communication strategy: 
(1) Description of problem behavior: "Trina, you said disrespectful things about other students during our class meeting this morning. You continued to do so even after I asked you to stop." 
(2) Appropriate behavioral alternative(s):  "It's OK to disagree with another person's ideas. But you need to make sure that your comments do not insult or hurt the feelings of others." 
(3) Specific praise: "I am talking to you about this behavior because know that you can do better. In fact, I have really come to value your classroom comments. You have great ideas and express yourself very well." 
(4) Affirmation statement: "You contribute a lot to class discussion!" 

Source: http://www.interventioncentral.org/tools/behavior-intervention-planner

Research Citation: Thompson, G.J., & Jenkins, J.B. (1993). Verbal judo: The gentle art of persuasion. New York: William Morrow.