Positive Behaviour for Learning, known as PBL is an evidence-based whole school systems approach that:
· addresses the diverse academic and social needs of every student to support them to be successful
· supports students in early childhood settings through to senior years of schooling
· enables schools to establish a continuum of supports that are intensified to meet the needs of every student
· is team driven, using a problem solving approach (data, systems and practices) that engages students, parents and all school staff
· establishes positive social expectations for all in the school community
· provides a framework for the school and its community to collectively support the wellbeing of every student.
When implemented well:
· students respond positively as they have been taught what is expected of them
· staff deliver consistent responses to student learning and behaviour
· students feel safe and cared for at school. Their parents, family and community are more involved in their school
· unproductive and challenging behaviour can be significantly reduced for most students.
Tier 1 universal prevention
Universal prevention is the most important and powerful aspects of a whole school systems approach. Universal prevention focuses on preventing problems and creating an environment that supports student learning and wellbeing.
Effective, evidence-based classroom management and instruction are critical components of universal prevention. The school's Learning and Support Teams and/or PBL teams work to prevent problem behaviour and increase the likelihood of academic success by creating positive learning environments for all.
Establishing strong systems of universal prevention for ALL students helps to reduce the number of students who need additional support. This helps the school to work more intensively with students who have additional learning and support needs.
Tier 2 targeted interventions (Broken Hill High School is here)
Some students, approximately 10-15 per cent, will respond to Tier 1 supports but will still need some additional support. These students may have academic and/or social-emotional learning needs that require more targeted supports. As with Tier 1 systems, Tier 2 targeted support is a team driven process designed to enhance and build upon what has been taught to students at the universal level.
Tier 2 interventions address students' social-emotional skills through evidence-based programs delivered to small groups of students or individual students. The involvement of the classroom teacher helps the student to use new skills and builds the teacher's capacity to better understand and effectively respond to students with unproductive and challenging behaviours. Students are taught to self-regulate and learn from natural consequences. Small-group targeted interventions includes a skill building and a self-monitoring process. For example, students may check-in and out at a central location with an adult across the day with the aim of increasing productive behaviours such as attendance, work completion and academic engagement.
Tier 3 intensive interventions
A smaller group of students, approximately 1-5 per cent, may need more individualised and intensive supports, as well as the Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports. In many cases, the problem behaviour has become "chronic" as these students have experienced academic and behavioural difficulties over an extended period of time.
As with the Tier 2 level, schools build on the foundations of school-wide universal prevention to support these students. Using data-based decision making to rapidly support these students is important. Interventions focus on creating and implementing individualised behaviour support plans that are linked to the universal system. For example, the individual plans are based upon the school-wide expectations; the identification of students in need of Tier 3 supports uses the established data decision making framework.
Intensive and individualised behaviour intervention plans are developed and implemented to reduce the intensity and severity of challenging behaviours. These plans are devised using functional behavioural assessment. This assessment looks at contextual, learning and relationship factors to help explain the purpose of the behaviour. The evidence shows that understanding the function of behaviour is essential to make the problem behaviour ineffective, inefficient and irrelevant.
PBL problem solving process
The process involves a school leadership team implementing four critical and connected features across each tier of the PBL continuum:
Outcomes are locally determined, contextually and culturally relevant and measurable. These include academic, social-emotional and behavioural achievements for all students.
Systems are staff focused. They include policies and procedures that support all staff to enable the accurate and durable implementation of the practices that support students.
Data: The information that is used to identify the current status, the need for change and the effects of interventions. Data on student behaviour, academic performance, attendance and other key indicators is considered by the team. Data on how well the practices are being implemented is essential. By reviewing data frequently school teams can make decisions to select, differentiate or discontinue practices based on need.
Practices are student focused. They are the evidence-based interventions and strategies that support students. Practices are selected and adjusted to ensure they are culturally and contextually relevant.
The leadership team:
· uses data to inform decision making
· establishes systems, policies and procedures that enable staff to meet the needs of all students
· implements evidenced based practices to support students
PBL in NSW
The map of NSW below shows approximately 940 public schools (42 per cent) that have trained to implement Positive Behaviour for Learning. The purple dots on the map show the locations of these schools with most schools implementing PBL along the coast and a concentration of schools within the metropolitan areas of NSW.
Families are important members of the school's community.
· When schools and families work together toward a common goal of helping all children and young people to be successful, it is much more likely to happen.
· Families have valuable insights and information about how their children learn best and what help they need.
· School personnel can help families support their children and young people at home in learning and developing academic, social-emotional and behavioural skills.
· PBL schools find various ways to update families on a regular basis about their activities, lessons, projects and celebrations. Schools actively communicate with families so they understand and support the PBL process.
· Families benefit from learning how to use similar strategies at home for teaching and supporting their children's social and behaviour skills.
· PBL schools encourage family members to volunteer in their schools and to participate on their PBL leadership teams.
The School a to z website is a useful resource for parents and carers at school information or orientation sessions and transition programs.