Step 2: Write down a problem definition that describes the behavior(s).
Writing down the definition of the problem behavior will help you effectively communicate with others what the behavior looks like, including the severity and intensity of the behavior.
The definition should be clear, understandable and only include descriptive words that would help a novel person be able to accurately observe and record the behavior. You will need to collect data about the behavior, so your definition should be specific enough to tell anyone observing the student what behavior to record and what behavior to ignore.
Avoid labels(e.g., "he's a "bully" , "she's disruptive" or "he was angry"). Labels are not measurable and have different meanings for different people.
EXAMPLES:
Talking out: Any vocalizations from the student that are loud enough to be heard at least 3 feet away, not initiated by the teacher, are out of turn, and/or are unrelated to academic content.
Tantrum: Any combination of lying on the floor, crying, yelling, throwing objects, and/or pounding fist on the desk. The episode is counted if it lasts 10 seconds or more and is counted as a new incident if separated by 5 minutes or more.