Knowing the best ways to support students with complex needs in the classroom can be difficult, particularly for those experiencing concerning behaviour. We know that the Department of Education’s Autism Good Practice Guidelines recommend using Positive Behaviour Support. However, how do we implement this in practice?

As part of the ISBA Community Day on the 11th April 2024, Trish Carolan describes a hands-on staff training method using Behavioural Skills Training (BST). BST is a training model with minimal instruction, focusing on modelling, rehearsing and refining skills. Instead of passive listening, participants practised and honed their skills in six two-hour workshops.

Trish will describe her research, which used BST to impart skills from a bespoke PBS-based curriculum to staff working in a special school. The curriculum focused on training staff to empower their students in making choices, communicating needs, and coping with change.
Trish will show us how the training led to schoolwide skill development and what impact this had on classroom practice. The research used a mixed-method approach and focused on interviewing staff to ascertain their views on this type of professional learning and what factors impacted their ability to implement their new skills in practice. This research was conducted in Ireland, so it connects directly to the experiences in our schools.

Trish Carolan is a board-certified behaviour analyst (BCBA) who has worked in special education for 20 years. She is the Director of Education in a special school serving autistic students with co-occurring intellectual disabilities and other complex needs. Trish is also a doctoral candidate at Dublin City University (DCU), where she is researching professional learning in behaviour support for SNAs and special education teachers.

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