Emotional and Behavioral Disorder

     As an educator, I know that the need for evidence based practices is key to an instructor's credibility and success in the classroom and among peers and administrators.  This article chose to overview emotional behavior disorders, describe two specific evidence based practices (EBPs) with proven outcomes of academic success(for transition-aged youth), and guide teachers to finding more EBPs to help students in the classroom and without.
     First of all, the two key evidence based practices listed are peer-assisted learning and self management.  According to Farley et. al., peer assistance in education involves mixed-ability grouping of students to support each other through learning processes and tasks (Farley et. al., 2012).  These models can be implemented in many ways and help students to benefit from playing the role of student as well as teacher.   "Peer-assisted learning also increases opportunities for students to receive one-to-one instruction, repeated practice, and immediate feedback, all of which support increases in academic achievement (Farley 2012)." One of the most effective evidence based practices under the peer-assisted learning umbrella is called CWPT, classwide peer tutoring.  The guidelines for it are explicit but bare bones, it happens for 20 minutes a day, 10 minutes for students to be the teacher and 10 minutes for students to be the learner.  
     The second evidence based practice is self management.  The article by Farley et. al. defined self management as, "methods used by students to manage, monitor, record, and/or assess their behavior or academic achievement (Farley 2012)."  Since students with EBD struggle to be successful in school with these skills, self management interventions help them to practice academically appropriate behavior.  The five most frequently used types of self management interventions Farley et. al. listed were :  self-monitoring, self-evaluation, self-instruction, goal-setting, and strategy instruction.  
     Connections I made to our class centered around the definition and needs of students with EBD.  I feel that this article is very helpful and user friendly.  It lists multiple websites for teachers to use to research evidence based practices for students with EBD.  EBPs are one of many important buzz words in education today.  I've struggled to find confirmation that the practices I've used in my own class room fell under the umbrella of evidence based practices, as opposed to what I pulled out of my hat at the moment that just so happened to work.  
     This article also offers other resources to help guide teachers to valid, evidence based practices.  While I feel that giving only two strategies (self management and peer-assisted learning) may seem simplistic, I feel that the instructions for implementing the strategies and trying them out is expansive in detail and seems very well laid out for a teacher looking for something to use to truly meet the student with EBD's educational needs.   I would recommend anyone read this article and pay attention to the instructions of how the researchers implemented both strategies. 

Farley, C., Torres, C., Wailehua, C. T., & Cook, L. (2012). Evidence-based practices for 
               students with emotional and behavioral disorders: Improving academic achievement.
               Beyond Behavior, 21(2), 37-43.