Tier 1 · Universal
Planned ignoring
Deliberately don’t react to minor attention-seeking behavior, then give lots of attention to appropriate behavior.
How to do it
- Confirm with ABC data that the behavior is driven by attention.
- Decide in advance which behaviors you’ll ignore and which you won’t.
- When the behavior happens, don’t react: no eye contact, comments, or sighs.
- The moment the student does something appropriate, give warm, specific attention.
- Expect the behavior to get worse briefly (an “extinction burst”) before it improves. Stay consistent.
Why it works
- Removes the payoff for attention-seeking behavior
- Stops small behaviors from taking over the lesson
- Works best with lots of positive attention
When to use it
- Minor behaviors that are clearly for attention (noises, silly comments)
- Never for unsafe behavior or behavior that others will copy
- When data suggests attention is the function
Tips and pitfalls
- Ignoring works only if the student gets plenty of attention for positive behavior.
- If peers are laughing, the behavior is still being rewarded. Consider a class-wide approach.
- Don’t ignore safety concerns, bullying, or anything that stops learning for others.
Templates for this strategy
ABC observation log
Record what happened before, during, and after each incident to find patterns and the likely function of the behavior.
ABC observation log.docxFrequency tally sheet
Count how often a behavior happens each day and period. Good for behaviors with a clear start and end, like calling out or hitting.
Frequency tally sheet.docxHelps with
Not working after a fair trial?
Check that it’s been used consistently for 4–6 weeks and that your data shows the pattern. If so, look at the next tier of support for this behavior.
Tier 2 · Targeted