News from Georgia State University's College of Education

Elementary education teachers may need more training and assistance when it comes to working with students with disabilities and improving behavior in the classroom, according to a new Georgia State University study.

A GSU research team interviewed kindergarten and first grade teachers in a rural school system in northwest Georgia about their beliefs and practices surrounding behavior management during the 2006-2007 academic year. They found that teachers focused primarily on the individual child and less on classroom-wide or school-wide practices to improve behavior.

"General education teachers face many challenges in the classroom and are being asked to assume more and more responsibilities," said Amy Tillery, a Georgia State graduate student in the Counseling and Psychological Services Department in the College of Education who led the study. "This study provides information about how teachers meet these challenges and underscores the need for more extensive training and assistance."

The study, titled "General Education Teachers' Perceptions and Knowledge of Behavior Management and Intervention Strategies," appeared in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. It was conducted by Georgia State's Counseling and Psychological Services Regents Professor Joel Meyers and Associate Professor Kris Varjas as well as graduate students Tillery and Amanda Collins.

The Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions publishes research-based strategies for improving the lives of persons with severe behavior challenges. These approaches are used in homes, communities and in schools throughout the world. Regular features include empirical research; discussion, literature reviews, and conceptual papers; and programs, practices, and innovations. It is available electronically on SAGE Journals Online at http://jpbi.sagepub.com.

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