Teacher-Delivered Behavioral Interventions in Grades K–5 - Practice Guide Summary

Oct 15, 2026

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Teacher-Delivered Behavioral Interventions in Grades K–5 provides guidance on implementing low-intensity, teacher-delivered behavioral interventions in K–5 classrooms. Developed by the What Works Clearinghouse with an expert panel, it aims to help teachers support students in demonstrating positive classroom behaviors that increase learning opportunities and improve peer success. The summary outlines seven recommendations, with evidence levels, emphasizing clear expectations, reminders, positive attention, instructional choices, frequent opportunities to respond, self-monitoring and reflection, and behavior ratings for feedback.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Recommendation Overview

Seven Teacher-Delivered Strategies (with Evidence Levels)

Recommendation 1: Co-establish, Model, and Teach Clear Expectations

Teacher-Delivered Behavioral Interventionsin Grades K–5 Practice Guide Summary What Works Clearinghouse™ WWC 2025001 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION A publication of the National Center for Education Evaluation atIES Students succeed in school environments that support them in demonstrating prosocial and positive behavior. Student behaviors that disrupt or distract from classroom instruction can result in fewer learning opportunities for students and decreased likelihood of academic success. Behavioral interventions can help students engage in positive behaviors, contributing both to their individual education success and to the success of their peers in the classroom. The purpose of this practice guide, developed by the What Works Clearinghouse™ (WWC) in conjunction with an expert panel, is to provide guidance on implementing teacher-delivered, low-intensity behavioral interventions in grades K–5 classrooms. The overarching aim of the recommendations is to help teachers support students in demonstrating positive behaviors in the classroom so that students and their classmates can engage in learning. The recommended strategies are intended to complement existing schoolwide behavioral programs and apply to both general education classrooms and separate classrooms. The recommendations also support the teaching of positive behaviors that students can generalize to other settings and relationships. This summary introduces the seven recommendations and supporting evidence described in the full practice guide. Recommendation 1 introduces a process to co-establish, model, and teach clear expectations for student behavior consistent with schoolwide expectations (when these are present) . Clear behavior expectations are foundational to the other recommendations in this practice guide. Recommendation 2 and Recommendation 3 focus on practices to remind students to engage in expected behaviors and to acknowledge students when they demonstrate those expected behaviors. Recommendations in this practice guide: 1. Co-establish, model, and teach clear expectations for student behavior consistent with schoolwide expectations Strong Level of Evidence 2. Remind students to engage in expected behaviors Strong Level of Evidence 3. Acknowledge students for demonstrating expected behaviors through positive attention, praise, and rewards Strong Level of Evidence 4. Offer instructional choices to students to increase engagement and agency Moderate Level of Evidence 5. Provide students frequent and varying opportunities to respond to and engage in activities Moderate Level of Evidence 6. Teach students to monitor and reflect on their own behavior Moderate Level of Evidence 7. Use behavior ratings to provide feedback to students Strong Level of Evidence WWC 2025001 Teacher-Delivered Behavioral Interventions in Grades K–5 | Practice Guide Summary | 1 Recommendation 4 and Recommendation 5 focus on practices that offer instructional choices to students and provide opportunities for students to respond to and engage in learning activities. Recommendation 6 and Recommendation 7 focus on ways to teach students to self-monitor and reflect on their own behavior and to use behavior ratings to provide feedback to their peers. For more details about the recommendations and more implementation tips, download your free copy of the full practice guide from the What Works Clearinghouse website: [https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/](https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/)[ ](https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/)[PracticeGuide/31](PracticeGuide/31.)[.](PracticeGuide/31.) WWC 2025001 Teacher-Delivered Behavioral Interventions in Grades K–5 | Practice Guide Summary | 2 Recommendation 1. Co-establish, model, and teach clear expectations for student behavior consistent with schoolwide expectations Teachers can proactively address students’ behavioral needs by establishing a supportive classroom climate guided by positive behavior expectations. Ide

FAQs

What is the purpose of the practice guide summary for grades K–5?

It provides guidance for implementing teacher-delivered, low-intensity behavioral interventions so students can demonstrate positive behaviors and increase learning opportunities in K–5 classrooms.

What does Recommendation 1 focus on?

Recommendation 1 guides teachers to co-establish, model, and teach clear expectations for student behavior that are consistent with schoolwide expectations.

How do the recommendations support student engagement in learning activities?

They include offering instructional choices, providing frequent and varying opportunities to respond, and teaching students to monitor and reflect on their own behavior while using behavior ratings to provide feedback.

Oct 15, 2026

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