6. No More Meltdowns: Proven Strategies for Managing Challenging Behaviour - 2025
How Psychology and Behaviour Support Can Inform the Management of Challenging Behaviour
Managing challenging behaviour can take up much time and energy that otherwise could be spent teaching, supporting and engaging positively with students. Topics covered include environmental strategies, social skills, reinforcement and correction.
Our comprehensive lesson plans and resources provide you and your learners with the skills to overcome challenges and thrive both at home and in school. The aim of this course is to use the Actualise Academy Model of Neuroscience, Clinical/Emotional Psychology and Behavioural Science to introduce teachers to understanding challenging behaviours, what message the child might be trying to communicate, and practical tips and strategies for managing challenging behaviour.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Here is a list of the modules in this course, with the learning outcomes of each. We also build in School Self Evaluation into all courses, making the SSE Process as smooth as possible:
Module 1: Defining Challenging Behaviour. Participants will learn:
- Learn what
Challenging Behaviour is
- Some of the main reasons for Challenging Behaviour
- The role of function and the message behind behaviour
- Types of Challenging Behaviour
- The impact of Special Educational Needs and Challenging Behaviour
Module 2: Challenging Behaviour & Environmental Strategies. Participants will learn:
- How changes to the curriculum and scheduling can impact behaviour for
the better
- How the physical environment can be modified to reduce the likelihood of challenging behaviour.
- The ways interactions can be modified to influence student behaviour.
Module 3: Challenging Behaviour and Social Skills. Participants will learn:
- How social skills can be taught to replace behaviour of concern
- Which social skills are most important
- How a deficit in these skills can lead to specific challenges
Module 4: The Role of Rules and Reinforcement. Participants learn:
- Understand ways to construct School expectations, not negative rules
- How to teach these expectations using reinforcement, not punishment
- Understand the importance of catching students getting it right!
Module 5: Feedback, Reinforcement & Correction. Participants will:
- Learn the importance of feedback in behaviour change,
- Consider Punishment and learn about alternatives to punishment
- Discover ways to use behaviour errors as opportunities to teach not punish
Additional resources include intervention plans, Dog PBS plan, grounding exercise, classroom contract, self-management resources for children, and much more.
" This course was both very interesting and worthwhile. I thought the voice overs on the presentations were excellent and engaging, they made the course far easier to absorb and enjoyable"
- Ms. Sinéad Cummins
Your Instructor
Pádraig Walsh BA, MSc, BCBA, A.F.Ps.S.I. is Actualise Academy's Behaviour Psychologist. He is intrigued by people, their behaviour and his expertise lies in helping people to understand why we do what we do. His range of knowledge and experience is diverse, working with both children and adults across educational, clinical and residential settings. He is a regular contributor on RTÉ Radio and as Behavioural Psychologist for The 6 O'Clock Show on Virgin Media 1.
Pádraig qualified with a Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis after completing his degree in Psychology (both at NUI Galway). He has worked as a Behaviour Specialist for organisations across Ireland as well as working for 2 years in Melbourne, Australia as a consultant to an early intervention clinic for children. Pádraig has presented his research extensively at conferences on the effectiveness of Positive Behaviour Support in Ireland, Australia, Singapore and the UK. He is part of the MSc (ABA) interview panel at NUI Galway and also lectures on the MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis in NUI Galway and Trinity College, Dublin as well as on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in the University of Limerick.
Pádraig is the founder of the podcast series All About Dis' exploring disability issues in Ireland today. You can find the episodes on iTunes and on Soundcloud. Having spent most of his early life playing GAA in his native Westmeath, Pádraig has more recently discovered his artistic side performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with his Improv group Kirsty.