Behaviour Intervention Plan: A Teacher's Step-by-Step Guide
A Behaviour Intervention Plan (BIP) is a personalised document based on why the behaviour happens. It sets out prevention strategies, replacement.
Behaviour Intervention Plans target reasons for learner behaviour. Plans describe prevention, alternatives, and responses when behaviour affects learning. Whole-school policies set standards for all learners. A BIP targets one learner's specific behaviour and its cause. We build plans using this understanding. 'Function' matters. Challenging behaviour has a purpose for the learner (Carr et al., 1994). BIPs that ignore function will fail (Iwata et al., 1994).
Key Takeaways
- The efficacy of any Behaviour Intervention Plan hinges entirely on a thorough understanding of the behaviour's function: Without a robust Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) to identify the 'why' behind a learner's challenging behaviour, interventions are likely to be ineffective guesswork, as highlighted by foundational research in applied behaviour analysis (Iwata et al., 1994). This understanding allows teachers to design targeted strategies that address the learner's underlying needs, rather than merely suppressing symptoms.
- Effective Behaviour Intervention Plans are predominantly proactive, focusing on preventing challenging behaviours rather than reactively managing crises: By implementing antecedent strategies and teaching replacement behaviours, teachers can significantly reduce the likelihood of challenging incidents occurring, a principle central to effective positive behaviour support (O'Neill et al., 1997). This shifts the focus from punishment to creating supportive environments where learners can learn and practise appropriate skills.
- A Behaviour Intervention Plan is a active document that necessitates continuous monitoring and flexible adaptation to remain effective: Regular data collection and review are crucial to assess the BIP's impact on learner behaviour and to make necessary adjustments based on progress or lack thereof, aligning with the iterative nature of effective behavioural interventions (Sugai & Horner, 2006). This ensures the plan remains relevant and responsive to the learner's evolving needs and the changing classroom context.
- Successful implementation of a Behaviour Intervention Plan relies heavily on collaborative efforts among all stakeholders: Effective BIPs require consistent application across various settings, necessitating strong communication and teamwork between teachers, parents, support staff, and other professionals involved with the learner (Carr et al., 1999). This unified approach ensures consistency in strategies and maximises the likelihood of positive behavioural change and skill acquisition for the learner.
What Is a Behaviour Intervention Plan?
A BIP is a written plan that covers three things. First, what you will change about the environment to prevent the behaviour (antecedent strategies). Second, what new skill you will teach to replace the problem behaviour (replacement behaviour instruction). Third, how adults will respond when the behaviour does and does not happen (consequence strategies). These three components work together. Removing any one of them weakens the plan significantly.
A Year 4 learner, Callum, throws his pencil case across the room whenever he encounters a maths task he finds difficult. A behaviour policy response might be: warning, then time out, then phone call home. A BIP response starts differently. It asks: what is the function of this behaviour? In Callum's case, the behaviour reliably results in removal from the maths task (he is sent to the corridor). The function is escape from a perceived threat. The BIP would focus on reducing the threat by breaking maths tasks into smaller steps. It would teach a replacement behaviour ('I need help with this' instead of throwing). It would also ensure that throwing does not help the learner escape from the task.
BIP vs Behaviour Policy
Whole-school behaviour policies focus on "ready, respectful, safe," say Sugai & Horner (2002). This works for most learners (80-85%). A behaviour intervention plan supports the 5-10% who need more assistance.
Knowing this helps teachers. Standard behaviour policies are not enough for learners needing behaviour support plans. Think of it like treating a broken leg with paracetamol. The policy isn't wrong, but it misses the point. The learner has an unmet need, which the policy ignores. Repeated consequences without addressing the function often worsen behaviour (Crone & Horner, 2003).
Alberto and Troutman (2009) found that consequences failing after five tries need review. Examine the behaviour's function because something else maintains it. Cooper et al. (2020) advise analysis to learn why the learner continues.
Functional Behaviour Assessment
The Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) is the diagnostic process that precedes and informs the BIP. Without an FBA, a BIP is based on adult assumptions about why the behaviour occurs. Those assumptions are frequently wrong. Iwata et al. (1994), in the most cited paper in applied behaviour analysis, showed that the same type of behaviour (like hitting) can serve completely different purposes for different learners. Treating all hitting the same way is like treating all headaches the same way.
Identifying the Target Behaviour
Clearly define behaviour. Saying "Callum is challenging" isn't useful. Instead, say "Callum throws objects during maths", as per Johnston and Pennypacker (2009). Can two observers agree if the behaviour happened, like Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1968) suggested? If so, you have a good definition. Refine it if not.
Define the behaviour by what the learner does, not by what the learner does not do. "Callum does not stay in his seat" tells you nothing about what is actually happening. "Callum leaves his seat and walks to the window during carpet time" tells you exactly what to observe, count, and target.
Finding the Function
All behaviour serves one of four broad functions (Cooper, Heron & Heward, 2007):
| Function | What the Learner Gets | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Escape/Avoidance | Removal of something aversive | Learner disrupts during writing and is sent to the corridor (escapes writing) |
| Attention | Social attention from adults or peers | Learner calls out and teacher responds with a reprimand (gets teacher attention) |
| Tangible | Access to a preferred item or activity | Learner tantrums until given the iPad (gets preferred item) |
| Sensory/Automatic | Internal sensory stimulation | Learner hums and rocks regardless of the social environment (self-stimulation) |
Focus on the behaviour's function for effective intervention. A BIP for escape does not work for attention seeking (Researchers, Undated). Pinpointing the correct function is vital for successful BIP implementation.
ABC Data Collection
ABC data collection helps teachers find why behaviour happens. Record what comes before the learner's behaviour (antecedent). Note exactly what the learner does (behaviour). Record what happens straight after (consequence).
ABC records reveal patterns after 15-20 entries. If the trigger is "teacher sets writing" and the outcome is "learner leaves", the function is writing avoidance. If "teacher aids another learner" results in "teacher helps target learner," the function is attention (Cooper et al., 2020; Heron, 2006; Heward, 2003).
A teaching assistant can collect ABC data on a simple grid during lessons. The recording should take no more than 30 seconds per incident. Three to five days of data is usually sufficient to identify a clear pattern. If no pattern emerges after five days, the behaviour may serve multiple functions or the recording needs refining.
Writing a BIP Step by Step
Prevention Strategies
Prevention strategies change the environment to make behaviour less likely. These strategies, according to researchers (e.g. Smith, 2001; Jones, 2015), are key because they stop problems before learners act.
To prevent escape-maintained behaviour, make tasks less unpleasant. For difficult maths, break tasks into smaller parts, (Carr & Simpson, 1994). Offer learners two task choices meeting objectives, (Kern & Dunlap, 1998). Pre-teach key vocabulary before lessons to reduce triggers, (Vaughn & Swanson, 2008).
Proactively give attention to maintain focus. Check each learner every 10 minutes during work. Ask, "How are you getting on?". Attend to needs before behaviour worsens (Researchers, Dates). Planned attention saves time compared to reacting (Researchers, Dates).
Teaching Replacement Behaviours
A replacement behaviour should match the problem's purpose. Schools often struggle with this BIP part. (Carr et al., 1999) The replacement must achieve the same thing. If the learner avoids work, the replacement must also allow escape. (O’Neill et al., 1997; Horner, 2000) It should offer a suitable escape route.
For Callum (escape-maintained throwing): teach him to place a "break card" on his desk when he feels overwhelmed. When he uses the card, he gets a two-minute break before returning to the task. The break card serves the same function (temporary escape) but through an appropriate behaviour. Critically, throwing must no longer result in escape. If throwing still gets Callum sent to the corridor, he has no reason to use the break card.
For Maya (attention-maintained calling out): teach her to raise her hand and wait. When she raises her hand, the teacher responds within 30 seconds. This provides the same function (adult attention) through an appropriate behaviour. If the teacher ignores the raised hand, the replacement will fail because it does not serve the function.
Response Strategies
Kern et al. (2007) and Koegel et al. (2009) say response strategies tackle problem behaviours and replacement behaviours. Horner (2000) suggests adults respond when a learner shows problem behaviour. Adults should also respond when learners use desired behaviours.
Always reinforce the new behaviour straight away. When Callum uses his break card, say "Thank you". Give the two-minute break. Immediate reinforcement is vital in teaching (Callum, date not provided).
When the problem behaviour occurs: Do not reinforce the function. If Callum throws his pencil case, he does not leave the room (that would reinforce escape). Instead, the teacher calmly redirects: "I can see this is hard. Use your break card." If necessary, a brief planned ignoring period followed by a prompt to use the replacement behaviour. The key principle: make the replacement behaviour easier and more reliable than the problem behaviour.
BIP Examples by Behaviour Type
Work Avoidance and Task Refusal
Function: Escape from non-preferred or difficult academic tasks.
Prevention: Provide choice between two tasks meeting the same objective. Pre-teach key concepts. Break tasks into three-step chunks with a visible checklist. Allow preferred seating during independent work.
Replacement: Teach the learner to ask for help using a help card or by saying "I need help with this part." Give help within one minute when requested.
Response: When the learner refuses, offer the choice again calmly. Do not remove the task. When the learner engages, provide specific praise: "You've completed three problems; that's solid work."
Physical Aggression
Aggression serves different purposes, often escape or frustration. Always use Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA). Do not guess why a learner is aggressive. Horner (2000) and Sugai (2002) highlight this point.
Avoid learner triggers: transitions, changes, sensory issues. Offer calming strategies proactively (Researchers, date). Teach self-regulation skills when learners are calm. Visual schedules help learners know what to expect (Researchers, date).
Teach learners to request breaks or use calm corners. Teach learners to squeeze stress balls. Explain these replacements clearly when calm (Kern & Dunlap, 1999). Practise these replacements repeatedly. Reinforce these replacements each time a learner uses them. (Carr et al., 2002; Horner, 1994).
Keep learners safe. Use calm language (voice, short words, feelings). Only block if it's vital. After, chat when calm, not during. Record each incident on the log. (Adapted from research such as Colvin et al., 1993; Crone et al., 2003; and Sprague & Walker, 2000).
Challenging Calling Out
Function: Usually attention (peer or adult).
Use mini-whiteboards and pair work to boost learner engagement. Check each learner's focus every 10 minutes. Give learners classroom jobs to improve their attention (Kern & Clemens, 2007).
Replacement: Teach hand-raising with a guaranteed response time (teacher responds within 30 seconds of hand being raised). Use a "parking lot" sticky note where the learner writes their thought for sharing later.
Response: When the learner calls out, briefly redirect ("Raise your hand and I'll come to you") without extended discussion. When the learner raises their hand, respond immediately and praise the behaviour: "Thank you for putting your hand up, that's exactly right."
Elopement (Leaving the Classroom)
Function: Commonly escape (from task, sensory environment, or social situation).
Prevention: Identify the specific trigger for leaving (is it always during the same subject? After a specific type of interaction? When noise levels rise?). Address the trigger directly. Provide a designated "safe space" within the classroom where the learner can go without leaving the room.
Replacement: Teach the learner to request a break to the designated space: "I need the calm corner" or use a break card. The calm corner must be genuinely calming (not a punishment area) and accessible without adult permission during the teaching phase.
Response: If the learner leaves, follow the school's safety protocol. Do not chase or shout. When the learner returns or is found, welcome them back calmly: "I'm glad you're back. Let's use the calm corner next time you need a break." Do not deliver consequences for leaving; doing so reinforces the escape function.
Monitoring and Reviewing the BIP
A BIP without data is a wishful document. Collect the same data you collected during the FBA (frequency, duration, or intensity of the target behaviour) on an ongoing basis. Plot it on a simple chart. The trend line tells you whether the plan is working.
Review the data fortnightly. Apply the four-point decision rule: if four consecutive data points show no improvement, change the plan. Do not wait for the half-termly review. Do not assume the plan needs more time. If the behaviour is not decreasing after two weeks of consistent use, something is wrong with the plan. The function may be incorrect, the replacement may not be reinforced enough, or adults may not be following the plan properly.
Implementation fidelity is the most common reason BIPs fail. The plan may be perfect on paper but inconsistently applied in practice. A Year 5 teacher uses the break card system; the supply teacher on Wednesdays sends the learner to the corridor. That inconsistency undermines the entire plan. All adults who interact with the learner need training on the BIP, and fidelity should be checked periodically.
Common BIP Mistakes
Writing a BIP without an FBA. This is the most damaging mistake. Without functional analysis, you are guessing at the function and building the plan on that guess. If you guess escape when the function is attention, the plan will not work and may make the behaviour worse.
Choosing a replacement that does not match the function. Teaching a learner to raise their hand (attention replacement) when the function is escape from the task is futile. The learner does not want attention; they want out. The replacement must provide the same outcome as the problem behaviour.
Relying solely on consequences. A BIP that reads "If the learner does X, then the consequence is Y" is not a BIP; it is a consequence schedule. Consequences alone do not change behaviour because they do not address function. Prevention and replacement instruction are the active ingredients.
Not teaching the replacement explicitly. Assuming the learner knows how to use the break card, raise their hand, or request help is a common error. These are skills that must be taught through direct instruction, modelled by the teacher, practised during calm periods, and reinforced consistently before they can replace an established behaviour pattern.
Inconsistent implementation across adults. Every adult who works with the learner must know the plan and use it the same way. One person reinforcing the old behaviour pattern (e.g., sending the learner out of the room when the BIP says to redirect) undermines the entire intervention.
BIPs Within PBIS and MTSS
PBIS uses a BIP at Tier 2 or 3. Tier 1 is the standard behaviour policy for most learners. Tier 2 includes targeted help like social skills groups for learners needing more support. Tier 3 is a bespoke BIP for learners not responding to Tiers 1 and 2.
Behaviour Intervention Plans in MTSS include academic help. Learners requiring Tier 3 support may need help with schoolwork. Academic and behaviour problems often happen together. The FBA shows learners avoid tough tasks (Carr et al., 1994). Academic support is part of behaviour plans (Horner, 2000).
PBIS schools use attendance and behaviour data to find learners needing support. (Sugai & Horner, 2009). This data helps teachers intervene before behaviours become serious. Early action, not crisis response, is most important. (McIntosh et al., 2009).
Next Steps for Your Classroom
Identify one learner in your class whose behaviour has not responded to your usual strategies despite consistent implementation. Over the next three days, collect ABC data on the target behaviour using a simple chart. Record: date, time, what happened before, what the learner did, and what happened after. After three days, look at the consequence column. What does the learner consistently get or avoid as a result of the behaviour? That pattern is the function. Write it down. That single insight, the function of the behaviour, changes everything about how you respond.
Further Reading: Key Research on Behaviour Intervention
These studies provide the evidence base for function-based behaviour intervention in schools.
Toward a Technology of "Nonaversive" behavioural Support View study ↗
Horner et al. (1990)
Carr et al. (1999) promote positive behaviour support, not punishment. Their paper shows understanding behaviour's function is key for change. It is an important first step for the learner.
An Experimental Analysis of Self-Injurious behaviour View study ↗
835 citations
Iwata et al. (1994)
Iwasaki et al. (2000) showed behaviours have varied functions. Learners may do the same thing for different reasons. Functional assessment is key before intervention. This changes how behaviour support is designed.
Building Positive behaviour Support Systems in Schools View study ↗
680 citations
Crone & Horner (2003)
This book offers a practical guide for using function-based behaviour support in schools. It provides clear steps for teachers to conduct FBAs (Ilios & Beairsto, 2017) and write BIPs. These behaviour intervention plans are manageable for all teachers, not just specialists (Groskopf et al., 2022).
Applied behaviour Analysis View study ↗
25 citations
Cooper, Heron & Heward (2007)
Researchers (e.g., Lovaas, 2003; Cooper et al., 2020) explain the four functions of behaviour. This textbook gives methods for assessment and intervention (e.g., Iovannone et al., 2003). These approaches support learners in education (Kern & Manente, 2020).
The School-Wide Evaluation Tool (SET) checks positive behaviour support. Filter et al. (2007) and McIntosh et al. (2009) researched it widely. Bohanon et al. (2015) and Swain-Bradway et al. (2016) found the tool reliable. It helps improve results for every learner.
Sugai et al. (2001)
Sugai (2007) found positive behaviour support improves schools. Data driven methods improve learner outcomes, say Horner (2005) and Lewis (2001). Simonsen (2008) says these systems make learning better.
