How to Teach Replacement Behaviors in the Classroom
- Roshanda Glenn
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Creating a Behavior Response Flow™ to Teach Replacement Behaviors in the Classroom
Table of contents
The Instruction Gap in Behavior Support
As teachers it is often necessary for us to teach replacement behaviors in the classroom. But, if you’ve ever asked a student to be respectful, use your words, or make better choices, you already know how frustrating it can feel when the behavior doesn’t change.
It’s not usually because the student refuses to grow. More often, it’s because we are asking for behaviors we have never clearly defined.
We speak in big, abstract ideas while students need small, concrete directions. That gap is where teaching replacement behaviors often breaks down.
We tend to follow the same pattern: we identify the problem behavior, we name the replacement behavior, and then we stop. We assume the student knows what the replacement behavior should look like.
For example, we might say:
“Advocate for yourself appropriately.”
“Communicate your needs respectfully.”
“Use coping strategies.”
But none of those statements describe observable actions. They are not measurable. And in the middle of frustration or emotional distress, they are not actionable.
Students, especially those who struggle with regulation, language processing, or impulse control, need behavior broken down into specific, manageable steps. They need to know exactly what to do first, what to do next, and what to do if things get hard.
Without that clarity, even the best intentions can fall apart in the moment they matter most.
What Is a Behavior Response Flow™?
A Behavior Response Flow™ is a step-by-step outline of what a student can do to engage in a specific behavior. Its main purpose is to break abstract behaviors like, “be kind” into small doable steps.
Within the Escalation Accountability Sequence™, a response flow is most often taught and reinforced during the accountability phase, when students are calm enough to learn and practice new skills.
It answers the question:
When the student feels the urge to react, protest, shut down, or escalate, what exactly should they do instead?
A Behavior Response Flow™:
breaks behavior into smaller, accessible steps.
is based on the student’s developmental and skill level.
uses concrete, observable language.
builds adult support directly into the process.
It is most common for a Behavior Response Flow™ to be made up of 3–7 steps, depending on the age and skill level of the student. Younger students will typically need fewer steps with very simple language, while older students can manage more steps, as long as those steps remain clear and explicit.
Why Abstract Behavior Language Doesn’t Work
When we say "be respectful" or "be kind," we’re naming a value, not a behavior.
What does “be respectful” look like when a student disagrees with a decision?
What does “be kind” look like when a student feels frustrated or unheard?
If students have to guess what we mean, we shouldn’t be surprised when they guess wrong.
Teaching replacement behaviors means moving from using language that expresses abstract values to language that describes concrete actions.
How to Create a Behavior Response Flow™
When I begin to create a Behavior Response Flow™, I always start with one key question:
When the student needs to protest a decision or communicate a need, what is the first thing I want them to do?
That first step matters more than any other. It sets the tone for everything that follows.
After I define the first step, I then ask myself what I want my student to do next? I continue asking this question until the response flow is complete.
Because students rarely follow the response flow perfectly, especially at the very beginning of the behavior change process, it is also important to consider including at least one obstacle-overcoming step.
Bottom line, the behavior we are trying to replace has worked for the student up to this point and, regardless of how many consequences we assign, consequences alone will not change behavior.
The student is not likely to abandon the undesired behavior just because we’ve designed a new one. Out of sheer force of habit, the students will likely resort to their old behavior when they get impatient, feel ignored, or otherwise lose steam while trying to use the response flow.
Therefore, including an obstacle-overcoming step is a proactive way of teaching the student exactly what to do when the plan gets hard.
How to Protest a Decision
Let’s see a Behavior Response Flow™ in action.
One of the very first skills I teach my students is how to protest a decision. I start here intentionally, because behind a lot of inappropriate behavior is a student who is trying, in their own way, to say, “I disagree with you.”
Learning how to protest a decision is an essential life skill. Yet we rarely teach it directly. We expect students to know how to ask for clarity, how to disagree respectfully, and how to express frustration without exploding.
I know that, at some point, I will make a decision a student does not like. So instead of waiting for the inappropriate behavior to surface, I teach the student how to protest appropriately using the following response flow:
Sample Behavior Response Flow™: Protesting a Decision Appropriately
First, follow directions
If you were given an assignment, put your name on the paper. If you were assigned an activity, start the activity and engage for at least 1 minute.
Raise your hand and wait quietly until I respond.
If you feel impatient while waiting, write out your argument so you are clear when you speak to the teacher. (This helps the student organize their thoughts as well as helps them regulate by keeping the thinking brain in control.)
Once called on say, “Ms. Glenn, Can we talk about a decision you made?”
Giving the student a sentence frame embeds additional support in this step.
Explain your point of view.
If the student journaled during Step 2 this will be easier for them to do. If not, be prepared to support the student through this step.
Listen to the adult’s response.
Again, be prepared to support the student through this step. Listening is a hard skill to engage in, especially when we feel unheard or fear we will not get our way.
If you have additional input say, 'Ms. Glenn I have input'
Once the student learns that they will have a chance to offer a rebuttal, they will be more likely to engage in Step 5 with fidelity.
Accept the final decision and move on.
Of course, not all protests will lead to students getting what they want. However, if the student successfully engages in the response flow, be sure to reinforce the behavior with some alternative reward.
Notice what’s happening here.
The behaviors are concrete. The language is clear. The steps are small and doable. And adult support is built in. Also embedded in the response flow are clear instructions on exactly what to do if waiting becomes difficult.
It is important to note that the response flow is designed to help students with their side of the conversation. However, a key component in making this response flow effective is our response to the student as they go through the steps.
Edward Thorndike's Law of Effect says what is rewarded is repeated. It is imperative for us to support the student through the steps, respond immediately the first couple of times the student uses the response flow, and reinforce any steps (or parts of steps) they did correctly.
Why?
If we want the student to give up the inappropriate behavior and repeatedly use the replacement behavior, we have to show that the new behavior is a better, more efficient way to meet their needs.
Adjusting for Age and Skill Level
The response flow above was designed for a high school student. But response flows are never one-size-fits-all. They must be adjusted for age, language development, and skill level.
For younger students, especially TK through second grade, keep the flow to three steps or fewer. Use very simple language. Keep actions concrete. And whenever possible, make the first step an emotional regulation step. Young learners need help settling their bodies before they can access language.
For example, a response flow for protesting a decision appropriate for early elementary might look like this:
Get calm
Raise your hand
Say, “Protest”
Notice how clear and direct those steps are. There is no abstract phrasing. No guessing. It is also essential to actively model getting calm even if it is not part of your response flow.
When you see a student becoming dysregulated, show them what calm looks like and how to attain it. Model taking slow, deep breaths and lowering your voice. It is best to verbally prompt the student through the step while you physically demonstrate it for them.
No matter the age, adult support should always accompany a student’s use of a Behavior Response Flow™.
For younger students, and for any student at the beginning stages of learning a new response flow, support should be immediate and strong. Over time, as the student masters each step, that support can gradually fade.
From Plan to Practice
A Behavior Response Flow™ is not something you create once and tuck into a binder. Like any instructional strategy, it comes to life when you use it.
Expect to make adjustments.
After you introduce the response flow, watch closely. Where does the student hesitate? Which step feels unclear? When does momentum break down? Those moments are not failures. They are feedback. That is where the flow needs tightening, simplifying, or additional support.
Be intentional about reinforcement. When a student uses even one step correctly, name it and praise it. If they raised their hand instead of shouting out, reinforce that. If they attempted the sentence starter but needed help finishing it, reinforce the attempt. Mastery rarely happens all at once. It builds step by step.
Over time, as students practice each part of the sequence, you will begin to see the replacement behavior surface more naturally. What once required prompting will begin to happen with less support as the skill becomes internalized.
Teaching replacement behaviors is less about suppressing behavior and more about replacing it. Designing and implementing a Behavior Response Flow™ gives students clarity and gives teachers consistency. It transforms abstract expectations into concrete, teachable actions.
When students know the steps, they are not left guessing. And when they are not guessing, they are far more likely to succeed.
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