The Misfit Behaviorists - Practical Strategies for Special Education and ABA Professionals

Misfit Minute 13: Reduce Student Pushback with Simple Choice Strategies in Special Education

Audra Jensen, Caitlin Beltran, Sami Brown

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 3:06

Offering students simple choices can reduce pushback and boost cooperation. In this Misfit Minute, we break down how to turn everyday directives into opportunities for autonomy and engagement.

🔑 Key Takeaways

  • Choice = Power: Even small choices give students autonomy and reduce resistance
  • Circle Time Example: Let students choose where or how they sit instead of forcing one option
  • Directive Reframe: Switch “Put your things away and line up” to “Do you want to line up first or pack up first?”
  • Weekly Challenge: Rewrite one classroom directive as a choice that works for you and your students


📦 Resources Mentioned

  • Related episodes: Pre-Correcting Behavior → http://abainschool.com/mm7 and FBA Miniseries on Antecedent Strategies → https://abainschool.com/ep51
  • Free classroom tools & resources inside the Misfit Behaviors Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits


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  • Join the conversation in our Facebook group → https://abainschool.com/misfits
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