Are you looking for strategies to teach students not to make inappropriate comments to teachers? If so, keep reading.

1. Teach the learner appropriate ways to express displeasure, anger, etc.

2. Minimize stimuli that contribute to the learner’s derogatory remarks or unacceptable gestures.

3. Give the learner a quiet space to work. This is to be used as a means of reducing distracting stimuli, not as a punishment.

4. Give the learner the chance to work with a peer who will be a model for communicating appropriately.

5. Make sure the learner knows the logical consequences of their unacceptable behavior(e.g., teachers choose not to interact with him/her, exclusion from learning activities, etc.).

6. Require that the learner find appropriate alternative behaviors after an instance of derogatory remarks or unacceptable gestures.

7. Solidify on-task behavior by providing a full schedule of learning activities. Stop lag time from happening when the learner would be free to take part in unacceptable behavior.

8. Minimize the emphasis on competition. Competitive learning activities may increase the learner’s anxiety and result in anger and frustration that may take the form of derogatory remarks or unacceptable behavior.

9. Place emphasis on individual success or progress rather than winning or “beating” other students.

10. Alter or adjust situations that contribute to the learner’s use of obscene or profane language (i.e., if a task causes the learner to become upset, modify the task to a level at which the learner can be successful).

11. Talk regularly with the learner to monitor language used.

12. Attempt several groupings to ascertain the situation in which the learner is most successful.

13. Provide visibility to and from the learner. The teacher and the learner should be able to see each other. Make eye contact possible at all times.

14. Stop annoying or anxiety-producing situations from happening (e.g., give the learner tasks only on their capacity and ability level, give the learner only the number of tasks that can be successfully managed in one sitting, lessen social interactions that encourage the learner’s use of obscene language, etc.).

15. Minimize learning activities that might threaten the learner (e.g., announcing test scores aloud, having students read aloud in class, praising high achievers excessively, etc.).

16. Consider using a classroom management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

17. Consider using an adaptive behavior management app. Click here to view a list of apps that we recommend.

18. Consider using Alexa to help the student learn to behave appropriately. Click here to read an article that we wrote on the subject.

19. Click here to learn about six bonus strategies for challenging problem behaviors and mastering classroom management.