ABSTRACT
We may not be able to do much about the causes of unwanted behaviour but we can do something about what is happening now. In order to do this, it is essential to formulate some idea of what is maintaining or, indeed, modifying the behaviour. Meeting with families would normally be part of the process of gaining additional information which may be useful. As well as finding out about any concerns they may have, parents will be able to give their perspective and also valuable information. This could, for example, be about the student's language skills, general levels of maturity and events at home which might be contributing to his difficulties in school. Assessment also needs to look at the child's strengths, how he may view the situation and what would be helpful to him. Finding out what is happening in the playground and/or classroom, such as interactions and expectations, may also give useful clues to intervention. It is often helpful for an assessment to include establishing a baseline against which improvements can be measured. The following explains the terms used in the assessment column:
