| Although students with emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD) often have concomitant academic and reading deficits (Levy & Chard, 2001; Nelson, Benner, Lane, & Smith, 2004), there has been little attention paid to effective academic instruction for this population. The traditional approach to helping students with behavioural difficulties is to focus initially on behaviour; academics becomes a secondary concern. Considering the disruptive nature of severe behavioural problems, this is arguably a reasonable approach. Only after behaviour has been managed can the teacher focus on academic education according to conventional wisdom. However, several authors have suggested that behavioural problems can be mitigated through effective academic instruction and outcomes (Lane, Wehby, Menzies, Gregg, Doukas, & Munton, 2002; Scott & Shearer-Lingo, 2002).; There is strong evidence supporting a reciprocal relationship between poor academic achievement and problem behaviour (Hinshaw, 1992; Morgan, Farkas, Tufis, & Sperling, in press), although causality is yet to be determined. Studies have shown that students with EBD have below average cognitive functioning (Coleman, 1996) and large academic deficits with externalizing behaviours particularly related to reading, mathematics, and written language achievement (Nelson et al., 2004; Trout, Nordness, Pierce, & Epstein, 2003).; This case study follows standard qualitative research methods through which interviews, observations, and questionnaires were used to explore the impact of a theory- and research-informed literacy intervention on the literacy skills, behaviour, and self-perception of students identified as having a behaviour exceptionality. Two male students from a segregated Grade 5/6/7 classroom participated in this study, a four-week intervention, as did their classroom teacher and special education teacher. The research results showed that even with a limited intervention program such as this, gains were made in both reading and in behaviour. These findings show promise for instructional strategies that focus on the academic achievement of students with EBD. Although it was not possible to identify the mediating factor, or factors, effective academic interventions can and do have positive learning and behavioural outcomes. |
