Understanding behaviour
Understanding and managing behaviour resources provide an insight into factors that influence behaviour, aggressive and violent behaviour, identifying risk, enhancing student resilience, and supporting pro-social behaviour.
Information about this resource
This resource contributes towards the key areas encompassed in the Student Behaviour Strategy providing schools, teachers, students and parents with the supports and resources needed to understand behaviour, including a resource hub.
This resource supports teacher and school needs by providing:
high quality resources to understand factors that influence behaviour
what happens during behaviour, particularly aggressive and violent behaviours
teaching and supporting pro-social behaviour
how to mitigate risk
how to build student resilience.
Professional audience
School leaders and teachers across all school settings.
This resource is able to be used without assistance, as a stand-alone resource and/or linked to professional learning.
Student audience
All students P-12.
When to use
To better understand and support student behaviour, the factors that influence behaviour, aggressive and violent behaviour, identifying risk and strategies to enhance student resilience.
Timeframes
Can be used at any time when teachers require information to better support student behaviour.
System priorities and/or needs
This resource aligns with:
the Premier’s Priorities to improve outcomes in literacy and numeracy and HSC attainment.
the New South Wales Department of Education’s strategic outcomes of improving academic achievement and wellbeing.
- Need identified by Delivery Support to build teacher capacity in understanding behaviour.
School Excellence Framework
Learning domain – Wellbeing (Caring for students, A planned approach to wellbeing, Individual learning needs, Behaviour) .
- Teaching domain Effective classroom practice (Classroom management) .
Relevant frameworks
NESA syllabus documents – personal and social capabilities in all K-10 syllabi, and PDHPE K-10 syllabus Health Wellbeing and Relationships content strand outcomes.
Standard 1, particularly Standard 1.2, 1.4, 1.6.
Standard 4, particularly 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 .
Wellbeing Framework - Behaviour, discipline and character education .
School Success Model – 3 – Types of support for schools.
Existing resources
Behaviour support toolkit resources and professional learning.
Consulted with: Delivery Support team, Aboriginal Partnerships and Outcomes, Inclusion and Wellbeing as part of the development of the behaviour support toolkit.
Reviewed by: Behaviour Services
Last updated: June 2022
Review date: December 2022
Baxendale, S., Lester, L., Johnston, R., Cross, D. (2015). Risk factors in adolescent’s involvement in violent behaviors, Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, 7(1), p2-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-09-2013-0025
Brion-Meisels, G., Garnett, B. R. (2016). Toward an integrated theory of relational youth violence: bridging a gap among the theory, research and practice of bullying prevention, Contemporary School Psychology, 20, p 240-253. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-015-0080-8
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1994). Ecological models of human development, International Encyclopedia of Education, 3, 1643-1647.
Byers, T., Liu, K., Knock, A., & Imms, W. (2018). A systematic review of the effects of learning environments on student learning outcomes. http://www.iletc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/TR4_Web.pdf
Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation. (2020). What works best: 2020 update. NSW Department of Education. https://www.cese.nsw.gov.au/images/stories/PDF/What-works-best-2020-update.pdf
Goss, P., & Sonneman, J. (2017). Engaging students. Creating classrooms that improve learning. https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Engaging-students-creating-classrooms-that-improve-learning.pdf
Hahn, R., Fuqua-Whitley, D., Wethington, H., Lowry, J., Crosby, A., Fullilove, M., Johnson, R., Liberman, A., Moscicki, E., Price, L., Snyder, S., Tuma, F., Cory, S., Stone, G., Mukhopadhaya, K., Chattopadhyay, S., Dahlebrg, L. (2017). Effectiveness of universal school-based programs to prevent violent and aggressive behaviour: A systematic review, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 33(2), p114-129.
Pearce, N., Cross, D., Epstein, M., Johnston, R., & Legge, E. (2019). Strengthening school and system capacity to implement effective interventions to support student behaviour and wellbeing in NSW public schools: An evidence review. Telethon Kids Institute: Perth, Western Australia.
Smigelskas, K., Vaiciunas, T., Lukoseviciute, J., Malinowska-Cieslik, M., Melkumova, M., Movsesyan, E., Zaborskis. (2018). Sufficient social support as a possible prevention factor against fighting and bullying in school children, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324799596_Sufficient_Social_Support_as_a_Possible_Preventive_Factor_against_Fighting_and_Bullying_in_School_Children
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