(a) The NBSS in Schools
The NBSS in Schools gives a brief overview of the work of the National Behaviour Support Service in partner schools. Examples of the three levels of behaviour support - Level 1: School-wide Support for All Students, Level 2: Targeted Intervention for Some Students and Level 3: Intensive, Individualised Support for a Few Students - are presented along with many of the interventions, projects and initiatives schools implement in the areas of (a) Behaviour for Learning skills development (b) Social & Emotional Literacy skills development (c) Academic Literacy and Learning skills development and (d) Wellbeing skills development
(b) School Matters: The Report of the Task Force on Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools
The National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) was established by the Department of Education & Skills in 2006 in response to the recommendation in this report - School Matters: The Report of the Task Force on Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools (2006).
(c) Behaviour Support Classroom Best Practice Guidelines
These best practice guidelines draw upon national and international research on the effective creation and implementation of an intensive behavioural intervention: the Behaviour Support Classroom at Level 3.
(c1) Behaviour Support Classrooms: A Research Study of 36 Behaviour Support Classrooms (2010)
This research study is an evaluation of the establishment, evolution and on-going work undertaken from 2007 to 2009 in 36 post-primary schools participating in the Behaviour Support Classroom intervention run by the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS).
(c2) NBSS Level 3 Support: The Students’ Voice
NBSS Level 3 Support is distinctive in that it is tailored to the specific needs of the individual student. This report focuses on feedback from 662 students in 50 NBSS partner schools and presents the students’ experience of NBSS Level 3 support received through a Behaviour Support Classroom or Behaviour for Learning Programme. This report is part of the on-going research of Level 3 provision to NBSS partner schools. See also ‘NBSS Level 3 Support: The Behaviour Support Teachers’ Views’ report and ‘NBSS Level 3 Support: The Principals’ Viewpoint’ report.
(c3) NBSS Level 3 Support: The Behaviour Support Teachers’ Views
This report draws upon quantitative and qualitative data collected from NBSS Behaviour for Learning programme teachers in 48 partner schools who provided NBSS Level 3 support to 920 students during the academic year 2011/2012. This report is part of the on-going research of Level 3 provision to NBSS partner schools. See also ‘NBSS Level 3 Support: The Students’ Voice’ report and ‘NBSS Level 3 Support: The Principals’ Viewpoint’ report.
(c4) NBSS Level 3 Support: The Principals’ Viewpoint
This report focuses on the observations and opinions of the principals whose schools are currently providing NBSS Level 3 support to students through a NBSS Behaviour for Learning Programme. See ‘NBSS Level 3 Support: The Students’ Voice’ and ‘NBSS Level 3 Support: The Behaviour Support Teachers’ Views’ reports that explore the experiences of the teachers who provide NBSS Level 3 support and the views of the students who have received this support.
(c5) Catch Up Literacy: A NBSS Level 3 Intervention to Support Struggling Readers
NBSS Level 3 support is concerned with developing interventions necessary for students with multiple and specific challenges to their learning and behaviour. If these students have poor reading skills, one focus of change includes improving reading achievement by teaching students how to read. This report presents the findings from the Catch Up Literacy intervention, a one-to-one structured literacy intervention in NBSS partner schools.
(c6) The Vocabulary Enrichment Programme: An Intervention to Improve Vocabulary Skills with First Year Students
Speech, language and communication skills are an integral part of literacy. The adapted Vocabulary Enrichment Programme (VEP) is a school based, whole class intervention that supports development of oral vocabulary skills in adolescents. This research project aimed to evaluate if the programme would be successful in improving the oral vocabulary skills of first year students in Irish post-primary schools. Four hundred and seven first year students from six NBSS partner schools received the intervention in 2013. This report presents the findings from this research project.
(d) 'FRIENDS for Life' Research Project
The ‘FRIENDS for Life’ programme is a school-based positive mental health programme. The World Health Organisation cites ‘FRIENDS for Life’ as the only evidence-based programme effective at all levels of intervention for anxiety in children. The programme helps students to develop effective strategies to deal with worry, stress and change and teaches the skills required to reduce anxiety and promote resilience. The NBSS piloted and researched the ‘FRIENDS for Life’ programme in 14 partner schools. This report presents the findings from the research project.
