Behaviour is Communication
Behaviour is Communication
Every behaviour tells a story—learning to recognise and respond to unmet needs.
Every behaviour tells a story—learning to recognise and respond to unmet needs.
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Sometimes behaviour is a response to:
- Sensory overload
- Anxiety or overwhelm
- Frustration
- Difficulty communicating needs
- Wanting connection or reassurance
- Trying to gain access to something important to them
Instead of asking:
Instead of asking:
“How do we stop this behaviour?”
“How do we stop this behaviour?”
We can ask:
We can ask:
“What is this child trying to tell us?”
“What is this child trying to tell us?”
When adults look beneath the behaviour, we can better understand what a learner needs and provide supportive accommodations that help them feel safe, regulated and successful.
The SEAT model helps adults explore four common functions of behaviour:
No single strategy works for every child, but understanding the reason behind behaviour helps us respond with empathy, consistency and support.
The SEAT model helps adults explore four common functions of behaviour:
- Sensory
- Escape
- Attention
- Tangible
No single strategy works for every child, but understanding the reason behind behaviour helps us respond with empathy, consistency and support.
Sensory: Some behaviours happen because a child is trying to meet a sensory need or avoid sensory discomfort. The goal is not to remove sensory behaviours completely, but to help learners regulate safely and successfully.
A learner communicating a sensory need may:
Cover ears
Hum or vocalise
Rock or pace
Spin around
Chew clothing or objects
Touch everything
Crash into furniture
Climb
Run around the room
Hide under tables
Avoid busy spaces
Refuse certain textures
Stare at lights or spinning objects
Flap hands
Make repetitive movements
Have difficulty sitting still
Experience increased dysregulation in noisy environments
Escape: Children learn best when they feel emotionally safe and supported
Escape: Children learn best when they feel emotionally safe and supported
A learner communicating a need for emotional safety may:
Refuse work
Hide
Leave the classroom
Put head down
Cry
Avoid specific subjects or adults
Rip work
Argue
Task avoidance
Procrastinate
Frequent toilet requests
Become silly to avoid work
Say “I can’t do it”
Freeze when asked questions
Shut down
Non-participation
School refusal
Experience emotional outbursts during transitions
Attention: Strong relationships are one of the most effective behaviour supports.
Attention: Strong relationships are one of the most effective behaviour supports.
A learner communicating a need for attention or connection may:
Interrupt constantly
Call out
Be “the class clown”
Make noises
Attention-seek through negative behaviour
Excessively chat
Invade personal space
Have exaggerated reactions
Disrupt peers
Deliberately break rules when adults are nearby
Frequently tattle
Copy others
Show off
Repeatedly ask for help
Refuse independence
Cling to adults
Tangible: The aim is to teach communication and self-regulation skills while maintaining supportive, predictable expectations.
Tangible: The aim is to teach communication and self-regulation skills while maintaining supportive, predictable expectations.
A learner communicating a tangible need may:
Grab items
Refuse to share
Tantrum when denied access
Bargain
Fixate on rewards
Refuse transitions away from preferred activities
Hide desired objects
Exhibit demanding behaviour
Show aggression when items are removed
Repeat requests
Have difficulty waiting
Control games or activities
Exhibit rigid behaviour around routines or possessions
Accommodations and Support Strategies
Accommodations and Support Strategies
Accommodations are supportive changes we make to help a learner feel safe, regulated and able to succeed. They do not “lower expectations” or excuse behaviour. Instead, accommodations help remove barriers that may make learning, communication or emotional regulation more difficult.
When behaviour is understood as communication, adults can respond proactively by adjusting:
Supportive accommodations can help reduce distress, prevent escalation and build long-term emotional regulation skills. Every learner is different, so accommodations should always be flexible, individual and responsive to need.The 'Addressing Behaviour as Covert Communication' below offers practical ideas that adults can use to better understand behaviour and respond with empathy, consistency and support. Click to Download the pdf.
When behaviour is understood as communication, adults can respond proactively by adjusting:
- The environment
- Communication style
- Task demands
- Sensory input
- Routines and expectations
- Opportunities for regulation and connection
Supportive accommodations can help reduce distress, prevent escalation and build long-term emotional regulation skills. Every learner is different, so accommodations should always be flexible, individual and responsive to need.The 'Addressing Behaviour as Covert Communication' below offers practical ideas that adults can use to better understand behaviour and respond with empathy, consistency and support. Click to Download the pdf.
By responding with curiosity rather than punishment alone, adults can build trust, reduce distress and support long-term emotional development.
Behaviour is rarely “just bad behaviour.” Children do well when they can. When behaviour becomes challenging, it is often a sign that a learner needs:
Support
Support
Regulation
Regulation
Understanding
Understanding
Connection
Connection
Communication tools
Communication tools
Accommodations
Accommodations
Safety
Safety
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