Trying to keep calm when things are not going well in the classroom can be such a struggle. It is overwhelming to try and support students with their emotions and behaviours – as well as our own.
Susan Gavin, course author of EPV Summer Course “Supporting Students with Challenging Behaviour” has put a comprehensive course together to help us pre-empt issues and creating systems and ways of working that stop things escalating negatively. We have shared some of these below.
Here are 5 tips on how to support students with challenging behaviour:
1. Have clear rules and procedures in the classroom
This ensures that there is consistency and structure that supports everyone. Here are some pointers for making rules with students.
- Involve the children
- Keep the rules to 5 or 6
- Use positive language
- Model the rules
2. Draw on pupils’ interests
When planning a lesson, think about how to include childrens’ interests and present it in an engaging way. Providing lessons that aspire to promote intrinsic motivation can help to deter a teacher from overusing rewards systems and becoming reliant on them as the sole means of motivating children.
3. Use of different methodologies
Try and avoid relying on the same activities during every lesson, as the children becoming overfamiliar with them and may become less engaged.
For example, when using the KISS, 4 Phase Lesson Plan – there are 4 parts to a lesson which allows the teacher to plan 4 learning activities. It’s easy to follow and ensures that there can be different methodologies in each section, for example independent work and then group work or teacher-led questioning. By following a structure but mixing up the methodologies it helps with good learning ‘flow’ and scaffolding of learning.
You can learn more about the 4 phase lesson plan on our EPV Summer Course “Effective Lesson Planning”.
4. Differentiation
Work within a child’s ability, and ensure you are differentiating for all the children in the class. If an activity is too easy the children will lose motivation, but also if it is too hard it is unattainable to the child! Try and find the right level of challenge so that they feel a sense of achievement. We share more on this, including how to support students with EAL on our EPV Summer Course “Differentiation”.
Psst… Read “How to Differentiate Effectively – 10 Tips for Teachers” HERE!
5. Promote Inquiry, Play & Discovery
Thompson (2013) suggests a number of techniques that can be used in the classroom to promote positive performance and behaviour. These are centred around teaching creatively and also encourage creativity among the children themselves.
These may include:
- Asking the children to master a topic so they can create a quiz or worksheet for their classmates.
- Watching short videos as a means of learning.
- Writing on anything other than lined paper.
- Listening to music that matches the content being taught.
- Working against a clock.
- Making a video or audio recording.
- Role-playing.
- Competing against another class.
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But creating a truly inclusive classroom goes beyond celebrating difference. It requires intentional choices, thoughtful conversations, and reflective practice.
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If you’ve ever left school feeling exhausted from managing behaviour, you’re not alone. Many teachers are doing everything they were taught—rewards, consequences, firm boundaries—yet still feel stuck.
That’s where a relationship-first approach changes everything.
Group Bookings for Schools – EPV Summer Courses 2026
Schools across Ireland are choosing to organise group bookings for EPV Summer Courses so their teachers can learn together and bring new ideas back to the classroom.
New Online EPV Courses for Teachers 2026
Our EPV Special Offer!
Course groups fill up quickly as we have limited capacity.
Please book your place ASAP to avoid disappointment!
Report Finds Better Teacher Training and Inclusion Needed to Promote Well-Being in Irish Schools
A significant new study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) highlights the urgent need for improved teacher training and a stronger focus on inclusion, diversity and wellbeing to better support students across Ireland’s schools.
EPV Summer Courses 2026
Here is a brief update of our summer course plans for 2026.
We will have a few new courses to add to the collection so watch this space!