One Behaviour, Many Meanings Poster

When it comes to behaviour, we can’t assume that one behaviour has the same meaning for everyone. For example, if an individual is screaming, it could mean many things: perhaps they are angry? Maybe they are afraid? Or they might simply be excited.

Our job as professionals is to look beyond the behaviour we see and seek to understand what is driving it. When we understand why we are seeing a particular behaviour, we can make informed decisions about which type of support to offer.

This handy poster encourages you to consider the various functions of behaviour you might see in your setting. It can be printed off and displayed in communal areas, such as staffrooms, to remind practitioners to take a curious approach to behaviour and to avoid making assumptions.