Evidence-Based Practices, or EBPs, are teaching and intervention strategies supported by research. The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder identified 27 evidence-based practices for supporting autistic children and young people across learning, communication, behaviour, social development, and independence.
At SENBOX, these EBPs are connected to a wider educational framework.
The purpose is not only to reduce behaviour or train isolated skills. The purpose is to support the child’s full development.
This includes:
The child should be supported to express needs, choices, emotions, refusal, pain, preferences, and ideas.
The child should learn how to feel safe, understand stress, recover from difficult moments, and use regulation strategies.
The child should build attention, imitation, task engagement, problem-solving, memory, early academic skills, and classroom participation.
The child should be supported to interact with adults and peers in meaningful, respectful, and developmentally appropriate ways.
The child should learn practical skills such as dressing, eating, hygiene, cleaning, transitions, safety, and daily routines.
The child’s progress depends on consistent communication between SENBOX, parents, teachers, schools, and other professionals.
SENBOX uses documentation, observation, data, reports, and progress evidence to review whether the strategy is working and whether it needs to be adjusted.
SENBOX recognises the value of Evidence-Based Practices. However, EBPs must not be used as isolated “tricks”, quick techniques, or one-size-fits-all interventions.
A child is not a collection of behaviours. A child is a whole person with emotional needs, communication needs, sensory needs, family history, learning style, cultural background, medical considerations, school expectations, and future life goals. For this reason...
SENBOX applies EBPs
within a holistic educational approach.
This means that each strategy must be connected to:
the child’s Individual Education Plan
the child’s Behaviour Intervention Plan when needed
family priorities
school expectations
communication development
emotional regulation
independence and life skills
long-term inclusion goals
regular evidence collection and review
An EBP is only meaningful when it is selected carefully, implemented consistently, monitored with evidence, and adjusted according to the child’s real progress.
Changing the environment or situation before a behaviour happens, so the child is more likely to succeed.
Example: reducing noise, giving a warning before transition, or preparing visual instructions before a difficult task.
Teaching the child to understand thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, and to use strategies for self-regulation.
Example: helping a student recognise anxiety and use a calming routine.
Reinforcing helpful or appropriate behaviours while reducing reinforcement for behaviours that are unsafe or not useful.
Example: praising a child for asking for a break instead of leaving the classroom.
Breaking learning into small, structured teaching steps with clear instruction, response, and feedback.
Example: teaching colours, matching, or imitation through repeated structured trials.
Using planned physical movement to support regulation, health, attention, behaviour, and readiness for learning.
Example: jumping, swimming, walking, stretching, or movement breaks before table work.
Reducing a behaviour by no longer giving the behaviour the outcome that previously maintained it.
Example: not giving attention to attention-seeking shouting, while teaching and reinforcing an appropriate way to request attention.
Identifying why a behaviour happens by looking at triggers, patterns, consequences, and the function of the behaviour.
Example: finding out whether a child is hitting to escape work, gain attention, access an item, or respond to sensory overload.
Teaching a child a safer and clearer way to communicate the same need that was previously expressed through behaviour.
Example: teaching “help”, “break”, “finished”, or “I don’t want” using speech, visuals, signs, or AAC.
Showing the child how to perform a skill before expecting the child to do it.
Example: demonstrating how to greet a friend, clean up toys, or ask for help.
Teaching skills during natural routines, play, daily activities, and real-life interactions.
Example: teaching requesting during snack time or turn-taking during a game.
Training and supporting parents to use intervention strategies at home and in the community.
Example: helping parents use visual schedules, communication supports, or behaviour strategies consistently.
Teaching peers how to support social interaction, communication, play, and inclusion.
Example: teaching classmates how to invite a child to join a game.
A structured communication system where the child uses pictures to request, comment, or communicate.
Example: giving a picture of “water” to request a drink.
Targeting important developmental areas that can improve many other skills at the same time.
Example: increasing motivation, initiation, response to multiple cues, and self-management.
Providing help to guide the child toward the correct response, then gradually reducing that help.
Example: using verbal prompts, gestures, physical guidance, or visual cues.
Increasing a skill or behaviour by providing a meaningful positive outcome after the child performs it.
Example: giving praise, access to a preferred activity, or a token after completing a task.
Interrupting a repeated or unsafe behaviour and redirecting the child to a more appropriate action.
Example: interrupting repetitive vocalisation during group time and redirecting the child to answer, request, or engage.
Teaching the child specific words, phrases, or sentences to use in social or learning situations.
Example: teaching “Can I play?”, “I need help”, or “Your turn”.
Teaching the child to monitor and manage their own behaviour, work, or emotional regulation.
Example: using a checklist to track whether they completed classroom tasks.
Using short written or visual stories to explain situations, expectations, and appropriate responses.
Example: a story about going to school, waiting in line, or visiting the dentist.
Directly teaching social interaction skills through instruction, practice, feedback, and real-life application.
Example: teaching turn-taking, sharing, greeting, conversation, or understanding personal space.
Organising play opportunities with clear roles, routines, materials, and adult support.
Example: setting up a small play group with guided turn-taking and shared play goals.
Breaking a complex skill into smaller steps so the child can learn one step at a time.
Example: brushing teeth, washing hands, packing a school bag, or completing a worksheet.
Using technology to teach, communicate, support independence, or collect evidence.
Example: communication devices, learning apps, digital schedules, video models, or progress tracking tools.
Pausing before giving a prompt so the child has time to respond independently.
Example: asking a question and waiting before giving help.
Using video examples to show the child how to complete a skill or behave in a situation.
Example: watching a video of a child washing hands, greeting a teacher, or joining a group activity.
Using visual materials to help the child understand routines, expectations, choices, communication, and learning tasks.
Example: visual schedules, first-then boards, choice boards, classroom rules, emotion charts, and task steps.
Evidence-Based Practices are important, but they must be used responsibly.
A strategy may be evidence-based, but that does not automatically mean it is the correct strategy for every child, every family, or every school situation.
SENBOX therefore applies EBPs through professional judgement, child observation, family consultation, school collaboration, and regular review. The goal is not only behaviour change. The goal is educational justice, meaningful development, communication, independence, inclusion, and a better quality of life for the child and family.