As we finish up prevention strategies in our Balanced Behavior Support approach—Prevent, Teach, and Respond—I want to discuss a framework that can help shape both the supports we provide and our mindset around how students respond to their environment.

Understanding why someone is struggling with a task is key to providing the right support. The “Can’t Do or Won’t Do” framework is one approach that helps us make sense of whether a response to a task or the environment comes from a skill gap (Can’t Do) or a motivation gap (Won’t Do). This distinction is a way to guide how we respond and which strategies we implement to best support student needs.

Think of it this way: Imagine someone asks you to give a speech in front of a large audience. If you enjoy public speaking, you might jump at the opportunity. But if the thought of it makes you anxious, you might decline, even though you're fully capable of doing it. Now, what if they offer you $5,000 to give the speech? That might be enough motivation to push through your discomfort and give it a try. But what if they ask you to give a speech in a language you don’t speak fluently? No matter how much money they offer, you literally can’t do it because you don’t have the necessary skills.

Students experience this daily. Many expectations—like following routines, transitioning, or completing work—require executive functioning skills, self-regulation, and communication skills. If those skills aren’t fully developed yet, the task can feel impossible, leading to distress or disengagement.

So, what can we do? This is when the Can't Do or Won't Do approach comes in!

• If it’s a "Can’t Do," we focus on teaching skills and adding supports (e.g., visual schedules, sensory breaks, structured choices).
• If it’s a "Won’t Do," we focus on adjusting motivation and making tasks meaningful through reinforcement, autonomy, and interest-based engagement.

Instead of seeing certain responses as defiance, this approach helps us meet students where they are and support them in a way that respects their needs and unique learning experiences. When we understand the difference between "Can’t Do" and "Won’t Do," we can create learning environments that are accessible, empowering, and flexible for all learners.

Before determining whether a challenge is a "Can’t Do" or a "Won’t Do," we first need to define each concept.

Can’t Do: A Skill Gap

A "Can’t Do" situation indicates a skill deficit in a specific area. The student may need additional instruction, repeated practice, or visual supports to fully grasp the task. For example, a student working on double-digit addition may require an anchor chart and guided practice to learn the skill and complete the problems successfully. However, a major component that often gets overlooked is the impact of executive functioning, self-regulation, and communication skills on our students' ability to meet an expectation. Yes, the student may have demonstrated the ability to do double-digit addition yesterday, but can they still do it when:

• The lights are too bright?
• Their classmates are yelling?
• They’re hungry because they didn’t eat breakfast?

Perhaps—but it will be much harder and less likely to happen in these conditions. A "Can’t Do" isn’t just about academic ability—it also depends on a student’s regulation, focus, and processing capacity in that moment.

Won’t Do: A Motivation Gap

When considering a "Won’t Do" scenario, it’s important to recognize that the motivator must match the effort required. Yes, a student might love My Little Pony, but will a sticker—similar to the hundreds they already have—be worth the challenge of completing an entire page of double-digit addition? Probably not. Motivation is more than just offering a reward—it has to be meaningful and proportional to the task. Ensuring the reinforcer aligns with the effort required can increase engagement and persistence.

Our students’ responses to classroom expectations are not always as simple as “Can’t Do” or “Won’t Do.” To truly understand their behavior, we must consider a range of contributing factors, such as learning history, physical and biological differences, family background, and possible trauma. These factors are typically explored during the evaluation process.

Once the team has identified these influences to the best of their ability, we can thoughtfully apply the "Can’t Do or Won’t Do" framework—ensuring that the supports we develop are both effective and responsive to the student’s individual needs.

Next week, we’ll dive into an informal assessment designed to help us determine whether an unexpected response to an expectation stems from a skill gap (Can’t Do) or a motivation gap (Won’t Do). This tool will also guide us in developing a tailored support plan to best meet the student’s needs!

Check out the An Ocean Life unit in Themes First!, which includes original songs, books, and activities that support students’ skill development and generalization with content that’s fun, accessible, and theme-based. These monthly units now include an expanded Social Studies suite, containing fun, theme-related activities that reinforce cultural engagement. Included in all Themes First! units are lessons, activities, and worksheets for group and independent work at a wide range of levels.

The next Themes First! release, Blast Off to Space, is ready to prep!

💡Print all the activities you plan to use for the upcoming month as soon as they become available. Put printed activities in a "prep" area equipped with a laminator, file folders, Velcro, labels, and baggies. If you have a large laminator, laminate all the activities at once! When you and your team have a few minutes to spare, laminate, cut, and Velcro. It helps to organize activities in trays by "Needs to be Prepped" and "Finished." Don't forget to teach your team how to prep the activities and to model this new expectation. Check out the How to Prep a Month-Long Themes First! Unit below.

Count Down to Winter Break

Schedule Changes

Class Parties

Structuring Crafts

Classroom Routines

Introduction

Teaching Routines

Classroom Slide Deck

Arrival Routine

Check Schedule Routine

Expectations

Resources for the New Year Series

STAR Media Center Updates

Caregiver Survey

Home-School Communication

Reset Checklist Visuals

2023-2024 Tuesday Tips & Tricks Newsletters

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