When ‘challenging behaviour’ is unmet need: Reframing behaviour through an inclusive lens

RABIA SHUNAID KHAN, HEAD OF INCLUSION, GEMS FOUNDERS SCHOOL, NAD AL HAMAR, DUBAI, UAE Introduction In many classrooms, behaviour continues to be viewed through a lens of compliance, with students who call out, refuse tasks or withdraw from learning often labelled as ‘challenging’. Behaviour policies commonly rely on sanctions, warnings and removal from class, reflecting the assumption that behaviour is primarily a matter of choice (Sugai and Horner, 2002). However, behaviour does not occur in isolation; it is shaped by interaction, context and underlying need (Watzlawick et al., 1967). For many learners, particularly those with additional needs, behaviours such as disruption, avoidance or disengagement may reflect anxiety, sensory overload, communication difficulties or learning frustration, rather than deliberate non-compliance (Dockrell and Lindsay, 2001; Law et al., 2017). When these behaviours are interpreted solely as defiance, responses often fail to address their under