Time-Out Interventions

When most people picture a time out, they tend to envision a punitive scene. Perhaps even a child sitting alone in a corner wearing a dunce cap and being scolded or lectured. 




This however, is not the time-out intervention of the present. The process has evolved and grown into an effective intervention that can be used by educators and parents alike! 

There are four main types of time out intervention as described by Ryan et al. (2007):

  • Inclusion
    • Least intensive, student remains in the classroom observing but not engaging with the lesson
  • Exclusion 
    • Student is still in the classroom but moved to a quiet corner and does not participate or observe the lesson
  • Seclusion
    • The student is removed from the classroom, usually to an empty classroom or office, and must remain there for a set period
  • Restrained
    • The most restrictive and intense time out. The student is physically restrained by a teacher with proper training for a set period
For time-out interventions to be successful it is important to determine what kinds of time-out's are most appropriate for different scenarios. It is also vital that the students understand what is expected of them throughout the process and that the teacher remains consistent in how they implement the intervention. 

The main problem with time-out procedure is still misinterpretation and misunderstanding of how, when, and why to use them. Parents and educators should be provided with opportunities to learn more about how to effectively use time-out interventions with their children and students. 


Ryan, J. B., Sanders, S., Katsiyannis, A., & Yell, M. L. (2007). Using time-out effectively in the classroom. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 39(4), 60–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990703900407 

Image taken from: https://pdimagearchive.org/search/?q=dunce


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