Gentle Teaching developed in response to dissatisfaction regarding traditional forms of behaviour management. The problems of the traditional approach that it attempts to overcome are:

1. Working with people who have severe deficits in their communication abilities.

2. Working with people who have such a number of challenging behaviours that it is difficult to know where, and how, to begin helping to alter them.

3. Working with people who do not respond to "social rewards" such as company of others and praise for achievements. These individuals are usually those who have experienced an unusual degree of emotional deprivation, perhaps through institutionalisation at an early age.

4. The use of aversive techniques (punishment) - while aversive therapy does guarantee behaviour change, the change is not necessarily to a preferred form of behaviour, and may not be long lasting.
   
   Also, the requirement of doing behaviour change programs to someone, and using punishment, is seen as dehumanising for the worker - it forces them to take a position of power and authority in interactions with clients, rather than allowing them to help clients establish and work with someone toward mutual goals.