Kids with advanced language skills may be ready to have conversations with others, but how do we teach these skills? Here, we’re diving into what conversation skills are and how we can best teach them to our learners. We discuss examples of how to use different programs to teach conversation skills. We also talk about the challenges of teaching conversation skills with peers and in the natural environment.
Successful toilet training is one of the most useful and (likely) socially significant skills we can teach our students with autism. Having trouble with or feeling timid about transitioning your student with autism from diapers to the toilet? Fret not! Follow the steps in this blog post– it’s the approach we’ve used for many years to successfully toilet train our students.
The purpose of assessments is to provide us with a starting point and create a baseline for our learners. Some of the most common assessments include ABLLS and VB Mapp and we compare and contrast the two here. We also discuss the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and why it’s good for early learners, why you shouldn’t outsource assessments to RBTs, information on PEAK, and tips for how to complete a successful assessment.
What motivates you? I know for myself any kind of hazelnut chocolate is a favorite. But what happens when I am sick of chocolate? I have my back up motivators – like sour candies, pretzels, cookies, and more! Not everyone can tell us what motivates them, and sometimes what we think will motivate us does not do the trick. This is why we have preference assessments.
Through the use of effective prompting, we’re able to help our learners succeed. Here, we dive into the hierarchy of prompting so we can use it in the best way possible. We discuss the importance of repetition and modeling and why they help learners become more successful. We also discuss fading prompts, why verbal prompts are the hardest to fade, and how to use least-to-most prompting.
Data collection is a big part of what we do. We are bound to make data-driven decisions and update or revise programs based on what the data tell us. However, it is possible to be so consumed with data that it interferes with learning. How well can a person engage and think on their feet when they’re preoccupied with data collection?
ABA is an evidence-based, effective approach for teaching skills, especially for individuals with autism. Here, we’re diving in deeper and discussing what ABA is. We discuss how ABA uses data to make positive changes in behavior. We also talk about how ABA is tailored for each individual learner, why ABA isn’t only for children or those with autism, and more.
There are so many terms in ABA that it can be hard to keep track. We love our acronyms. One that often gets confused is verbal behavior (VB). So what is verbal behavior?
In ABA, a task analysis can be used to break down larger, more complex skills into smaller steps or actions to make things more manageable for our learners. Task analyses can be used to teach a variety of social and life skills. Here, we discuss how to create a task analysis from scratch, the different types of chaining, and how to use prompts to build independence.
When a lot of people hear the term, “ABA”, they think it only includes teaching at the table with discrete trials. This is not true. ABA has expanded to incorporate many, many different teaching procedures, including natural environment teaching (NET). Today, we’re talking all about how to incorporate natural environment teaching in ABA into our practice.
