Beginner ABA Program
One of my favourite things about my job is when we get clients when they are young (2-3 years old). This means that I love… Read More »Beginner ABA Program
How To ABA
Classroom Reinforcement Systems That Work
Too often, my sons come home complaining that they lost their recess time because classmates were behaving poorly. This is one of my pet peeves… Read More »Classroom Reinforcement Systems That Work
5 ABA Principles I Wish I Knew When I Was a Teacher
When I was a classroom teacher, I didn’t always have the tools or knowledge to effectively deal with learning or behavioural challenges. It was frustrating!… Read More »5 ABA Principles I Wish I Knew When I Was a Teacher
Daily Activities To Promote Language
My 5-year-old daughter just finished telling me about her adventure at the Science Centre, leaving no detail out. She’s a chatterbox! My hubby and I love listening to her, especially because she was tight-lipped until she was close to three.
To promote language in our late talker, I used communication temptations and labeled everything we saw and every action we did during our daily activities. It’s important for us to clearly and slowly model words for our little loves, because listening to us helps them develop language.
There’s a lot you can do to help your sweetie speak, too. Cross-my-heart, it’s not too much work and definitely worth the effort. Here are a few examples of what you can do to promote language in your quiet kiddo.Read More »Daily Activities To Promote Language
6 Ways To Help Your Child Make Friends
When you pick up Patty from school or daycare, you always find her alone spinning toys and humming to herself. She seems happy by the situation but you’re not – you’d prefer that Patty would participate with peers. You wish that she could make friends and have fun playing with them. In general, that’s hard for kiddos with autism. However, with coaching and teaching, Patty can become more comfy relating in social situations! Here’s how you can help your honey make friends.Read More »6 Ways To Help Your Child Make Friends
Look At Me: How To Encourage Eye Contact
Talking face-to-face, your child with autism doesn’t look at you. Her eyes have never intentionally met yours. It’s hurtful sometimes – it would feel so connective if she’d gaze at you when you said I love you – and at other times it comes across as rude. It’s not her fault and it’s not yours. Many people on the spectrum struggle with eye contact, finding it uncomfortable or, for some, extremely stressful. Given that eye contact doesn’t come naturally to kiddos with ASD, should you encourage Penny to peek into your peepers? We think so.Read More »Look At Me: How To Encourage Eye Contact
Tackle Big Skills In Baby Steps
Trying to teach Julie some of the targets we dished about in How To Foster Independence Skills and How To Teach Your Young Child Self Care Skills with not much success? No sweat! The solution to the struggle: Task analysis and chaining. Some kiddos are unable to learn how to brush their teeth or put on their clothes when the skill is taught as a whole or in large pieces. This is when task analysis becomes a big help. It’s the process of breaking a complex skill into small components that are a lot easier for Julie to grasp and attain. Chaining is the act of sequentially teaching those baby steps. We swear by these techniques, having taught countless clients with developmental disorders how to care for themselves independently.Read More »Tackle Big Skills In Baby Steps
How To Get Your Child To Listen To You
Hi, Broken Record: Bet you’re hoarse, or maybe blue in the face, from telling your kiddo to do things over and over and over again. SHE DOESN’T LISTEN and it’s driving you crazy. You’ve yelled, you’ve begged, you’ve bargained, you’ve read books, but your sweetie still has incredibly selective hearing. Stop pulling your hair out and follow – be consistent! – these easy-to-implement solutions that will get your child to listen to you. Prepare to regain your voice and sanity!Read More »How To Get Your Child To Listen To You
Up Close And Personal With How to ABA Co-Founder Shayna Gaunt
On paper, Shayna Gaunt – she’s the co-founder of How to ABA and the director of Kid Mechanix – is an all-star.
Her resume is extensive and impressive; she’s an incredible BCBA. And in person, she’s even better. She gives 110 percent to every client she works with and every therapist she trains. Her energy and smile are contagious! If you haven’t already, we hope you get the chance to meet Shayna soon. In the meantime, here’s a little more about the woman behind How to ABA. Read More »Up Close And Personal With How to ABA Co-Founder Shayna Gaunt
Shira Karpel: Get To Know The BCBA That Kids Love
When Shira Karpel walks into the room, kids’ faces light up. She’s knows exactly how to relate to and have fun with each client, playing with their favourite toys, singing the coolest songs and giving just the kind of tickles or squeezes they love. Our second in command is also amazing at her job because she’s creative, dedicated and designs incredible ABA programs that bring the best out of kiddos. Awesome, right?! We think so. Here’s your chance to get to know more about Shira. Read More »Shira Karpel: Get To Know The BCBA That Kids Love