A beginner learner is just beginning an ABA program.
If I want something, I know how to gain access to it. If I am eating my beloved plate of pasta, I need to cover it in cheese. There are many ways I accomplish this, I can walk over to the fridge and take it out, I can ask my sister to “please pass the Read more about Beginner Requesting[…]
Your family is doing home renovations during a pandemic and you hear your partner calling out to you, “give me the Phillips head screwdriver.” Do you know which one that is? What about a Robertson, or a Torx? This can be a common source of confusion for some DIYers – but we have good news Read more about Teaching Receptive Labels[…]
Mom says “cookie,” toddler repeats “cookie!” When Grandpa signs “ball,” grandchild also uses sign language to sign “ball.” While enjoying a summer day at the beach, you turn to your friend and exclaim “I want ice cream.” A child demands “cartoons!” when they walk into the living room. After studying all day, the student puts Read more about Echoic-to-Mand Transfer[…]
What is nonverbal communication? In part, it is body language. Think about meeting someone for the first time, first impressions matter, which is why we wear our best outfit, give a firm handshake, walk with our heads up and shoulders back. Think about the last job interview you went to. You sat facing the interviewer Read more about Nonverbal Communication[…]
Follow Instructions? You love working on arts & crafts projects and are currently working on a card for the holidays, “Pass me the scissors!” you state to your partner sitting across the table from you. A furnace needs some cleaning and maintenance before the season changes – “Can you give me the screwdriver?” the HVAC Read more about Following 1-Step Instructions[…]
In our last blog post, we discussed expanding language to 2-3 word phrases using verbs and attributes. In this post, we will discuss expanding language even further using one of our favourite materials – sequencing cards. There are various sequencing skills that the ABLLS assessment touches upon: visual performance of putting picture sequences in order Read more about Expanding Language Skills – Part 2[…]
When working with a student who is just acquiring language, we spend a lot of time teaching how to answer questions. “What does a dog say?” “What’s your name?” “What’s this?” “What do you do with a shoe?” The answers to these questions are often simple 1-word answers, which is a great place to be Read more about Expanding Language Skills – Part 1[…]
This is a continuation from last week – 5 Steps to a Simple Communication System. The concern I often hear is: Why should we use picture communication if we want the child to talk? We don’t want the pictures to replace words. Imagine that you were dropped in a foreign country where you don’t speak Read more about Why Picture Communication Supports Talking (And Doesn’t Replace It)[…]
I was observing a client of mine who is in a group setting. I couldn’t help but notice another student in the group (not one of mine). This other child is not able to speak and really wanted to play with the play-doh. So what did he do? He screamed until the teacher gave in Read more about 5 Steps to a Simple Communication System[…]
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 creating an ABA program for beginners who might just be learning to talk and socialize. First, let’s clarify what I mean by “beginner”: it’s not only age-based but it could Read more about Beginner ABA Program[…]