When I was first starting out in the field, I met someone who asked me what I do. When I told her that I am in the field of Applied Behaviour Analysis, she responded with something like, “Oh, that doesn’t work. It just makes kids robotic and learn to clap on demand.” I was floored. Read more about What is ABA?[…]
What is Theory of Mind? Theory of Mind is the ability to attribute mental states to the self and to others, and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and perspectives different than one’s own. For a person who has developed a theory of mind, they will be able to understand that people’s interests are Read more about Teaching Theory of Mind and Perspective Taking[…]
We were recently observing a student working and he had the right pieces in place – classroom rules, behaviour contract, etc. but his lack of attending was really interfering with his ability to keep to the rules and get his work done, especially in the classroom. Even with positive behaviour supports in place, there was Read more about Momentary Time Sampling and Data Collection[…]
The ability to use communication to get basic needs met is of major importance to our students. Requesting (AKA: manding) is a skill that we emphasize from the beginner all the way through to the advanced learner. It is an underlying theme taught in direct instruction, in NET and in play. Requesting should remain at Read more about Teaching Verbal Requesting[…]
In this post, we are going to take you back to ABA 101. Why? Because getting these terms sorted in our head is important to what we do. For instance, take the term, ‘NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT.’ What does this mean anyway? Does this mean taking something away to increase a behaviour or does it mean that Read more about Types of Reinforcement and Punishment[…]
I recently sent an email to a client’s team with a line that read as follows: “All staff will continue to follow through with demands and deliver consequences (punishers and reinforcers) as applicable.” One of the team members took offence to the word “punisher” and was concerned that the approach wasn’t a positive one. I Read more about The Behavioural Definition of Punishment[…]
We BCBA’s love our acronyms! Here’s another one for you: DRO. This stands for the Differential Reinforcement of Other (behaviour). It essentially means that we are providing reinforcement for THE LACK of a behaviour. Why would a DRO be useful? Many problem behaviours have a positive opposite that we can reinforce. So instead of telling Read more about What is a DRO and How to Implement One[…]
One of the common concerns we get from parents and therapists is that the child isn’t motivated for anything. Why is this important, you ask? Well, because in an ABA program, we rely on motivation to get things done. It’s the “then” in the “first/then”. It’s the reward at the end of the token board. Read more about How to Keep a Child Motivated in ABA[…]
I love the summer. I love the change in seasons, the break from the monotonous everyday routine, the relaxing vacations, and the long days. However, for many of the kids we work with, the changes that come along with summer can be very overwhelming. By the end of the school year, many children are just Read more about How to Prepare a Child with ASD for the Summer[…]
With most students that you encounter in ABA, you’re likely going to have to deal with parents. If you’re lucky, you’ll have rock-star parents who are on-board with everything you do and follow-through like champs. Other parents may seem less interested in the goings-on of the ABA sessions and use the time to get their Read more about How to Promote Parent Involvement in an ABA Program[…]