Home Program materials

by Lisa

The materials you have in your ABA program need to support what you are teaching. Often is the case that with materials ill suited to what you are teaching it will take much longer to teach a task than if you had the correct materials to begin with. Realizing that this can get expensive you may try finding lending libraries or other parents that have children with autism that would be willing to trade materials or give you materials they have outgrown. This too is difficult. Sometimes it is easier to make your own materials however other times it is less time consuming to just buy the materials you need.

In addition to having materials to teach your student you will also need materials to maintain your ABA program. A few things that have come in useful are a computer, printer, token board, timer, data sheets, digital camera video camera, and a counter.  Don’t worry you can still get started even with out these materials.

These materials are not specific to individual drills but should be part of your supplies for your home program. The digital camera will come in very handy as you snap pictures for schedules or receptive/expressive identification. The video camera will be handy for monitoring progress, which you should do on a monthly basis. If you video tape your child regularly a one hour snap shot every month should be fine. Quite often parents will video tape 10 hours then nothing for the next year. You want to see the gradual progress of your child and monitor your therapists to give them feedback so monthly taping is preferable to the once a year taping. The computer and printer will be for making data sheets and printing those pictures you took with the digital camera.

In addition to the above materials you want to have materials specific to some of the drills you have. The materials your child uses will vary depending upon the age and functioning level of your child. For example one child may be working a on 3 piece puzzle while another child will be doing a ten piece interlocking puzzle. Notice that each child is doing a puzzle but what is appropriate for one child is not appropriate for another child. Also depending upon how long your therapists have been doing ABA some of them may be able to bring their own materials.

 

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What does that mean?

by Lisa

ASAM: Alternative Schools Accountability Model
AU: Autism
AYP: Adequate Yearly Progress
BIP: Behavior Intervention Plan
BSP: Behavior Support Plan
CAHSEE: California High School Exit Exam
CF: Child Find
CMA: California Modified Assessment
CPI: Crisis Prevention Institute
CST: California Standards Tests
CTEM: Comprehensive Transition Educational Model
CTSM: Comprehensive Transition Service Model
EC: Education Code
ESEA: Elementary and Secondary Education Act
GLAD: Guided Language Acquisition Development
FBA: Functional Behavior Assessment
FERB: Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behavior
ID: Intellectually Disabled
ISP: Individual Service Plan
ITP: Individual Transition Plan
NCLB: No Child Left Behind
PBIP: Positive Behavior Intervention Plan
PTIC: Parent Training and Information Center
PWN: Prior Written Notice
RTI: Response to Intervention
SLD: Specific Learning Disability
STAR: Standardized Testing and Reporting
STO: Short Term Objectives
TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury

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Toilet training

by Lisa

toilet iconThere are many ways to potty train your child. This is just one possible method you may want to try. You will need a picture of a bathroom or potty before you begin. It is also preferable, though not necessary that the child have the prerequisite skill of sitting in a chair for several minutes before you begin the potty training. This method teaches the child the routine of going to the bathroom before the child is expected to void in the potty. Once the child is comfortable with the routine you can begin to increase liquids to set up a successful situation in which your child uses the potty.

Step 1. Use a hand over hand prompt so the child picks up the potty card. Immediately reinforce picking up the card with an edible. Continue to do this until the child spontaneously picks up the card when ever he sees it. (This may take minutes, hours, days or weeks. Each child is different.)

Step 2. The child must pick up the card and hand it over to the parent or therapist. The child will receive the edible for handing over the card, he does not receive the edible for picking up the card. Continue this until the child does it spontaneously.

Step 3. The child picks up the card, hands it to the teacher and walks to the bathroom. You may want to have the chair only 3-4 feet away from the bathroom. The child receives the edible after walking to the bathroom. Continue until the child does this spontaneously.

Step 4. The child picks up the card, hands it to the parent, walks to the bathroom, and sits on the toilet. Give reinforcement as soon as the child sits on the toilet. The child at this point is only sitting for a few seconds. Once this is firm wait until the child is sitting 15 seconds before giving reinforcement. After this is done spontaneously, move to the next step.

Step 5. The child picks up the card, hands it to the therapist, walks to the bathroom, sits on the toilet, and washes his/ her hands. (You may want to break down washing hands into smaller steps) Reinforcement happens after hand washing.

After you child knows the routine of using the bathroom you will want to increase the chances of her urinating on the potty. If practical have your child in underwear so you can monitor for several days how frequently your child is urinating. There will be plenty of cleaning and washing of soiled clothing but it will be worth the end result of a child who initiates and goes to the bathroom independently. Once you know how frequently your child is going to the bathroom designate a few hours each day to work on potty training. During this time increase the child’s liquids and work on just the bathroom routine. Once your child urinates in the potty and this will happen introduce a second reinforcer even more powerful than the first. Continue to reinforce initiation even if the child does not go in the potty.

Of course you may run into any number of issues. One I encountered recently was of a child who slapped his face when I attempted to help him pull down his pants. Now I didn’t immediately associate it with the bathroom or the physical prompt until he did it again in the same way right after I helped him pull down his pants a second time. We spent the next 10 minutes in which I pulled down his pants and immediately after that he got a raisin and then immediately after that his pants were pulled back up again. Now if you combine this with deprivation of raisins which he likes during the regular day he will be more likely after he associates his pants coming down with getting raisins to let me help him pull down his pants.

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Math IEP Goals

by Lisa

Sample Math IEP Goals

By 1-09 Sandy will name 4 coins with 100% accuracy in a 1:1 instructional setting for 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by data collection by the teacher

By 1-09 Sandy will count to 10 with 1 or fewer mistakes, 2 consecutive sessions, as measured by data collection by the teacher.

By 1-09 Sandy will count to 31 with 1 or fewer mistakes, 2 consecutive sessions, as measured by data collection by the teacher.

By 1-09 Sandy will identify the numbers 1 to 20, 2 consecutive sessions, as measured by data collected by the teacher.

By 1-09 Sandy will add single digit numbers 0-9 of 10 random problems with 90% accuracy as measured by data collected by the teacher.

By 1-09 Sandy will add double digit numbers with carrying of 10 random problems with 90% accuracy as measured by data collected by the teacher.

By 1-09 Sandy will complete an AB pattern with 90% accuracy as measured by data collected by the teacher.

By 1-09 Sandy will identify 6 shapes with 100% accuracy, 2 consecutive sessions, as measured by data collection by the teacher.

By 1-09 Sandy will use concrete objects to determine the answers to addition and subtraction problems.

By 1-09 Sandy will compare and order whole numbers to 100 by using the symbols for less than, equal to, or greater than with 90% accuracy, 2 consecutive sessions, as measure by classroom exam.

By 1-09 Sandy will count by 2′s, 5s and 10s to 100 with 100% accuracy as measured by data collected by the teacher.

By 1-09 Sandy will tell time to the nearest half hour with 90% accuracy as measured by a 10 questions classroom exam.

By 1-09 Sandy will tell time to the nearest quarter hour with 90% accuracy as measured by a 10 question classroom exam.

By 1-09 Sandy will count, read, and write whole numbers to 1000 with 90% accuracy for 2 consecutive sessions as measured by teacher exam.

To get ideas for goals check out the state standards. You can then use this format to write your goals.

 

 

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Types of Reinforcers

by Lisa

The different types of reinforcers are activity, edible, sensory, social and tangible.  Some activity reinforcers include playing ball or having lunch with a friend.  Edible reinforcers include food, drinks, and candy.  Sensory reinforcers can be things like music, sparkling lights and tactile stimulation.  Social reinforcers include physical contact and attention.  Lastly tangible reinforcers are things like stickers and toys.  Each person is different in their preferences of things that might be potential reinforcers.

A reinforcer is a stimulus change that increases the future frequency of behavior that immediately precedes it. However something that is a reinforcer for you may not be a reinforcer for me. For example if my husband mows the lawn and I bring him a beer and then he mows the lawn more often we could say beer is a reinforcer for mowing the lawn for my husband. I do not like beer so if I were to mow the lawn and he brought me a beer I would not be more likely to mow the lawn in the future. Thus beer is not a reinforcer for me. When working with children who have autism keep this in mind. For example chips might be a great reinforcer for one person but not necessarily for another person. If behavior is not increasing in frequency or intensity you do not have a reinforcer.

 

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Pop Quiz

by Lisa

Questions taken from
Applied Behavior Analysis Cooper Heron Heward
Principle of Everyday Behavior Analysis Keith Miller
Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis by Jack L Michael
Behavior Analysis for Lasting Change by Sulzer-Azaroff and Mayer

Name the seven characteristics of Applied Behavior Analysis.

If a behavior change lasts over time it has _______.

What type of behavior is elicited by antecedent stimuli?

Do consequences effect current or future behavior?

What is a behavior called if it is selected for change?

Name four major methods for obtaining assessment information

What are the three levels of scientific knowledge?

If you are talking about the shape or form of a behavior you are talking about its

What is the name of the term that refers to the intensity or force with which a response is emitted

Who developed the cumulative record?

If a graph is scaled proportionally only on one axis it is called a

Who developed the standard celeration chart?

What do you call the overall direction taken by a data path?

It is the design that is most widely used in applied behavior analysis for evaluating treatment effects

Non Exclusion and exclusion are two basic types of_______

If two similar stimuli evoke the same response we call this_____.

How many behaviors and how many antecedent stimuli are required for stimulus discrimination training?

What requires stimulus generalization within a class of stimuli and discrimination between classes of stimuli?

If you compare your performance with a predetermined goal or standard you are using

How many steps are there in a visual analysis?

If you are teaching someone what response to make you are using?

True or False the term evoke can include both operant and respondent relations?

Which variable is measured during an experiment?

What variable is manipulated during an experiment?

What is the relation between an event and its consequence called?

What type of reinforcer does not depend on any one state of deprivation?

Which group contingency does not depend on the entire group’s performance?

What procedure withholds reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior?

What type of reliability compares the total count between two observers?

Which type of design looks at a behavior during baseline, treatment, and reversal?

What is a behavior called if it is selected for change?

Name four major methods for obtaining assessment information

What are the three levels of scientific knowledge?

If you are talking about the shape or form of a behavior you are talking about its

What is the name of the term that refers to the intensity or force with which a response is emitted

If a graph is scaled proportionally only on one axis it is called a

Who developed the standard celeration chart?

What do you call the overall direction taken by a data path?

It is the design that is most widely used in applied behavior analysis for evaluating treatment effects

Non Exclusion and exclusion are two basic types of

What requires stimulus generalization within a class of stimuli and discrimination between classes of stimuli?

Who developed the cumulative record?

If you compare your performance with a predetermined goal or standard you are using

How many steps are there in a visual analysis?

If you are teaching someone what response to make you are using?

True or False the term evoke can include both operant and respondent relations?

Which variable is measured during an experiment?

What variable is manipulated during an experiment?

What is the relation between an event and its consequence called?

What type of reinforcer does not depend on any one state of deprivation?

Which group contingency does not depend on the entire group’s performance?

What procedure withholds reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior?

What is accidentally reinforced behavior called?

What is the biggest threat to accuracy and reliability of data?

What three characteristics does a visual analysis exam?

Name one type of treatment that does not require treatment withdrawal?

Name two variations of the multiple baseline design.

True or false EO’s are dynamic, and always changing?

Name the three response prompts.

What are two antecedent variables that alter the current frequency of some type of behavior?

True or false Shaping can be time consuming?

True or false shaping does not teach new behaviors?

True or false in shaping, the antecedent stimuli stays the same?

True or false in stimulus fading, the antecedent stimuli stays the same?

What is it called if a behavior must be performed correctly within a certain time in order to receive reinforcement?

What are the six elementary verbal operants identified by skinner?

What type of verbal operant occurs when a speaker asks for what he needs or wants?

What is the first verbal operant acquired by a human child?

What type of verbal operant occurs when a speaker names things and actions that the speaker has direct contact with through any of the sense modes?

What is another name for self-recording or self-observation?

What are you using if you compare your performance to a predetermined goal or standard?

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A Book of Solutions to Difficult Problems

by Lisa

I have The Pre-Referal Intervention Manual. It is by Steven B. McCarney, Ed.D Kathy Cummins Wunderlich, M.Ed. And Angela M. Bauer, M.Ed. I flip through it frequently for ideas on how to modify and teach concepts that students are not mastering. Here is one example problem from the book: Fails to follow necessary steps in math problems. One of the 26 solutions they have offered is make certain the student has mastery of math concepts at each level before introducing a new skill level. The reason I love this book is that they have 219 different problems each with numerous solutions. The book covers both academic and behavior problems and solutions.

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Do you want cake?

by Lisa

chocolate cakeRecently I had the chance to use some of the skills I learned in one of the PECS training classes I went to a long while ago. Before I tell you about that though I want to tell you that if you are working with children that need help communicating with either pictures or signs PECS training for you can really help you teach someone to communicate.

The student I am working with can sight read and can approximate many signs however when he speaks it is extremely difficult to understand him so he become frustrated very very easily. We started the lesson with some chocolate cake and a card with the word cake on it. As he reached for the cake I prompted the person standing behind him to help the student pick up the cake card and hand it to me. Since I am familiar with PECS it made sense to me that everyone else would be also. This is not the case. The person prompting the student to pick up the card began talking to him and asking him what do you want. “If you want cake pick up the card”.

What I realized ininthat instance is that just because you write down instructions on how to follow a procedure you definitely need to make sure that not only are they read but also discussed before you try to implement something new with your staff. The other thing that I realized was that the staff also need to have an understanding of why things are being done a certain way. Without that understanding they are not likely to follow the procedure or recommendation. Explaining why things happen the way they do unfortunately can be very time consuming however in the long run will be worth it.

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Autism from the DSM

by Lisa

Autism
An impairment in social interaction for example:
impairment in eye gaze, facial expressions, body postures and gestures to regulate social interaction
failure to develop peer relationships
lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievement
lack of social or emotional reciprocity
Impairment in communication
delay of spoken language
impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation
stereotyped and repetitive use of language
lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play
Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior
preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms
persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

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Skinner’s Verbal Operants

by Lisa

In 1957 Skinner wrote the book Verbal Behavior. The verbal operants are the mand, echoic, textual, transcription, tact, and the intraverbal. Verbal behavior programs for children with autism focus on these verbal operants within the child’s ABA program. Examples of mands include asking for water when thirsty, a knock at the door is a mand to answer the door. An echoic is repeating something that is heard. This can be immediate or delayed.

A tact is labeling something. This includes things that are seen, heard, felt, or smelled. Saying the word smoke because you smell smoke is a tact. Tacts are often practiced in Discrete trials programs. For example the therapist may hold up a flash card and ask the child “what is this” they would then respond and the therapist would hold up another flash card.

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