Review:

1.) positive reinforcer
2.) extinction
3.) shaping, successive approximations
4.) components of a discrete trial
5.) characteristic of ABA: age, time curriculum
6.) Natural Language Paradigm or Pivotal Response Training

• Teaching follows the child’s choice, lead, or interest
• Teaching occurs when the child has sustained attention to a target object or communicates about the object
• The use of multiple, naturally occurring examples to teach language
• The use of direct and natural consequences
• Reinforce all attempts of verbal communication
• Emphasis on turn taking rather than drills
• Natural reduction in unwanted behaviors
• Teach self initiated strategies: What’s that, where, whose, what happened?

SELF INITIATED STRATEGIES

Teaching "What's That" Questions

1. At first start with highly desireable items, favorite toys, food
2. Place in an opaque bag
3. Prompt , you say “What’s that?”
4, After the child responds, the bag is opened, object is shown, labeled, and given to the child.

   Next step

1. Object placed in bag
2. Child responds “What’s that?’
3. You respond “a ___________ex a cookie”
4. Child then responds “ a cookie”
5. Then the child is given the object

   Next step - The bag is faded.

1. An unknown object is placed on the table.
2. The child asks “What’s that?”
3. The trainer labels the object “ A dollar.”
4. The child responds “ A dollar”
5. The trainer says, “That’s right a dollar” and can giver the dollar to the child.
Following this intervention, children show a dramatic increase in language, specifically vocabulary growth and the the widespread use of queries in their natural environment.

Teaching "Where" Questions

After successfullly completing “What’s that?” Similar to “What’s that”
1. Start with favorite object, hidden in specific target location ( in, on, under, on top, behind)
2.) Child is prompted to ask “ Where is it, or where ______ eg cracker”
3. Trainer responds by giving location “Under the plate”
4. Child responds by repeating “Under the plate” then takes the cracker.
5. Trainer responds by repeating “That’s right “Under’ “

Teaching "Whose" Questions

The third question taught is “Whose is it?” or “Whose _______ noun?” This is done in order to teach personal pronouns and third-person possessives.
1. Start with a number of objects associated with family members and other adults. Ex: keys, hammer, teacher’s day timer.
2. Child is prompted to ask “Whose is it?”
3. Trainer responds “It’s Daddy’s”
4. Child repeats “It’s Daddy’s”
5. trainer gives the object to child.

"Your's" and "Mine" are difficult to train.

1. Use highly desireable item owned by child
2. Child is prompted to ask “Whose is it?”
3. Trainer responds “It’s yours” then prompts child to say “mine.”
4. Child responds “mine” and takes their toy.

Teaching "What Happened?"

Taught to increase the child’s use of the past tense. To do this a variety of pop up books are individually selected according to the child’s interest.
1. Child selects book with trainer
2. The trainer pulls tab so that an action is completed, then prompts child to ask “ What happened?” ( alligator crawls)
3. Trainer describes action “He crawled.”
4. Child imitates “He crawled.”

Integrating FBAs, positive behavioral support plans and Natural Language Paradigm Steps

1. Operationally define the Target Behavior
For example stereotypic behaviors as hand flapping at shoulder level for 5 seconds, screaming as vocal noise that can be heard outside the classroom.
2. Identify Functional Reinforcers
Identify reinforcer for the inappropriate behavior, ex escape from work, then use free time as reinforcer. Ask the student what they want whenever possible.
3. Design Self Management Method or Device
notebook, daytimer, golf wrist score counter
4. Teach the child the difference between the inappropriate behavior and appropriate behavior, teach an alternative behavior
Show me flapping, show me quiet hands, or let me hear screaming, let me hear your indoor voice, or let me hear tv talk, let me hear your speaking voice.
5. Teach the child how to record the data. Ex period of time, screaming, quiet voice.
6. Work with the student to agree upon the reinforcing contingencies, explain this is to help motivate them.
7. Make sure the reinforcer is easy to obtain at first, then increase time or responses required.
Summary. Self management skills allow an individual to take responsibility for their own behavior, strengthening the child’s understanding of the relationship between their behavior and environmental consequences. This reduces learned helplessness.