- ABA ~ Applied Behavior Analysis
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is based on the idea that by influencing a response associated with a behavior it may cause that behavior to be shaped and controlled. ABA is a mixture of psychological and educational techniques that are utilized based upon the needs of each individual child. Applied Behavior Analysis is the use of behavioral methods to measure behavior, teach functional skills, and evaluate progress. In all ABA programs, the intent is to increase skills in language, play and socialization, while decreasing behaviors that interfere with learning. The results can be profound. Many children with autism who have ritualistic or self-injurious behaviors can reduce or eliminate these behaviors.
- Discrete Trials
Discrete Trial teaching is a specific method of teaching used to maximize learning. It is a teaching technique or process used to develop many skills, including cognitve, communication, play, social and self help skills. The teaching strategy involves: Breaking skills into the smallest steps Teaching each step of the skill intensively until mastered Providing lots of repetition Prompting the correct response and fading the prompts as soon as possible while Using positive reinforcement procedures. A therapy session uses repeated trials (or presentations) with each trial having a DISTINCTLY identifiable beginning, middle and end. So the trial is "Discrete" in that it is distinct and it has clearly identifiable steps and a conclusion. Each step of a skill is mastered before new concepts are presented. In Discrete trial teaching, a very small amount of information is given and the student’s response is immediately reinforced or not reinforced. This is different compared with more traditional teaching methods which present large amounts of information with no clearly targeted interactive response on the student’s part.
Description of Prompts
| Type of Prompt | Description | Example |
| Full Physical Assistance (Full) | Student requires physical assistance to complete a task. The teacher will "hand-over-hand" the student to ensure a correct response. | When teaching the student to imitate the movement of tapping on the table the teacher takes the child's hand and taps the table with it. |
| Partial Physical Assistance (Part) | Student requires partial physical assistance to complete a task. | When teaching the student to imitate the movement of tapping on the table the teacher takes the students hand an lets go of it right above the table. Or the teacher taps the students hand to prompt the student to do something with it. |
| Full Model (FM) | Teacher models what the desired response of the student is. | When teaching the receptive instruction "clap" the teacher claps while he/she is telling the student to clap. |
| Partial Model (PM) | Teacher models only part of the response that is desired from the student. | When teaching the receptive instruction "clap" the teacher puts his/her hands in front of her/himself, but does not actually clap. |
| Full Verbal Model (FVM) | Teacher verbally models what the desired response of the student is. | When teaching the expressive label "cup" the teacher asks, "What is it? Say cup." |
| Partial Verbal Model (PVM) | Teacher verbally models only part of the desired response of the student. | When teaching the expressive label "cup" the teacher asks, "What is it? Say c....". |
| Gesture (G) | Teacher makes some kind of gesture to prompt the desired response of the student. | When teaching the function of an object the teacher says, "What do you drink with?" while holding his/her hand to his/her mouth shaping it like a cup. |
| Proximity (PR) | Teacher places a stimulus in a particular location. | When teaching the receptive label "shoe" the teacher places the shoe closest to the student. |
| Point (P) | Teacher points | When teaching the receptive label "shoe" the teacher points to the shoe. |
A- The beginning, or antecedent, is what you do, to make the student respond. This can be a question, a visual stimulus, a prompt or an event. B- The middle, or behavior, is the behavior of the student and his response/or lack of response, to the antecedent. C- The end, or consequence, is your response to the students behavior.