Have you ever been to a lecture where the material is way too easy or completely over your head? If you get in these situations what do you do? I bet you might doodle, play with your hair, or scroll through your Facebook newsfeed on your phone. This is the equivalent of a child with…
I often get questions like this: What should I do if my child or client displays problem behavior (screams/argues/bites/kicks/flops to the ground) when a demand is placed (take a bath/do homework/go to bed)? The answer to the question is similar regardless of the functioning level of the child, the type of problem behavior or the...
In a previous, blog I discussed the 3 benefits of teaching kids with autism sign language and in this blog, I’m going to talk about a few words to avoid when teaching a child with autism to speak or sign. We all spend time teaching kids manners so that they sound polite, but in the...
One of the most exciting things that has happened since publishing my book (The Verbal Behavior Approach) in 2007, is the interest in translating my book into different languages. With more than 30,000 copies sold, The Verbal Behavior Approach is now available in several languages including Romanian, French, simplified and complex Chinese, Italian, Japanese and...
My video blog last week was on ruling out medical issues before treating problem behaviors in children with autism. So please watch last week’s blog first before this video blog on autism and pain if you haven’t done so already. This week I’m going to answer a question I get often: “How do you teach...
In the past, I evaluated a 4-year-old boy named Bobby. When I said Hi Bobby, he replied Hi Bobby. My son, Lucas, had similar issues when he was younger, so I learned strategies to help him overcome this problem well before I became a Behavior Analyst. As a BCBA, I now run into greeting problems...
The term “Intermediate Learner” is very subjective and in the ABA/VB field, this usually indicates that the manding, tacting and intraverbal areas on the ABLLS or VB-MAPP are not well developed. While the intermediate learner can mand for basic items and some actions, he or she is usually weak at manding for attention and information....
I have a series of YouTube clips that may make getting started with the Verbal Behavior Approach a little easier for both parents and professionals! There are three short (6-8 minute) YouTube clips on the assessment and beginning ABA/VB intervention for Mia, a 2-year-old girl I diagnosed with PDD-NOS. To view a short video podcast...
