Sorry... more questions! ABA

Sorry for all the questions! I am trying to not overwhelm myself with the internet and I am trying to do it step by step from EI to other approaches. It amazing the amount of information and sometimes I don't find just the basic.

I know what ABA stands for but what is it really? All I am hearing so far is that it's more "structured". That means nothing ot me.

I would appreciate if someone could give me the 101 or cliff notes on ABA.

What are other methods used also? How do they differ to ABA?

And if you could share your personal experience. Of course, you can FM me if you prefer.

I am talking PDD/autism.

Also, would you recommend books/materials to implement ABA or other methods/approach? Website?

TIA.

Re: Sorry... more questions! ABA

well it's trying to teach a specific task by breaking the task down into smaller steps by doing discrete trials. basically you ask a child for a particular behavior (for example, "ej, please pick up the puzzle piece") if he does it, he is given a "reinforcer" or reward in the form of a hooray, a tiny food treat, a high five, or any other reward that means something to him. if he doesn't do it then he doesn't get the reward. the trial is repeated (in my class we repeated each task i think 10 times each.) you don't move on to the next step until he has mastered the 1st step.)

i may be a bit off, i had my assistants do aba in my classroom several years ago so i'm a bit rusty. i'm sure someone can explain it better.

Re: Sorry... more questions! ABA

ABA means applied behavior analysis. Sophie - this is what I do - I can inundate you with all the information you will ever need - the best would be to sit down and talk.

ABA is a science more than an educational method. Typically, what a child diagnosed with autism would be given is "ABA." I cringe when it is referred to this way, but there is no getting around the semantics of all of this.

In reality, they are talking about a component of ABA - a small component, called Discrete Trial Training, or Learning.

Discrete trials are when something is broken down into smaller pieces so a child can learn each component, and then the pieces are put together so that he gets the whole concept.

For example - playing with cars. There are many different steps to playing with cars, or stacking rings. He may not get "Oh, first, I need to do this, and then this, and THEN this." So he plays with the toys inappropriately or ignores them all together.

A therapist repeatedly (that's the key - repetition) breaks down the task to the smallest unit that the child can understand, and prompts him through it, and reinforces him for it. Then, eventually, the goal is the child will do it independently. Then the next step is taught, and then the 1st 2 steps are chained together. This is to teach a child that a task is not one large overwhelming thing, but a series of steps that need to be done to get to the ultimate whole.

ABA by definition is the following:
Systematic application of behavioral principles to change socially significant behavior (Baer, Wolf, & Risley, 1968/1987.)

In English - the environment is manipulated to get specific behaviors to occur or not occur. The consequence given for that behavior will then ensure that that behavior will occur again in the future, or not occur.

This happens in our everyday lives. Red lights, stop signs, "no smoking" signs are all there to manipulate the environment so certain behaviors occur or not occur. Tickets, fines, etc are all consequences to end behaviors that aren't allowed.

Seeing a cookie should bring about the behavior of asking for it (if I want the cookie.) If I don't know how to ask for it, I will grab it, scream, cry, stomp my feet, etc. All to get the cookie. If someone, step by step, teaches me to tap mom, and point to the cookie, then the goal is next time I see a cookie, or somehting I want, I will use the behavior that i LEARNED worked in the past.

That is a watered down explanation of ABA.

NOW - if therapists would actually implement correctly

Re: Sorry... more questions! ABA

Posted by lipglossjunky73

ABA means applied behavior analysis. Sophie - this is what I do - I can inundate you with all the information you will ever need - the best would be to sit down and talk.

ABA is a science more than an educational method. Typically, what a child diagnosed with autism would be given is "ABA." I cringe when it is referred to this way, but there is no getting around the semantics of all of this.

In reality, they are talking about a component of ABA - a small component, called Discrete Trial Training, or Learning.

Discrete trials are when something is broken down into smaller pieces so a child can learn each component, and then the pieces are put together so that he gets the whole concept.

For example - playing with cars. There are many different steps to playing with cars, or stacking rings. He may not get "Oh, first, I need to do this, and then this, and THEN this." So he plays with the toys inappropriately or ignores them all together.

A therapist repeatedly (that's the key - repetition) breaks down the task to the smallest unit that the child can understand, and prompts him through it, and reinforces him for it. Then, eventually, the goal is the child will do it independently. Then the next step is taught, and then the 1st 2 steps are chained together. This is to teach a child that a task is not one large overwhelming thing, but a series of steps that need to be done to get to the ultimate whole.

ABA by definition is the following:
Systematic application of behavioral principles to change socially significant behavior (Baer, Wolf, & Risley, 1968/1987.)

In English - the environment is manipulated to get specific behaviors to occur or not occur. The consequence given for that behavior will then ensure that that behavior will occur again in the future, or not occur.

This happens in our everyday lives. Red lights, stop signs, "no smoking" signs are all there to manipulate the environment so certain behaviors occur or not occur. Tickets, fines, etc are all consequences to end behaviors that aren't allowed.

Seeing a cookie should bring about the behavior of asking for it (if I want the cookie.) If I don't know how to ask for it, I will grab it, scream, cry, stomp my feet, etc. All to get the cookie. If someone, step by step, teaches me to tap mom, and point to the cookie, then the goal is next time I see a cookie, or somehting I want, I will use the behavior that i LEARNED worked in the past.

That is a watered down explanation of ABA.

NOW - if therapists would actually implement correctly

Re: Sorry... more questions! ABA

Posted by smdl

Posted by lipglossjunky73

ABA means applied behavior analysis. Sophie - this is what I do - I can inundate you with all the information you will ever need - the best would be to sit down and talk.

ABA is a science more than an educational method. Typically, what a child diagnosed with autism would be given is "ABA." I cringe when it is referred to this way, but there is no getting around the semantics of all of this.

In reality, they are talking about a component of ABA - a small component, called Discrete Trial Training, or Learning.

Discrete trials are when something is broken down into smaller pieces so a child can learn each component, and then the pieces are put together so that he gets the whole concept.

For example - playing with cars. There are many different steps to playing with cars, or stacking rings. He may not get "Oh, first, I need to do this, and then this, and THEN this." So he plays with the toys inappropriately or ignores them all together.

A therapist repeatedly (that's the key - repetition) breaks down the task to the smallest unit that the child can understand, and prompts him through it, and reinforces him for it. Then, eventually, the goal is the child will do it independently. Then the next step is taught, and then the 1st 2 steps are chained together. This is to teach a child that a task is not one large overwhelming thing, but a series of steps that need to be done to get to the ultimate whole.

ABA by definition is the following:
Systematic application of behavioral principles to change socially significant behavior (Baer, Wolf, & Risley, 1968/1987.)

In English - the environment is manipulated to get specific behaviors to occur or not occur. The consequence given for that behavior will then ensure that that behavior will occur again in the future, or not occur.

This happens in our everyday lives. Red lights, stop signs, "no smoking" signs are all there to manipulate the environment so certain behaviors occur or not occur. Tickets, fines, etc are all consequences to end behaviors that aren't allowed.

Seeing a cookie should bring about the behavior of asking for it (if I want the cookie.) If I don't know how to ask for it, I will grab it, scream, cry, stomp my feet, etc. All to get the cookie. If someone, step by step, teaches me to tap mom, and point to the cookie, then the goal is next time I see a cookie, or somehting I want, I will use the behavior that i LEARNED worked in the past.

That is a watered down explanation of ABA.

NOW - if therapists would actually implement correctly

I guess I already started ABA without knowing it.

I just changed to this type of play/learning a few weeks ago and it's working for him. He actually understands better on what he is supposed to do.