Category Archives: Behavior

Pick of the Week: Answering “Wh” Questions

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This week’s Pick of the Week is our Answering “Wh” Questions cards set! Answering “Wh” Questions contains 23 full-color photographic learning cards that will inspire conversation and speculation in young learners. This week only, take 15% off your online order of the Answering “Wh” Questions cards by applying the promotional code BLOGWHQ6 at checkout!

DRC 536 Answering Wh Questions

Each photo in this set of cards includes children engaged in various indoor and outdoor activities that encourage language development, emotional awareness, and critical thinking when answering who, what, when, where, why, and how questions.

The cards in this set depict children interacting with their peers and with adults in various settings, including theDRC 536 Answering Wh Questions 2 classroom, playground, kitchen, and many more. Answering “Wh” Questions also comes with word lists and a resource guide in English, Spanish, as well as French, to suggest different methods of asking and answering “wh” questions.

The Answering “Wh” Questions set is a wonderful way to reinforce basic principles, lessons, and skills. Recommended for pre-K to 2nd grade learners.

Remember, this week only, save 15% on your purchase of Answer “Wh” Questions by applying the promo code BLOGWHQ6 at checkout!

*This offer is valid until July 29th, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!

New Yorkers: Urge Governor Cuomo to Approve ABA Licensure Bills Today

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As of Tuesday night,  the bill to license Behavior Analysts was passed by both the New York State Senate & Assembly. This bill requires insurers to cover Applied Behavior Anaylsis (ABA) for people with autism. We need your help NOW! We urge you all to call New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo and urge him to sign Bills A6963 and S4862. To contact Governor Andrew Cuomo, please call (518) 474-8390 and ask him to join us in supporting New York families raising kids with autism.

Many advocacy groups, including our friends at Elija and NYSABA, have been working to get the State of New York to recognize the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential. This legislation will enable BCBAs to engage in professional behavior analytic activities independent of other licenses or certifications. Legislative members of NYSABA have met with numerous legislators and drafted recommendations to include a plan for the appropriate oversight and training in behavior analysis as part of the exemption of behavioral intervention practices from the psychology practice act. Currently, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) has certified more than 12,000 behavior analysts in over 40 countries, 747 of which practice in New York. The BCBA credential requires a related academic degree, behavior-analytic coursework, supervised experience, passage of a psychometrically sound examination, compliance with disciplinary standards, continuing education, and ongoing supervision.

ABA professionals and supporters just need your continued support and efforts to push for the signing of the bill by Governor Cuomo and make it into a law! Please call Governor Cuomo at (518) 474-8390 and urge him to sign this important legislation.

ABA has been a validated evidence-based therapy for developmentally disabled and delayed children since the 1970s and continues to be the leading form of therapy for children with autism and other developmental disabilities today.

Pick of the Week: Bullying & ASD – The Perfect Storm – NEW from Autism Partnership

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Work in Progress v6 Cover.inddBullying & ASD: The Perfect Storm – the brand new booklet and DVD from Autism Partnership – comes at a most important time. Recent school bullying and cyberbullying statistics show that:

  • 1 out of 4 kids are bullied
  • 77% of students are bullied either mentally, verbally or physically
  • Cyberbullying statistics are rapidly approaching similar numbers, with 43% experiencing cyberbullying
  • Of the 77% of students that said they had been bullied, 14% of those who were bullied said they experienced severe (bad) reactions to the abuse

Bullying is a real and pressing issue in our schools and online, and children with autism spectrum disorder are especially at risk. In the most recent volume of the Work in Progress Companion Series, Doctors Leaf, McEachin and Taubman explore not only the reasons that children with ASD are targets for bullying, but more importantly, they offer realistic and attainable strategies for kids on the spectrum.  

Several traditional methods of dealing with bullies are explored in this booklet and DVD, including avoidance, informing an authority figure, and fighting back.  In addition, there are strategies for educating and preparing the victims so that students with ASD can better combat bullying.  The included DVD features over an hour and 40 minutes of footage including advice from experts, one-on-one interviews with students, and real classroom brainstorming sessions where students with autism spectrum disorder are shown:

  • The difference between teasing and bullying
  • How to avoid the behaviors invite bullying, including determining the important difference between “cool” and “uncool”
  • When and when not to listen to peers
  • How to react to a bully

This week only, save 15% on the important new booklet and DVD – Bullying & ASD: The Perfect Storm –  by entering the promo code BLOGBASD2 at checkout.

*Offer expires on April 30, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Introducing the Eden Autism Services Assessment & Curriculum Series

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It is with great excitement that we announce the publication of the Eden School’s Assessment and Curriculum Series. This set of seven assessments and curriculum guides provide an expansive range of content for grades Pre-K through 12.

This week only, you can save 15% on these new assessments and curricula by entering the Promo Code BLOGEDA at checkout.

The Autism Assessment provides educators, therapists, and parents with a tool to accurately assess a student’s current abilities and skill level. This assessment identifies the student’s strengths and weaknesses, assists with goal selection, tracks progress, and makes it easy to translate the assessment into concrete IEP goals. The Autism Curriculum is a comprehensive series of teaching programs designed to provide a valuable resource to enable professionals and parents to effectively teach students with autism. Employing a hands-on approach, the curriculum includes practical strategies for each teaching program. In addition, each skill area includes a systematic assessment and flow chart to support appropriate goal selection. Teaching programs are clearly written, with step-by-step instructions, and include target behaviors, prerequisite skills, criterion-referenced assessment, measurement, materials, procedures, and prompting techniques. Each curriculum delineates Primary, Intermediate and Secondary Skills to help structure learning for students of various ages and abilities.

These teaching programs, grounded in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), have been field-tested with hundreds of students and adults with autism.  They address essential areas of skill such as cognitive, self-care and domestics, speech and language, vocational, physical education, recreation and leisure, employment, and residential living. This series offers specifically targeted curricula for Infants and Toddlers, a 5-part series for school-age students, and an Adult Curriculum.

Teaching programs are clearly written, with step-by-step instructions and include target behaviors, prerequisite skills, criterion, measurement, materials, procedures, and prompting techniques.  Each volume includes flow charts to assist with selection of goals. Teaching programs and data tools are presented in wire-bound format for easy use. Each volume comes with a Curriculum, Assessment and Assessment Score Sheet. Additional blank assessment score sheets are available for sale in sets of 10 for each curriculum volume: Infant/Toddler; Cognitive; PE; Self-Care/Domestics; Speech/Language; Vocational; Adult.

 

Infant & Toddler Assessment & Curriculum

Developed to specifically address the needs of infants and toddlers (up to age three) with autism, the Infant and Toddler Curriculum contains teaching programs for learning readiness, cognitive skills, oral motor/feeding, receptive and expressive language and communication, play and social skills, sensory-motor, self-care, and preschool readiness skills.

 

Eden Autism Services School Curriculum Series

This five-volume series specifically addresses the educational needs of school-age students with autism by skill area: Cognitive, Adaptive Physical Education, Self-Care and Domestics, Speech and Language, and Vocational Education. The curricula can be purchased individually or as a set of five. Each volume contains the prerequisite skills, criterion, measurement, materials, procedure, prompting techniques and teaching tips for each target behavior.

 

Cognitive Volume: School Curriculum & Assessment

The Cognitive volume contains teaching programs to address the educational needs of school aged students with autism in the areas of Learning Readiness (eye contact, gross motor imitation), Pre-academics (block imitation, matching objects, body part ID, etc.), Academics (counting, handwriting, sight word ID, etc.), and classroom language/social play (categorization, pretend play, etc.). There are more than 85 lessons presented with prerequisite skills, criterion, measurement, materials, procedure, prompting techniques and teaching tips.

 

Speech and Language Volume: School Curriculum  & Assessment

The Speech/Language volume contains teaching programs for school-aged students with autism which is divided into four domains and then ranked as primary, intermediate and secondary skills. The domains focus on oral motor/feeding, receptive language, expressive language, and pragmatics. There are more than 75 lessons presented in a highly structured, specialized format.

 

Self-Care and Domestics Volume: School Curriculum & Assessment

The Self-Care/Domestics volume contains teaching programs targeting daily living activities for school aged students with autism in the areas of self-care and domestic skills. There are more than 60 target behaviors covering primary skills like dressing, hand washing, and toileting to secondary skills such as bathing, shaving, menu preparation, and food shopping.

 

Vocational Education Volume: School Curriculum & Assessment

The Vocational volume contains teaching programs specially designed to address a variety of vocational skills for school aged students with autism. The skills taught are designed to prepare individuals with autism and developmental disabilities for adult life and the world of work. The emphasis is on using these teaching programs to foster appropriate levels of independence. There are 55 targets in this volume addressing vocational skills like sorting, labeling, packaging, inventory, stocking, and more.

 

Physical Education/Recreation and Leisure Volume: School Curriculum & Assessment

The PE volume contains teaching programs specifically designed to address the physical education, recreation, and leisure skills of school-aged students with autism. While many educators use task-analyzed programs to teach students with ASD, physical education, recreation and leisure skills are often not approached in the same manner. There are more than 35 target behaviors from biking, golf, doing a puzzle to bowling, board games, swimming and video games.

 

 

Eden Autism Services School Curriculum Series: 5-Volume Set

The 5-Volume Set includes each volume in the series for school-aged students: Cognitive, Speech/Language, Self-Care and Domestics, Vocational, and Physical Education/Recreation and Leisure.

 

Adult Services Assessment & Curriculum

The Adult Residential and Employment volumes have been combined into a single comprehensive volume for Adult Services. Developed for adolescents and adults with autism residing in community-based living arrangements, the Adult Services volume contains teaching programs for self-care, domestics, physical education, and recreation and leisure. There is a complete vocational section that focuses on teaching programs to be implemented in an adult day placement with application in employment settings.

ABOUT EDEN

Since 1975, families, educators, healthcare professionals and others with an interest in autism have looked to the knowledgeable, caring and committed staff at Eden for guidance.  Headquartered in Princeton, NJ,  Eden’s expertise includes early intervention services, pre-K through 21 education, adult residential and employment programs, and support and training for families and professionals.  This Assessment and Curriculum provides educators and caregivers with nearly 40 years of Eden’s teaching expertise.

*Offer expires on January 15, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

 

 

 

 

A Grandparent Guide for Happy Holidays

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This post was written by our old friend Dr. Erica R. Holding for the Grandparent Autism Network. Dr. Holding has a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral level and founder of Avita Nova, which provides early diagnosis and ABA therapy for children and parent training and support. This article is based on her many years of working with families affected by autism.

When you have a grandchild with autism, the holiday season can present some extra challenges for your family. With careful planning your family can make the holiday season warm and happy for everyone.

If you don’t get to see your grandchild regularly, it is important to remember to have realistic expectations for your time together. Before the visit, call your son or daughter to ask if there is anything to do or have on hand to make the visit more enjoyable for your grandchild. You can have favorite toys, food and videos ready and plan to go to places that they like to visit.

Grandparents often express fear and anxiety about how to interact with their grandchildren.  You may feel rejected because you expect welcoming big hugs and kisses and may feel frustrated and unloved if that does not happen. Your grandchild may have sensory issues that make it overwhelming and even painful for them to be touched or hugged. They may not have the skills yet to know what to do or how to respond or they may just be learning these skills, but shut down around new people or in new situations. The most important thing is to not take this personally. They are not rejecting you. A high five or brief gaze may be all that they are currently capable of doing.

If you are planning a party or other special event, ask your son or daughter if they feel your grandchild will be comfortable being present. You may want to change your plan to be more inclusive and focus on creating new holiday traditions together.

Keep demands for social politeness at a low level.  Even if your grandchild has learned new social skills like greeting people by saying hello or shaking hands, don’t anticipate that will happen when there is a lot of stimuli like lights, music and new people in new settings.

Pace yourself and be flexible.  If you have 3 events planned for a day, but there is a midday meltdown after event # 1, maybe it’s best to skip the others. It is better to have one great time together that you can all remember fondly than to watch the rest of the day deteriorate into tantrums or other behavior problems. New situations, new people, and new schedules can be overwhelming for a child with autism. Your grandchild is not being willfully defiant or difficult, and your son or daughter does not have poor parenting skills. Too much input and too many changes can be very hard for children with autism to process. Let your son or daughter know that you understand this may be what is responsible for meltdowns and negative behavior.

Create outlets or escape routes.  Prepare a place in your home that is quieter and provides a comfortable spot where you grandchild can “take a break” from all of the excitement.  Having a place to go for some respite time may prevent you from having to leave or end an event. Just taking a break may be all that your grandchild needs to get on to the next event.

Manage sensory input.  The holiday season is filled with new experiences. Manage these to the best of your ability. If you are taking a trip to the mall, try to go at times when the mall is less busy, or make the trip shorter. The holidays might not be the best time to try new foods. Try to have something your grandchild likes at every meal.

Control Schedules.  Routines and knowing what is happening next is often very important to individuals on the spectrum. Holiday schedules deviate completely from our daily normal routines and this can be especially difficult for a child with autism.  Ask your son or daughter how best to handle daily schedules. Some children with autism can be included in the schedule making and this is very empowering for them. Other children may be more able to understand when given a visual schedule. Find out what works best and if an unexpected change is just about to happen, find out how best to communicate that change.

Be sure to compliment your grandchild and your son or daughter about the new abilities and progress your grandchild has achieved.  Grandparents can be supportive good listeners who consistently give their families loving reinforcement at the holidays – and throughout the year.

Pick of the Week: Know the Code at School & Social Standards at School

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With the school year in full swing now, social skills can be a challenge in any classroom. This week’s pick helps students know the social code and standards expected at school by providing visual cues and checklists to help them both understand and regulate their own behavior.

Know the Code at School Social Skills Cards illustrate 50 social skills in typical school scenarios. Each card shows a skill with a relevant photo, lists five sequential steps to accomplish the skill and suggests a talking point. The cards are great for games and role plays at an elementary or middle school level.

Social Standards at School  is comprised of fifty-three social skills that are involved in a typical school day. From waking up in the morning to going to sleep at night, this guide is a great resource for working with higher functioning children. The book covers skills such as getting ready for school, classroom behavior, transitions, peer relationships and common etiquette. Each skill provides teacher guidelines and a student self-monitoring page. Each of the skills is then broken down into five steps and contains guidelines which include an objective with five benchmarks, problem-solving checklist and a script for teachers to follow when reviewing the skills with students. Self-monitoring pages help students keep track of their social progress. By using this concise record keeping system, users can integrate the teaching of social skills into IEP’s.

This week, help your students develop their social skills independently and save 15% on Know the Code at School and Social Standards at School by entering the Promo Code BLOGSS12 at checkout.

 *Offer expires on October 2, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Pick of the Week: Timers & Counters

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Timers help manage all sorts of transitions, schedules and behaviors. The sky is the limit when it comes to how creative you can be with a simple timer. With Back to School creeping up on the horizon, it may be time again to start thinking about schedules and time management. This week only, you can save 15% on our entire category of timers, hand tally counters, and clocks to help ease you back into the biggest transition: back to school time.

To redeem your savings on any product in our Timers, Counters & Clocks category, simply enter the Promo Code BLOGTCT12 at checkout.

*Offer expires on August 7, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

New Online Curriculum from Autism Expressed Provides Digital Skills to Students with Autism

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Autism Expressed is a new organization that strives to empower people with autism with the skills to use the internet and participate in social media. Their mission is to “give students with Autism marketable digital age skills and therefore, a greater advantage when pursuing their independence.” Lessons show them how to understand internet slang and lingo, how to make a Facebook page, and even how to launch a website.

Autism Expressed provides an online curriculum that teaches students internet basics like browsing, searching, email and web safety. The curriculum used is based on the methods of Applied Behavior Analysis so that each lesson builds on the previous and includes an activity so students can practice their new skill. Students can earn achievement badges to reinforce their progress. Students can log in and use Autism Expressed independently. After finishing their video lesson, they can complete an associated activity to unlock a new badge. If they get the answer wrong, the student is provided a prompt. Video lessons and activities can be viewed and practiced as many times as needed to comprehend content and to earn a badge. Since the safety of students is of the utmost importance, in addition to continuous reinforcement of safety procedures throughout the curriculum, there is also a special embedded browser that limits the access students have while they are learning and practicing their new skills.

Ideally, the results of the program are increased motivation, resiliency and a greater learning and earning potential.

Individuals and organizations can register here and you can also find them on Facebook.
 

Introducing A Work In Progress Companion Series – A New Series of Booklets & DVDs from Autism Partnership

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We are thrilled to announce the arrival of A Work In Progress Companion Series by Autism Partnership. The Companion Series consists of five booklets and DVDs that synthesize solid information on various teaching strategies with demonstrations of actual sessions with students on DVD. The goal at Autism Partnership is to blend a natural, child-friendly approach to teaching while remaining determinedly systematic. This series offers viewers the unique opportunity to see these approaches implemented in actual teaching environments.

Parents and teachers will find this series to be a helpful companion and extension to A Work in Progress.  All author proceeds from A Work in Progress Companion Series will go directly to the Autism Partnership Family Foundation which was developed for three purposes: to provide services to families with limited resources; to fund research that will investigate new strategies and programs that truly make a difference in the lives of children and families; and to disseminate information about evidence-based treatment and provide resources for training parents and professionals.

 

“Cool” versus “Not Cool” Booklet & DVD: Volume 1

Volume 1 demonstrates the Cool versus Not Cool strategy. This is one of Autism Partnership’s most-used strategies for teaching students foundational as well as advanced social skills. Essentially, the strategy teaches students to understand the difference between behaviors that are socially appropriate (cool) and those that are inappropriate (not cool). In later stages they go on to actually practice the appropriate form of the behavior and receive feedback on their efforts. Research confirms the clinical experience that cool versus not cool is effective in teaching social skills and enabling students to monitor their own behavior.

 

Learning How to Learn Booklet & DVD: Volume 2

Volume 2 demonstrates the Learning How to Learn strategy. This is an underemphasized area in treatment and education. We often take for granted that students know how to learn or will acquire this skill on their own. But if students cannot pay attention, will not wait, or do not understand feedback, then learning is extremely difficult. In this volume, you will see programs described and demonstrated that have been found to be helpful in teaching students how to learn.

 

Teaching Interactions Booklet & DVD: Volume 3

Volume 3 demonstrates the Teaching Interactions strategy.  The Teaching Interaction is an approach found to be especially effective with students who have more advanced language ability. It offers a conversation style of teaching which adds the all important element of leading students to understand rationales for why they might want to change their behavior and learn new skills. With Teaching Interactions, students develop understanding and insight that help develop their internal motivation.

 

 

Token Economy Booklet & DVD: Volume 4
Volume 4 demonstrates how to effectively develop and use a Token Economy. Although token systems are commonly used in school as well at home, too often critical steps are neglected in their development. You will learn step-by-step how to ensure there is a strong connection between the target behavior and the reward that follows. Token Economies have a number of advantages and can be very flexible in adapting to the age of the student, the types of rewards used, and the skills and behavioral targets you are seeking to improve.

 
Developing Reinforcers Booklet & DVD: Volume 5

Finally, Volume 5 focuses on Developing Reinforcers. The foundation of good teaching is utilizing powerful reinforcement so as to motivate students to learn as well as behave appropriately.  This volume will show you how to be creative in developing new sources of reinforcement, which is especially useful for students who have limited interests.

 

 

 

To celebrate the publication of A Work In Progress Companion Series, we’re slashing the price of each booklet & DVD from $29.95 to $19.95 apiece. And to make it even better, the Companion Series is the Pick of the Week so you can save an additional 15% by entering the Promo Code BLOGWIPCC at checkout.

*Offer expires on May 8, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Fostering Prosocial Behavior: A Guest Post by Terese Dana of TD Social Skills

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To get along with others successfully, people must exhibit prosocial behavior. Susan Fiske, a social psychologist, defines this as behavior intended to benefit others. It includes behaviors such as, helping, comforting, sharing, cooperating, reassuring, defending and showing concern. Prosocial behavior promotes positive interactions and friendships, and exhibiting these behaviors is considered part of the social norm.  Since prosocial behavior is expected, deficits in this area can lead to unfulfilled attempts at developing friendships.

Many children on the autism spectrum can spend much of their time intensely focusing on their own self-interests.  To enhance their social experiences they will need to learn how to include the interests and needs of others into their daily interactions. To increase prosocial behavior, complex cognitive and emotional competencies, along with specific social skills need to be developed.

Studies have shown video modeling to be an effective tool to teach many different skills and behaviors. Using video modeling DVDs that incorporate perspective taking can help children to understand WHY acting in ways that include the needs, concerns, and interests of others can lead to better friendships.  By viewing social interactions from multiple perspectives, children learn, through modeling, what they can do differently to get better outcomes when engaged in social exchanges.

Why does video modeling work?

  • Most children are highly motivated, interested and thus attentive to video
  • Most enjoy repeat viewings
  • It gives the student the opportunity to observe, discuss, imitate and learn skills and behaviors from peers
  • It is easier to implement and has been shown to be more effective then using live models
  • Many students on the spectrum are visual learners

“ I think in pictures. I do not think in language.  All my thoughts are like videotapes running in my imagination.  Pictures are my first language and words are my second language.”  – Temple Grandin, Ph.D, Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism

Increasing social competency provides children with opportunities to interact with peers more successfully.  Video modeling has been shown to be a particularly effective way for children on the autism spectrum to not only gain skills but to generalize those skills as well.

Terese Dana, BCaBA, is a behavior analyst and social skills instructor who has been helping students find solutions to social, emotional, behavioral and organizational challenges since 1988. Ms. Dana consults for both school and home programs. She collaborated with Madison Elementary School, to establish the Madison Educational Center for Children (MECC) in Madison, NH.Ms. Dana is the creator of the Fitting In and Having Fun Video Modeling Program.  The DVD series includes: Fitting In and Having Fun, Moving On to Middle School and Confident and In Control. She has also created the File Factor Emotional Empowerment System, a tool that helps children regulate their behavior by teaching them how to identify, understand, express and control their emotions.  She is the author of the book, The File Factor; Filing Away Disappointment.

Ms. Dana has appeared on national television, in the New York Times and in The Autism Sourcebook, Everything You Need to Know About Diagnosis, Treatment, Coping and Healing.  She lectures across the country and is the autism consultant for Didi Lightful, a children’s television show currently in production.  Ms. Dana also serves as board President of The Laura Foundation for Autism and Epilepsy and in that role is creating the Laura Adaptive Sports and Recreation Center in Madison, NH.