generalization of skills

[Guest guest]

Hi!

I believe teaching should be conducted everywhere and

at every teacheable moment. Natural environment

training is a good way to achieve generalization. I'm

not sure what skills your child is working on, it'd be

hard to give specific suggestions. Try to start with

engaging in activities that are motivating for your

child away from table and intersperse teaching trials

into the activity. You will be doing discrete trials

in naturalistic settings. For example, if your child

likes to play with balls, during the ball playing

activity, you can work on manding (requesting) the

ball, receptives such as " bounce the ball " , " throw the

ball " , " roll the ball " , you can throw in an imitation

trial " Do this " before you toss the ball to your child

or imitation involving different ways of manipulating

the ball. You can also work on echoics (verbal

imitation) during the activity. Of course you don't

have to request a response every time you toss the

ball to your child. That may take the fun out of the

activity. You can toss the ball noncontingently

(without requiring a response) couple of times and

then throw in another teaching trial. Reinforcing

activities are easier to start with to shift the

teaching away from the table. You can also conduct

teaching during routine activities such as washing

hands. During that routine activity, you can work on

receptives such as " step on stool " , " turn on water " ,

" turn off water " , " get soap " ; imitation such as

rubbing hands together, drying hands; echoic skills

" say ...(whatever the sound you are working on that is

related to that context).

Hope this helps.

Jing Zhou, M.S., BCBA

Behavior Analyst/Consultant

Director

Interventions Unlimied, Inc.

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