Teaching in the Natural Environment Presented by Tracy Vail,MS,CCC/SLP

Explore the Child What do they like to look at? How do they experience touch? How do they experience sound? What do their stims look like? What “turns them on”? (potential reinforcers)

Create a Pattern Whatever the child does, do something different. Make sure you each have a role. Wait for the child to take an action to maintain the pattern. Once the pattern is established, vary it slightly. If you can’t create a pattern, try something different. You’re looking for engagement, connection, shared attention.

What does MO “look like”? A movement A sound Eye contact Some behavior indicating that there is something the child wants or needs

What part does the child enjoy?

Find the MO

Don’t talk too much or too soon

BE the REINFORCER

Pair, Pair, Pair

Prompt the Mand Fill-in Echoic Choices What do you want? Phonemic prompt Nothing said, item present Nothing said, item absent

Use Favorite Stories to Increase Req uests

Use a Combination of Prompting Strategies

Normalize your Language Slow your rate Keep language level 1 step above the child Prompt to make sure the child is successful but fade as soon as possible. Obtain a natural “flow” of language as much as possible Stay connected to watch how your language is affecting the child

Shape at a level the child can attain Start by shaping vowels Move to CV syllables as soon as possible Never reinforce when a child adds an inappropriate sound Be aware of the maximum syllable shape the child can produce clearly

Shape speech in the context of the Mand

Teach EVERYTHING in NET Increases generalization The relationship is the context, the language is the content Insures things being taught are relevant to the child’s life Transfer to intensive teaching to increase response time and remove contextual prompts

Which Operants are being used?

Expand Favorite Themes

Natural Contexts for Mands for Info

Combine as soon as possible

Using Language to Escape or Negotiate