TEACHING MANDING: HOW TO CAPTURE AND CONTRIVE MOTIVATION Presented By Sharon Keppley M.Ed, BCBA and Amy Flores, M.Ed., BCBA Keppley Behavioral Consulting

OBJECTIVES Define mand Explain the benefits of teaching manding first Describe how deprivation effects motivation Describe how satiation effects motivation Describe how motivative operation (MO’s) can be used and manipulated to teach language

Manding is what teaches the learner that talking or signing is useful A mand is asking for the things that you want and is strengthened by getting them There is a tendency to say “juice” when you want it, and you get it Manding is what teaches the learner that talking or signing is useful

MOTIVATION AND TEACHING LANGUAGE Talking is more easily acquired and occurs more often when the motivation is strong for desired items, objects or activities. It is easiest to teach language skills when the motivation is high

MANDS PER DAY Contriving motivation results in a greater number of mands per day, thus more opportunities to develop language

USE POWERFUL REINFORCERS Begin mand training by using the learner’s most powerful positive reinforcers

TEACHING MANDS EXTENSIVELY Mand training should be taught extensively with early learners Manding for many items for which motivation has been captured leads to improvement in vocalizations.

MOTIVATIVE OPERATIONS (MOs) Motivating operations are conditions in the learning environment that transform activities, food items and objects into reinforcers for the learner Transforming activities, food items, and objects into valuable reinforcers Then, using these activities, food items, and objects as reinforcers to teach the learner to mand, or request them

DEPRIVATION Being deprived of a favorite reinforcer for a period of time increases the desire for that reinforcer.

SATIATION Satiation affects all reinforcers The level of motivation for favorite videos, toys, activities, etc. can and does change frequently

CONTRIVING MOTIVATION (MOs) Show the learner new ways to have fun playing with toys

TRANSITIVE MOs When a learner has a strong MO, use this to teach them to mand for other item or actions valuable to obtaining the reinforcer

ANDREW WITH KATHY Use motivation to increase the number and variety of mands Use Transitive MO’s to teach mands for missing items Mand training should always be fun Contrive motivation by manipulating objects and activities

MAND TRAINING INTENSITY Intensity of mand training is important to increase vocalizations Sign training sometimes fails to result in vocal responding when too few opportunities to mand are provided