1. Presented by
Tracy Palm, MS, BCBA
Executive Director
Transformations Autism Treatment Center
“Tips and Techniques for Working With Children with ASD in the Classroom”
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2. What is positive reinforcement?
When something is added the to environment that causes the behavior to increase
If I give a child a piece of candy after they lined up and they start lining up more….
If I give a child a piece of candy after they sit in circle time correctly but they continue to not come over and sit correctly…

3. Steps to developing a Positive Reinforcement System for the classroom1
What are the behaviors that I want to change? 2
Preference Assessment 3
Choose and Assess your system
What should I do first?

4. What behaviors do I want to change?1
What behaviors do I want to change?
What do you want to see the children do more often?
What do I want to get them to stop doing?
What do they already do that I want them to continue doing?

5. Be very CLEAR when defining the behaviors that you are working on in your classroom!
What is Physical Aggression? Biting? Yelling? Noncompliance? Property Destruction?
What you think a behavior is might be different from what someone else thinks a behavior is!

6. Choosing the Behaviors to Target
Behaviors that I want to stop or decrease
These are usually the problem behaviors that are disrupting the class or making it hard to the child to learn.
Use Stop, Redirect, Give Positive Consequences, Time out, Pivoting, Ignoring
Behaviors that I want to continue or increase
These behaviors are the “good” behaviors that the child does.
Use Positive Reinforcement Systems

7. Preference Assessment2
Preference Assessment
A method of determining what items, activities, people
might affect a child’s behaviors through the child’s likes and dislikes.

8. How do I do a preference assessment?
Pay attention to what the child goes over to and plays with daily.
Expose the child to new activities, items, people and watch the child’s reactions.
Ask yourself, “What are the things that the child asks for?”
Make a list if needed of the things that the children in your class “like”.
Assess frequently

9. Choose Your Reinforcement System3
Choose Your Reinforcement System
Think about what will work well for the children you
work with as well as your classroom as a whole.

10. Level Systems Levels are assigned according to behaviors.
Level 1: Child has refused to do what was asked and has displayed problem behaviors.
Level 2: Child has done what he or she was told to do but may have displayed some problem behaviors.
Level 3: Child has done everything that he or she was told with no problem behaviors.
A child can individually earn privileges based on his/her behavior.

11. Token Economy Tokens= smiley faces, stickers, check marks, etc.
Tokens are given for good behavior.
A predetermined amount of tokens equal access to a reinforcer.
This can be done in a group or individual. If done as a group then make sure that the whole group wants to work for the reinforcer.
The above pictures is a token system for an individual child that could be adapted for a group.

12. Token System Requirements
small, countable items (These will be used as your tokens.)
a back-up reinforcer (This is the thing that the child will earn at the end.)
a clearly defined behavior (What exactly does the child need to do.)

13. Token Systems
In a token system, a token (e.g., penny, sticker, etc.) is given following appropriate behavior, and after a predetermined number of tokens are collected, they can be traded in for a back-up reinforcer (e.g., candy, toy, interactive activity, etc.).

14. Walks by the chair (within 1 ft)
Behavior Shaping
A gradual, behavior modification technique in which successive approximations to the desired behavior is rewarded.
Instead of waiting for the child to exhibit a desired behavior, any behavior leading to the target behavior is rewarded.
Puts bottom in chair and stand right back up
Walks by the chair (within 1 ft)
Stands by the chair (within 1 ft)
Sits in chair for at least 10 minutes

15. Steps to Shaping Behavior
Define the behavioral objective for each step and the final target outcome behavior.
Determine what the mastery criterion for each step will be.
ex. The child will complete the step 3 days in a row independently.
Determine the reinforcers to be used.
Present the opportunity to the child.
Offer the child reinforcement for each appropriately completed step.

16. Steps to Shaping (cont.)
Withhold reinforcement for any “non-attempt” to complete the desired step.
As the child masters each step them require the next step to the task to be completed appropriately to receive reinforcement.
Once the child has reached the final step then only reinforce the target outcome behavior.
After mastery of the final outcome target behavior has been achieved then fade out your reinforcement completely.

17. Understand the Difference Between Tantrums and Meltdowns
A child having a tantrum will often look occasionally to see if the behavior is getting a reaction.
Most children in the middle of a tantrums will take precautions to be sure they won't get hurt.
When the situation is resolved, the tantrum may end as suddenly as it began.
A tantrum will give you the feeling that the child is in control.
A tantrum is thrown to achieve a specific goal and once the goal is met, things usually return to “normal”.

18. Meltdowns
A child with autism may not look, nor care, if those around him or her are reacting to the behavior.
A child in the middle of a meltdown does not consider safety.
Meltdowns will usually continue as though they are moving under their own power and wind down slowly.
A meltdown conveys the feeling that no one is in control.
A meltdown usually occurs because a specific want has been denied and after that point has been reached, nothing can satisfy the child until the situation is over.

19. Every behavior your child does is communicating something to you!
I want something that I don’t know how to get or its hard for me to get.
I don’t want to do something.
I don’t know how to do something.
Something is painful or aversive.
I’m so excited that I don’t know what to do with this emotion.
I want your attention.

20. Communication Problems
Start with where the child is (If I can’t talk then don’t require words at this moment.)
Use pictures and visual prompts to help the child remember the new skill.
Prompt the child to do the new skill.
Reward the child when he/she has success (even if it’s not perfect

21. Escape!!!
Does your child know how to escape a situation appropriately?- asking to leave, raising their hand to get the teachers attention, asking for a break
Teach your child to pick alternatives when appropriate.
Ignore (the inappropriate tantrum behavior) and prompt your child through the task.
Prompt the child to use his appropriate behaviors through visuals.
Reward your child for attempting to use these skills even if it’s not perfect.

22. Teaching a New Skill Make sure that you are not expecting too much.
Teaching skills step by step will allow your child to show success along the way.
Reward your child for attempt to do the correct behavior instead of picking apart what they did wrong.
Example: You tell your child to clean up the toys in the living room. Your child starts to cry and tantrum. (Your child has never done this correctly.)
What you may need to do?: Have your child practice puts the toys in the toy bin. Rewarding the child for each correct step in the process. If the toys need to be separated into different bins then that would be the next step.

23. What if it’s a Sensory Problem?
Teach your child to tolerate small doses of the sensory things that bother them. (Example: If you child does not like loud noises. Teach them to tolerate louder music at home in small doses by reward the child for appropriately tolerating without a tantrum hearing louder and louder noises.)
Allow the child to have short sensory breaks to engage in sensory related activities throughout the day
Have them practice going short amounts of time not engaging in a sensory behavior then reinforce them for the absence of the behavior.

24. Sensory Overload Teach alternative sensory calming techniques
Deep breath, sensory toys
Redirect the child before the tantrum starts (example: you know your child has a tantrum every time you go to your sisters house. He usually starts breathing harder and rocking while driving over there.)
Allow the child to bring sensory calming activities with them.

25. Questions or Comments? Financial & Nonfinancial Disclosures:
This speaker was not paid for their presentation today.
This speaker is an employee of Transformations Autism Treatment Center, who organizes and runs the Midsouth Autism Conference.
Questions or Comments?