Teaching in a Language-Based Environment

What constitutes a languagebased environment?

·      Everyone views language as the key feature of the intervention. (ie Even Aunt Suzie buys into "doing tricks" when you teach child to say "Aunt Suzie" with ice cream)

·      The educational plan (IEP/IPP, if appropriate) is coordinated with all daily activities

·      Language training is incorporated into all other activities.

·      There are a large number of daily trials under a variety conditions.

·     All program staff and family members are trained in languageinstruction techniques.

·     Trainers know how and when to reinforce and how to fade contrived reinforcers so natural reinforcers take over.

·     Trainers know what response approximations to accept and how to shape better approximations.

·     Trainers know what level of prompt to provide and how to fade those prompts as quickly as possible.

·     Trainers are consistent in their implementation of the program.

·     Trainers capture and arrange opportunities to communicate.  

·     It is not necessarily the number of trials that is critical, but rather the type of trials.

·     All relevant types of language training trials are conducted                    

·     Trainers arrange for frequent opportunities to generalize.

·     A plan or curriculum of skills for orderly progression to more complex forms of verbal behavior is in place.

·     Data is collected on performance.

 

 

Trainer Skills: An effective shaper... (take skills child has now and shape it closer to what it should be)

 

• 80% maintanence, 20% new skills
• Captures and creates motivation
• Reinforces and shapes behavior
• Presents instructions
• Fades prompts
• Teaches specific language skills
• Runs correction trials
• Intersperses easy and difficult tasks
• Identifies natural teaching opportunities
• Teaches for generalization
• Reinforces spontaneity

 

Tips for all teaching situations:

 

• Keep the child successful. Behavioral Momentum - success breeds success
• Keep the rate of reinforcement high with lots of opportunities for responding.
• Children will respond to those whom they enjoy  pair yourself with "good things."
• If a behavior continues to occur, it is being reinforced
• Motivation can change moment to moment.
• Teachable moments can occur hundreds of times per day .... Capitalize on them.
• Contrive or "set up situations."
• Make sure you have your student's attention!
• The likelihood of responding in the future will increase with each success!!!!!

 

 

THE BEHAVIORAL CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGE

 

Mand - Asking for what you wantitems, activities, information, etc. - to get something (de - mand, com - mand)

 

Imitation - Copying someone's motor movements

 

Echoic - Repeating exactly what you hear (different function from imitation but same form)

 

Receptive - Following instructions or complying with the requests of others, including nonverbally identifying specific items when asked to (touch the …, find the …., pet the …., give me the …)

 

Tact - Verbally identifying objects, actions, events, etc. (labeling, function of language that "contacts" environment) (what is it?)

 

RFFC - Receptively identifying specific items when given some description (its functions, features, or class) of the item (respond to request about attribute of product, find the one that says meow)

 

Intraverbal - Answering questions or conversations where your words are controlled other words. (greetings, social situations, animal sounds, songs, filling in blanks)

 

Textual - Reading written words.

 

Writing - Writing and spelling words when spoken to you

 

 

REINFORCEMENT KEY ISSUES TO INTRODUCE

 

What is reinforcement?

 

• Reinforcer:  any consequence that follows a response and increases the likelihood that the response will occur again in the future under similar circumstances.
• Reinforcement: the process in which a consequence  follows a response and increases the likelihood that the response will occur in the future under similar circumstances.

·         Any behavior can be reinforced, both appropriate behavior and inappropriate behavior.

·         Reinforcement can occur when you add a positive event or remove an aversive event.

 

What can you use as reinforcers?

 

• Typically, highly preferred items and activities serve as reinforcers.
• Use whatever the student currently wants at the particular time as a reinforcer.

 

Why do you need to use reinforcers?

 

• Reinforcers are essential in teaching a child new skills because they are what increases the behavior (the correct response). Without reinforcement, the child will not necessarily make the correct response again. Reinforcers motivate the child to learn; it is difficult to teach a child who is unmotivated.

 

When should you give the child a reinforcer?

 

• Only provide access to reinforcers when the child has earned them, such as when a child complies to a request or correctly responds to an instructionor when the child is behaving appropriately without you instructing him to do so.
• Do not allow the child to have free, uncontrolled access to the reinforcers.
• Provide reinforcement immediately following a desired response.

 

BEFORE LANGUAGE TRAINING SESSIONS START

 

What is "pairing"?

 

"Pairing" refers to associating yourself with the delivery of reinforcing items and events. Through pairing you establish yourself as a reinforcer.

 

 A reinforcer is any item or, event that increases the rate of a behavior when it is presented following the behavior. An, Anything that is consistently a reinforcer. will become reinforcing itself (a conditioned reinforcer).

 

Why do you "pair"?

 

How do you pair yourself with reinforcement?

 

• have a number of reinforcing items and activities that are currently effective for your child
• present yourself or your words with or immediately before the delivery of reinforcement
• offer ways to access other reinforcers that your child could not access independently
• ensure that you are not associated with the termination of ongoing reinforcing activities or other negative events
• don't place demands upon your child initially
• gradually increase demands once the training relationship has been established
• set up playing so that you are required to make things fun (car goes down slide, you control car and don't give it to child until mand)
• establish yourself as a reinforcer

 

 

DO:

Don't

Narrate (vs instruct) Use natural language Present yourself and words followed by reinforcer Reinforce engagement & interaction Wait for interaction before reinforcement (don't do a whole bunch of stuff) Reinforcers During Pairing Follow child's motivation Control access to reinforcers (deliverable in small amounts, go away by themselves) You are critical for activity Types of reinforcers Edibles Tickles Praise Bubbles Squirt guns Wind up toys Videos Balloons Blankets/pillows Swinging Trampoline

No demands - depends on child's capability - lots of reinforcement Don't turn reinforcer into task (read book "what's this?") Be silent, play next to child w/o engaging child

 

How do you know if trainers have paired themselves effectively?  Does your child run to them or from them?

Giving up reinforcer doesn't mean its gone forever.

 

Pairing should continue to occur at the beginning of and during each session  whenever instructors interact with the student.

 

Pair every 20 minutes (per session) or at least the first and last 20 minutes.

Gradually increase expectations.

Give me beads (history of just touching) -> then pick up for 1 second -> then hold -> then remove for longer periods

PAIRING -> EASY TASK -> HARD TASK -> EASY TASK -> HARD TASK -> EASY TASK -> PAIRING

 

TEACHING TECHNIQUES DISCRETE TRIALS

 

What are discrete trials?

 

Sd  ----> R----->Sr

 

discriminative stimulus - the instruction, question, relevant item or materials, etc.

 

response

 

consequence - Consequences can increase rates of            behavior (reinforcement) or decrease  rates of behavior (punishers or extinction)

 

discriminating stimulus is a particular stimulus that        evokes a particular response due  to a history of reinforcement.

 

 

Why use discrete trials?

• correct response is clear to student and instructor
• enables consistent teaching methods
• enables datacollection
• enables a high rate of training trials

 

 

 

How do you teach with discrete trials?

 

Use 12 Aides

2 Head teachers

1 ABA person

1 Speech person

22 kids

 

Use name -> pair with reinforcement -> they run to you when calling their name

 

1  Present the Sd

• when the student is attending
• clearly and consistently
• only state once

 

2  Know the correct response.

·         Ensure that the correct response is not chained with any extraneous behaviors or multiple responses.

·         There should be a short latency from Sd         to response, approximately 1  7 seconds.

 

3. Provide immediate reinforcement when the student is correct.

·         Reinforcers should be a small quantity and varied over time.

·         Provide higher level reinforcers for more independent and higher quality responses.

 

Ways to get a student's attention:

• ensure you have a reinforcer and it is visible
• present a mastered trial
• change your positioning

 

Correction Procedure:

If the student is incorrect, or makes no response, repeat the Sd and prompt the correct response, then fade the prompts so that the student is reinforced for responding correctly to the original Sd without prompts.

 

Prompt dependence -> games with self correcting

First Intro - New skill -> quick response with quick prompt

Acquisition -> 5-7 seconds for response -> if attending wait for accurate response

After acquisition -> require faster, more fluent responses after acquisition

 

TEACHING TECHNIQUES II: NATURALISTIC TRAINING

• Not same rate as DTT
• Higher quality of responding
• Intensive DTT when run into problems or not picking up from less structed DTT - easier to teach in controlled setting

 

Naturalistic "discrete trials"

 

• Discrete trial training may be conducted much as presented previously, however, it should be done in the context of a motivating activity.

·         Many different types of language should be trained within the activity.

·         Naturallyoccurring reinforcers should be used as much as possible.

·         MotivationaL interactive activities using materials that are meaningful to the use in a reinforcing, manner are the key to skill acquisition. Your observation skills will need to be extremely keen in order to identify materials and, items that, are motivating, and you will need to be creative in your use of them.

 

Activity & Materials	Skills/Words	Reinforcers
Walking with partner	Jump, come back, walk	Good job
Coloring eggs for easter Sitting on counter Brother sitting next to child, child could see items but not access them	Put spoon in cup, want egg, what are these (stickers), who wants the egg	Good talking (got marker) Given sticker Given Egg
Kitchen making cookies	Imitation Receptive instruction Compliance Discrimination, given choices (nuts?), I'm stirring, what are you doing? Narrating and requiring responding Tacting actions - kitten items Motor skills - stirring	Cookie dough to eat Good job We're all stirring, good job stirring Put in, pour Find thing you need to stir with Make it sweet, what do you need to add Need 1 cup flour Set timer (environmental sounds - timer)

 

Present Sd 1st time gets it right - Huge Reinforcer

Present Sd with prompts 1.       Little reinforcer (specific praise) 2.       Imitative over physical 3.       Partial physical over hand over hand 4.       Fade prompts over longer period of time 5.       Knows one of the receptive cards but not other 6.       Make receptive card closer (easier to pick right one)

Present Sd no prompts Medium Reinforcer

 

1.       Get it independently first then move on

2.       If can't then move onto something guaranteed success then go back

 

 

TEACHING MANDS

 

What is a "mand"?  a verbal response that is reinforced by a characteristic consequence and is under the control of motivational variables

 

Why should you teach mands?

• immediate benefit to student
• can help in the acquisition of other language skills
• will help reduce inappropriate behaviors
• allows trainers to be paired with successful communication
• don't start with yes, no, more, please - these are not specific to Sd so hard to reinforce

 

How do you teach mands:

child motivation + Sd------à	R --------à	SR
"What do you want?"	Reinforcer named(vocal/sign)	Reinforcer given

 

 

Tips for successful mand training

 

• Conduct training when the motivation for a particular reinforcer is strong.
• Remember that the goal of mand training is unprompted, spontaneous communication, therefore fade prompts including the sight of the item and your verbal prompt "what do you want?" as soon as possible.
• Before adding new mands, make sure that the responses (sign or vocal) for the early mands are strong.
• Choose concrete, extremely powerful reinforcers that fulfill different needs as the first words you teach as mands.
• In addition to the specific training session, conduct mand training procedures in the child's natural environment throughout the day.

 

 

Motivation and mand training

 

To train a mand, there must be a motivator.

Because motivation is momentary, you need to:

• Capture motivation
• Contrive motivation

in order to use them for mand training.

 

 

To facilitate spontaneous manding, be sure to:

• reinforce all spontaneous mands (when new)
• "set up" situations that are unusual
• fade your direct verbal prompting ("act dumb")
• use peer models when possible

 

Prompts

• Fade prompt (ie the sight of the item)
• Don't reinforce after prompt or incorrect response, make him say it independently

 

Capturing motivation

 

• Whatever your child did to gain access to these items was reinforced by your response.             Each item indicates an opportunity for you to teach something and an opportunity for your child to learn.
• Some motivation can be captured simply through waitinghunger, thirst, etc.
• For other motivational items, you need to be observant! Notice what events change the value of other eventsfor example, your child looks up at a toy they can't reach.
• May not deliver reinforcement immediately - shape by waiting for better level (wait by door & seek you out when play is done)
• What is my defined/required response (1 word, 2 word, initiate going to someone, know what/how to reinforce eye contact, etc)

 

Contriving motivation

 

Basic motivatorsfood, drink, etc.can sometimes be contrived.

 

For example, how could you contrive a motivation for a drink?  Make a drink visible that the child really likes

 

Other motivators can also be contrived:

 

1. Present an activity with part of it missing.  Can sabotage the environment (give ice cream but no spoon)
2. Create a need for information.
3. Teach help later
4. Usually "open" is first
5. Teach words where specific part is missing and child must act for it
6. Potato head, what's missing, give each piece one at a time as they ask for it
7. Number of dinosaurs, teach "I want all dinosaurs"
8. Seek people out for mand
9. Teach multiple words, have opportunity for "where"
10. 2 term semantics (somewhat weak) VS NVI (multiple) vs mand with "where"

 

Where	Where is ??
Who	Show different stuffed animals, circle time
What	Hide something under box
Why

 

 

 

TEACHING ACROSS THE LANGUAGE AREAS

 

Mand controlling variable: motivation

verbal prompt: "What do you want?"

prompts: sight of item, physical, imitative, echoic

response: asking for what you want

reinforcement: the askedfor item, activity, etc.

 

Imitation

Sd: action plus "Do this"

prompts: physical, partial physical

response: imitating the action

reinforcement: whatever increases the behavior

NVI - show me wash baby's face, feed baby

IDEA - musical chairs where each chair has card of NVI

Try to use 1 hand imitations so that you can model and hand over hand at same time

 

 

Echoic

Sd: "Say __" or "___"

response: verbal imitationrepeating what is heard

reinforcement: whatever increases the behavior

1. babbling lots
2. increase vocal behavior with lots of reinforcement of vocal play

Prompt	Prompt
Say "what"	What is that
Say "what is"	What is
Say "what is that"	What
	wh

 

 

Receptive

Sd: "Touch ___", "Give me ___", "Get the ____", direction to_follow etc. (plus materials to identify)

prompts: imitative, gestural, positional, reduction of array

response: following instructions or complying with the requests of others, including nonverbally identifying specific tems when asked to

reinforcement: whatever increases the behavior

watchout for inadvertent prompts (moving it, looking at it, position)

Remember: the "connections" are built by reinforcing the response when it follows the Sd.

 

Remember: To build independence and spontaneity you need to systematically fade both verbal and nonverbal prompts, and reinforce independent responses most highly

 

Tact

Sd: item, action, event, attribute etc.

verbal prompt: "What is it?"

prompts: echoic or imitative (sign)

response: verbally identifying the object, action, event, etc.

reinforcement: whatever increases the behaviornot the item itself

Pure tact is when it is spontaneous (not with Sd)

Spontaneous tacting

1. "touch the one with a trunk", "what is that?", "tact parts, what's that?"
2. Role reversal - child chooses pictures and teaches

Object games - Secret Garden, Items in bag, RFFC Treasure Hunt (go find something you eat with a fork), book Young America, Picture Quest, Connections game (Carrots -> who likes to eat carrots -> rabbit -> name a rabbit -> What are Peter Rabbits sister's names)(I'm thinking of ice cream -> makes me think of coat -> makes me think of snow ->makes me think of skiing-> makes me think of mountains), Lotto Boards

 

Remember: "To facilitate spontaneous tacts, be sure to:

• reinforce spontaneous tacting
• model tacting and make a name game"
• "set up" unusual situations
• use peer models when possible

 

RFFC

Sd: "Touch the one that (feature /function /class)," "Give me/show me/get the..."

prompts: gestural, positional, reduction of array

response: receptively identifying the specific item                              :.

reinforcement: whatever increases the behavior

 

Intraverbal

Sd: varieswh questions, fillins, guessing games... (verbal Sd with no materials)

prompts: sight of materials, echoic, imitative (sign)

response: Answering the question or responding in the conversation.

reinforcement: whatever increases the behavior (usually social reinforcement)

Make cookies with…

Camp with…

Take a bath with…

Row, row, row your… (pass rock around - majic rock or bean bag, child with item fills in the blank for song)

Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see…

 

 

Textual

Sd: the written word

prompts: echoic, imitative (sign)

response: reading the written word

reinforcement: whatever increases the behavior

 

Writing

Sd: the word spoken

prompts: imitative, embedded in materials (e.g., tracing)

response: writing the word that is spoken

reinforcement: whatever increases the behavior

 

Remember Create opportunities for success and           reinforce independence throughout the day

 

 

TRAINING SESSION MANAGEMENT

 

Managing the environment

 

The critical elements:

• positioning
• minimize distractions
• clearly define the activity and area
• use a (simple) data collection system
• have all materials ready

 

Tip: Bins with handles help to keep some learning materials and reinforcers available on a moment's notice.

 

Managing the materials

 

TIP: Many session materials can be made from household items: TP rolls, milk carton lids, juice can tops, containers, spools, corks, containers from favorite foods (to make flashcards), coupon books...

 

• Start a bin to collect materials that can be used for arts & crafts activities, sorting, counting, placing in or placing on, etc.

 

• Places to find great materials for many activities: hardware store, craft or fabric store, kitchen shop, thrift shop (playdoh utensils, dressup clothes), McDonald's Happy Meal toys make great matching toys, if you have two.

 

• Don't miss the opportunity to teach the unexpected .... if you spill milk, talk about "what happened  the milk spilled;" "what do you need to do  clean it up;" next time, "you need to be .... careful." Capitalize on all opportunities to teach.

 

 

Making training fun and positive

 

• Mix new and known tasks.
• "Catch them being good."
• Keep reinforcers very easily accessible.
• Write down at least five positive things each day.

 

Involving siblings

 

• Teach them the techniquesthey can do it!
• Let them be involvedmake them feel important, and let them help you.
• Teach them to be observersthey will report accomplishments that you may miss!
• Use a videotape of the sibling doing tasks, and use the tape as a model.

 

Remember: siblings and, other family members need to be motivated and reinforced too!

If your child ss not responding:

• Is the motivation strong enough?
• Are you asking for too much?
• Are you reinforcing something you shouldn't?

 

 

Tips for parents regarding instructors in your child's life:

 

• Appreciate themthey work really hard.
• Help by preparing work materials.
• Make sure your child and the "workspace" are ready and free from distractions when it's time to begin a learning session.
• Acknowledge their special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.)
• Be brief when discussing your child's progress after a learning session. Remember they have places to go and people to see. If you need more time to discuss specific issues, make sure you schedule the time so it's convenient for both of you.

 

THE ROLE OF MOTIVATION.

 

Before training can be effective, you must have a willing, active participant.

 

Three factors to consider:

 

1. Setting variables
2. Task variables
3. Reinforcement variables

 

Setting variables

 

Under what conditions does the teaching take place? How much does it "look" like work?

 

Task variables

 

What is the teacher asking the student to dois it difficult or mastered? Does a correct response lead immediately to another trial presentation? View the rate of trial presentation from the student's level.

 

The easier the response, I the more likely is compliance intersperse related.: known tasks to build behavioral momentum.

 

Reinforcement variables

 

What is the payoff for the student? Is there motivation for that item at that moment?

 

Every time your child wants something, you have an opportunity to teach, and your student has an opportunity to learn!

 

Remember: in order to teach mands, you must capture or contrive motivation for the specific item you want to teach.

 

Has the student learned that responding in teaching sessions pays off or that teaching sessions are aversive and negative behavior pays off by terminating the session?

 

What is the student's previous learning history?

 

 

SUCCESSFUL TEACHING ACTIVITIES

 

Preparation

 

1. Organize materials and reinforcers
2. Anticipate problems and plan strategies

 

Interaction

 

1. Explain and narrate activities and rules
2. Be simple, clear, and positive when presenting instructions
3. Provide high levels of specific praise as well as tangible reinforcers for appropriate responding
4. Be observantcapture momentary motivations and follow your child's lead
5. Reinforce spontaneity!!

 

Avoiding and managing behavior problems

 

1. Reinforce good behavior frequently
2. Provide choices when possible
3. State nonnegotiable instructions clearly and follow through consistently
4. Ignore minor misbehaviors
5. Have a plan for known problems and follow it consistentlyand take data to see if it's working

 

 

CREATING AND ORGANIZING MATERIALS

 

Organizing the material by environment

 

Make a list of all environments to work in (e.g., bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, playground, cafeteria ... ) and which skills to target, with the appropriate teaching materials available in each environment. "Embed" your presentation of the SD within the context of an environmentally appropriate activity.

 

Identify functional reinforcers for each environment. To target mands, make sure the child is either already motivated to get the item/activity, or that you can contrive motivation for the item/activity. To target other skills, select nonspecific reinforcers.

 

Organizing materials by IEP goals

 

Tie each IEP goal to multiple environments or activities. Ensure that appropriate materials are available in each environment.

 

Teaching through play

 

• Provide a motivating context for skills to be used.
• Play theme ideas: Birthday, Post Office, Grocery Store, Dressup Clothes, Tea Parties, Puppets

 

STRUCTURED SESSIONS

 

Three primary features:

 

1. Use the child's motivation

2. Mix trials on different verbal operants

3. Create context

 

If the child has few related skills:

 

Using the child's motivation

·         have a variety of potential reinforcers

·         conduct a "forced choice" reinforcer survey

·         contrive motivation when possible

·         be observant and capture momentary motivational changes

 

A forcedchoice reinforcer survey involves observing which item the child selects. when, given a choice of two or three items.,

 

Mixing trials

·         mix trials on the different verbal operants and tasks (e.g., imitation, receptive, mand, puzzles, matching, etc.)

·         take data on a specific target verbal operant

• it is not necessary for a the trials to be conceptually related.

 

Creating context

·         choose a task that is functional and meaningful

·         embed instructions in the context of a simple activity

 

If the child has many related skills:

 

Using the child's motivation

·         use responserelated reinforcement

·         use naturally occurring reinforcers

·         while working on a task, reinforce correct responses with the opportunity to mand

 

Mixing trials

·         prompt expansion ("tell me more about...")

·         present additional topicrelated SDS for a variety of verbal operants (a "verbal module" format)

 

Creating context

·      run trials in the context of play activities and other typical "natural" activities (reading books, art activities, etc.) as well as academic activities typical for the child's developmental level

·      use functional materials

 

 

 

Strategies

Learning is occurring all the time- what are you teaching?

1. Require and reinforce mands for all known/targeted items and activities

• capture motivation: observe and wait
• contrive motivation: arrange the environment to create needs (e.g., for items, for information)

 

2. Require completion of a few trials of related tasks to gain access to preferred items/ activitiesrestrict access to reinforcers

 

3. Capitalize on everyday as well as unusual events to require and reinforce language use

 

Require responding based on:

• Skill level of the child
• Value to the child of desired item
• Value of skill to you

 

 

 

Koegel, R. L., Schreibman, L., Good, A., Cemiglia, L., Murphy, C. & Koegel, L.K.

(1989). How to teach pivotal behaviors to children with autism: A training manual. Santa Barbara, CA: University of California, Santa Barbara.

 

Lovaas, 0. 1. (1977). The autistic child: language development through behavior modification. New York: Irvington Publishing.

 

Lutzker, J.R., Gershater, R., & N. De Jesus, (1998). 'Fhe ecobehavior model in autism: discrete trial, planned activities training, behavioral momentum." Workshop presented at 16th annual meeting of the Northern California Association for Behavior Analysis, Oakland CA.

 

Peterson, P. (1997). "Milieu language teaching: An intervention for children at risk due to prenatal drug exposure." Research paper presented at the 15th annual meeting of the Northern California Association for Behavior Analysis, Oakland, CA.

 

Skinner, B.F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York: Free Press.

 

Skinner, B.F. (1957). Verbal behavior. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

 

Sundberg, M. L., & Partington, J.W. (in press). "The need for both discrete trial and natural environment language training for children with autism." in Autism and behavior analysis. Glexxi, P.T., Williams, W.L., & Carr, J.E. Reno, NV: Context Press.

Sundberg, M.L., & Partington, J.W. (1998). Teaching language to children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Danville, CA: Behavior Analysts, Inc.

Mands		Tacts
cake	airplane	cat	refrigerator
candy	boat	dog	sink
chips	car	bird	sofa/couch
cookies	train	fish	spoon
crackers	drink	coat	table
ice cream	hug	hat	toilet/potty
juice	jump	jacket	TV
milk	open	shirt	window
popcorn	run	shoes	bowl
soda	tickle	socks	phone
water	walk	apple	flower
movie		banana	house
music		fries	tree
book		hamburger	brush/hairbrush
computer		hot dog	comb
up		orange	keys
ball		sandwich	paper
bubble		bed	pencil
Doll		chair	scissors
playdoh		cup	balloon
puppet		door	bike
puzzle		fork	slide
swing (object)		garbage can	bus/school bus

 

                                               

                                                                       

                                                                       

Catalog Resources for Educational Supplies

BeckleyCardy	800/4461477
Communication Aids for Children & Adults	414/3525678
Communication Skill Builders	800/8664446
Constructive Playthings (School Edition)	800/4484115
Discount School Supply	800/6272829
IntelliTools	800/8996687
Kaplan	800/3342014
Lakeshore	800/4215354
Linguisystems	800/7764332
Morrison School Supply	800/9504567
ProEd Catalog	512/4513246
The RePrint Corporation	800/2489171
SRA/DLM	800/8438855
SporTime	800/2835700
TeacherParent Supply	800/5001531
Tout About Toys	800/5981523
Warren's	800/5237767

 

 

 

Catalogs for Toys and Other Materials

Back to Basics	800/3565360
Hand in Hand	800/8729745
Lilly's Kids	800/2855555
Music for Little People	800/3464445
Oriental Trading Company	800/2282269
PlayFair Toys	800/8247255
Sensational Beginnings	800/4442147
Troll Learn & Play	800/2476106

 

Ideas for making materials .....

 

Make your own flashcardsfor sorting, matching, tacting, receptive, etc.:

• Take photos of everything­family members, pets familiar places: school, gas station, bank, hardware store, ice cream shop, Grandma/Grandpa's house

·         cut outs with sequence cards

 

Matching/ sorting tips:

·         use a muffin tin

• make a "same box" craft store hardware store kitchen shop McDonald's "happy meal" toys
• save everything containers milk carton lids/juice tops TP rolls

 

Other helpful materials:

·         big/small puff ballsmatching, big/small, tacting tactile attributes

·         nuts & boltsfine motor skills, what goes with...

·         feathersmatching, colors, heavy/light, tacting tactile attributes, blowing

·         smelling containerstacting smells

·         elephant boxtacting by feel

·         small pitchers for pouring water

·         foam sheets to start teaching cutting

·         puzzlesglue pieces together if too difficult

·         gel & clear pan

·         candlespractice blowing, birthday song, hot, danger

• Sesame Street magazine gamesboard games for turntaking, various concepts, etc.

 

Ideas for pretend birthday parties:

·         candles

·         what fits in the box

·         wrapping cutting, taping, decorate with drawing/ stickers

 

Ideas for video learning:

·         home tapes of child doing lessons

·         tapes of siblings performing tasks

·         classroom observation tapes

 

Data tip: use tally counters