what typical language development can teach us about...

What Typical Language Development can

Teach us About Language Training for

Children with Autism

Mark L. Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA([email protected])

Typical Language Development

Milestones

• There are hundreds of developmental milestones checklists available on the internet (google “language development milestones” and you will get over 6 million hits)

• Center for Disease Control (CDC)

(www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/milestones)

• “Babies develop at their own pace, so it's impossible to tell exactly when your child will learn a given skill. The developmental milestones listed below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect, but don't be alarmed if your own baby's development takes a slightly different course.”

• Verbal operants, listener skills, imitation, matching-to sample, and automatically reinforced vocal behavior identified in bold by Mark Sundberg


Milestones

• Important Milestones: By the End of Three Months

• Social and Emotional

• Begins to develop a social smile

• Enjoys playing with other people and may cry when playing stops (Mands)

• Becomes more expressive and communicates more with face and body (Possible Mands)

• Cries differentially for pain, hungar, & discomfort. From RHSC milestones (Mands)

• Imitates some movements and facial expressions (Imitation)


Milestones

Important Milestones: By the End of Three Months

• Hearing and Speech

• Smiles at the sound of your voice (Speech sounds become conditioned reinforcers)

• Begins to babble (Direct and automatic reinforcement)

• Begins to imitate some sounds (Echoic)

• Turns head toward direction of sound (Speech sounds functioning as SDs)


Milestones

Important Milestones: By the End of 7 Months

• Language

Responds to own name (Listener Skills)

Begins to respond to “no” (Listener Skills)

Can tell emotions by tone of voice

Responds to sound by making sounds (Early echoic attempts)

Uses voice to express joy and displeasure

Babbles chains of sounds (Automatic reinforcement)


Milestones

• Important Milestones: By The End Of 1 Year (12 Months)

• Social and Emotional

• Cries when mother or father leaves (Mands)

• Enjoys imitating people in his play (Imitation)

• Repeats sounds or gestures for attention (Mand/echoic/imitation)

• Cognitive

• Looks at correct picture when the image is named (Listener skills)

• Imitates gestures (Imitation)

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/milestones


Milestones

• Important Milestones: By The End Of 1 Year (12 Months)

• Language

• Pays increasing attention to speech

• Responds to simple verbal requests (Listener skills)

• Responds to “no” (Listener skills)

• Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for “no” (Mand)

• Babbles with inflection (changes in tone) (Automatic reinforcement)

• Says “dada” and “mama” (Mand/tact)

• Uses exclamations, such as “Oh-oh!” (Mand/tact)

• Tries to imitate words (Echoic)


Milestones

• Important Milestones: By The End Of 2 Years (24 Months)

• Social

• Imitates behavior of others, especially adults and older children

(Social imitation)

• Emotional

• Begins to show defiant behavior (Mands)

• Cognitive

• Begins to sort by shapes and colors (Matching-to-sample)


Milestones


• Language

• Points to object or picture when it's named for him (Listener skills)

• Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts (Listener skills)

• Says several single words (by 15 to 18 months) (Mands/tacts)

• Uses simple phrases (by 18 to 24 months) (Mands/tacts)

• Uses 2- to 4-word sentences (Mands/tacts)

• Follows simple instructions (Listener skills)

• Repeats words overheard in conversation (Echoic)


Milestones


• Social

• Imitates adults and playmates (Social imitation)

• Understands concept of “mine” and “his/hers” (Listener skills)

• Emotional

• Expresses a wide range of emotions (Some are Mands)

• Objects to major changes in routine (Mands)

• Cognitive

• Matches an object in her hand or room to a picture in a book (Matching-to-sample)

• Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people

• Sorts objects by shape and color (Matching-to-sample)

• Completes puzzles with three or four pieces (Matching-to-sample)

• Understands concept of “two” (Listener skills)


Milestones


• Language

• Follows a two- or three-part command (Listener skills)

• Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures (Listener/tact)

• Understands most sentences (Listener skills)

• Understands placement in space (“on,” “in,” “under”) (Listener skills)

• Uses 4- to 5-word sentences (Mand/tact/intraverbal)

• Can say name, age, and sex (Intraverbal)

• Uses pronouns (I, you, me, we, they) and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats) (Mand/tact)

• Strangers can understand most of her words (Response form improvements)


Milestones


• Social

• Negotiates solutions to conflicts (Mand/intraverbal)

• Cognitive

• Correctly names some colors (Tacts)

• Understands the concept of counting and may know a few numbers (Math)

• Tries to solve problems from a single point of view (Mand/intraverbal)

• Begins to have a clearer sense of time (Intraverbal)

• Follows three-part commands (Listener skills)

• Recalls parts of a story (Intraverbal)

• Understands the concepts of “same” and “different” (Listener skills)

• Engages in fantasy play

ASR #1

By 7 months of age, where do the

sounds that children make typically

come from?

1. The genetic history

2. The parents’ language

ASR #2

Which of the following are NOT well

established by the age of 2 years old?

1. Imitation

2. Intraverbals

3. Match to sample

4. Tacts

ASR #3

At which age can most spoken words

be understood by a stranger?

1. As early as 3 years old

2. As early as 2 years old

3. No earlier than 4 years old


Milestones


• Language

• Has mastered some basic rules of grammar (Mand/tact/intraverbal/listener)

• Speaks in sentences of five to six words (Mand/tact/intraverbal)

• Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand

• Tells stories (Intraverbal)


Milestones


• Emotional

• Sometimes demanding, sometimes eagerly cooperative (Mands)

• Cognitive Milestones

• Can count 10 or more objects (Math)

• Correctly names at least four colors (Tact)

• Better understands the concept of time (Listener/intraverbal)

• Knows about things used every day in the home (money, food,

appliances) (M/T/L/IV)


Milestones


• Language

• Recalls part of a story (Intraverbal)

• Speaks sentences of more than five words (Mand/tact/intraverbal)

• Uses future tense (Intraverbal)

• Tells longer stories (Intraverbal)

• Says name and address (Intraverbal)

Implications for Children and Adults

with Language Delays

• Use typical language development as an assessment and curriculum

guide

• Use Behavior Analysis in general, and Skinner’s analysis of verbal

behavior in particular, as the conceptual foundation of the language

intervention program

• Use the basic teaching procedures derived from Applied Behavior

Analysis (i.e., prompting, fading, shaping, differential

reinforcement, task analysis)

ASR #4

Which of the following is NOT a

language milestone of 4 years old?

1. Counts to 10 or higher

2. Speaks in sentences of 5 to 6 words

3. Uses irregular verbs

4. Tells stories

ASR #5

Which of the following is true about

learning colors?

1. Children can learn to describe things as a

color at an early age.

2. Young children typically are able to learn

colors as nouns, not adjectives.

3. Colors should be taught early on in a

language program.

4. All of the statements are true.

ASR #6

Which of the following is NOT true of 5

year old children?

1. They can say their name and address.

2. They can recall parts of stories.

3. Their sentences consist of more than 5

words.

4. Their vocabulary is being established.

ASR #7

Why is it important to consider typical

language development when developing a

language program for children with language

delays?

1. Allows further identification of the function of

language.

2. Provides direction of where to start and how to

proceed.

3. Makes it possible to develop a language repertoire

as close as possible to that of a typical child.

4. All of the above choices are correct.

A Language Intervention Program Based

on a Verbal Behavior Curriculum

Mark L. Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D

(www.marksundberg.com)

Steps to Beginning an

Intervention Program

• Conduct a VB-MAPP assessment

• The purpose of the assessment is to determine a child’s skills and barriers in order to design an individual program that best fits the child

• Determine the child’s VB-MAPP level (1, 2, or 3)

• Determine skill strengths and weaknesses

• Work on balancing out the skills

VB-MAPP: Level 1

VB-MAPP: Level 2 VB-MAPP: Level 3

Developing an Intervention

Program for a Child in Level 1

• 1) Identify reinforcers and MO levels

• 2) Identify existing skills (e.g., mands, tacts, imitation)

• 3) Identify barriers and conduct necessary descriptive or functional analyses (e.g., instructional control, obsessive behaviors, self-stim)

• 4) Identify response form (speech, signs, PECS)

• 5) Determine baseline levels

• 6) Develop IEP goals based on VB-MAPP scores

ASR #8

The first step in developing an

individualized language intervention

program is to:

1. Conduct a series of IQ tests.

2. Conduct an assessment.

3. Develop a child’s receptive language skills.

4. Teach matching to sample skills.

ASR #9

What content is primarily focused on

with a level 1 learner?

1. Intraverbals

2. Mands

3. Tacts

4. Peer interaction

ASR #10

If a child scores low in the mand

category and high in the echoic

category, you should:

1. Use echoics to teach mands.

2. Work on mands exclusively until both

mands and echoics are at the same level.

3. Work on echoics first to ensure that the

child continues scoring high in this

category.

ASR #11

Which of the following demonstrate the

preferred order of response forms from

most to least preferred?

1. Speech, PECS, Signs, Written

2. Speech, Signs, PECS, Written

3. Speech, Signs, Written, PECS

4. Speech, Written, Signs, PECS



• 1) Identify reinforcers and MO levels

• 2) Identify existing skills (e.g., mands, tacts, imitation)

• 3) Identify barriers and conduct necessary descriptive or functional analyses (e.g., instructional control, obsessive behaviors, self-stim)

• 4) Identify response form (speech, signs, PECS)

• 5) Determine baseline levels

• 6) Develop IEP goals based on VB-MAPP scores



• 7) Measurement and data collection (objectivity)

• 8) Use DTT or NET, or both?

• 9) General teaching setting (controlled environment, materials

prepared, data sheets, reinforcers ready)

• 10) Daily schedule

• 11) Parent training




Program for a Child in Level 1VB-MAPP

Master Scoring Form

Copyright 2007-2008 Mark L. Sundberg

1 41/2 2 3 4

LEVEL 3

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Reading Writing LRFFC IV Group Ling. Math

15

14

13

12

11

LEVEL 2

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Imitation Echoic LRFFC IV Group Ling.

10

9

8

7

6

LEVEL 1

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Imitation Echoic Vocal

5

4

3

2

1

4th test:

17

Key: Score

Garrett

2nd test:

3rd test:

Date of birth:

Age at testing:

Date Color Tester

Child's name: 1st test:



Skills Scoring Form

Copyright 2007 Mark L. Sundberg

Child's Name: Lillian Key: Score Date Color Tester

Date of Birth: 4-30-04 1st test: April, 07 SN

2nd test:

3rd test:

LEVEL 3

Mand Listener VP/MTS Writing IV Group/CR Ling.

15

14

13

12

11

LEVEL 2

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Imitation Echoic Play Social LRFFC IV Group/CR Ling.

10

9

8

7

6

LEVEL 1

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Imitation Echoic Play Social Vocal

5

4

3

2

1

Tact LRFFCSocial/plReadingMath


Level 1: Mand Training

Motivation

Child wants cookie “cookie”

ResponseSpecific

Reinforcement

Child receives cookie

Where to Start Mand Training?

• What motivates a specific child?

• When is that motivation strong?

• Can that motivation be used (captured or contrived) to teach a mand?

• Make a list of potential motivators and the related reinforcers

• Select the first few words to teach

Words that Should be Avoided

• Words that are related to a variety of motivators (e.g., More, Please, Mine, Yes, Help, Pointing)

• Words that are related to motivators from general categories (e.g., Eat, Play, Toys)

• Words for removing an aversive (e.g., Break, All done, Mine, No, Go play)

• Words that are related to items that are hard to deliver (e.g., Swimming, Bike ride)

• Words that are related to items that are hard to remove (e.g., Gum, Outside)

• Words that are related to politeness (e.g., Please, Thank you)

ASR #12

The first type of language skill to focus

on for a nonverbal child should be:

1. Motor imitation

2. Vocal imitation

3. Receptive language

4. Mands

ASR #13

• The most important aspect of mand training is:

To use sign language first then switch to vocal training.

Bring the response under the functional control of motivating operations.

Use echoic to mand transfer of stimulus control procedures.

Make sure the object is present during early mand training.

ASR #14

The first place to start mand training is

to:

1. Identify the individual child’s motivators

(MOs) and when they are strong.

2. Establish strong listener skills.

3. Establish a strong echoic repertoire.

4. Develop strong sorting and matching skills.

ASR #15

In early mand training the instructor

should avoid teaching words that:

1. Involve the name of the specific item .

2. Are related to strong motivators.

3. Are general or related to a variety of

reinforcers such as “more,” “yes,” and

“mine”.

4. Involve a nonverbal stimulus that can be

used as a prompt.

ASR #16

In early mand training it is important to

select words that:

1. Are related to politeness such as “please,”

and “thank you”.

2. Involve the name of the specific item.

3. Are general or related to a variety of

reinforcers such as “more,” “yes,” and

“mine”.

4. Involve removing aversives such as

“break” and “all done”.

Words that Should be Avoided

• Words that are related to a variety of motivators (e.g., More, Please, Mine, Yes, Help, Pointing)

• Words that are related to motivators from general categories (e.g., Eat, Play, Toys)

• Words for removing an aversive (e.g., Break, All done, Mine, No, Go play)

• Words that are related to items that are hard to deliver (e.g., Swimming, Bike ride)

• Words that are related to items that are hard to remove (e.g., Gum, Outside)

• Words that are related to politeness (e.g., Please, Thank you)

Selecting the First Words to

Teach as Mands

• Words that are related to strong motivation for an item

• Words that are related to items that involve slow satiation so multiple trials can be conducted

• Words that are related to a specific item (i.e., allows for prompting)

• Words that are related to items that are consumed or dissipate

• Words that are related to items that are easy to deliver immediately

• Words that are related to items that are easy to remove when necessary

• Words that involve a response form that is already in the repertoire (e.g., echoic)

• Words that do not rhyme or sound to similar to other words

• Words that will be used in the natural environment

Examples of First Words to

Teach as Mands

• Specific food items (e.g., apple, chip, cookie, cracker, banana)

• Specific drinks (e.g., juice, milk)

• Toys (e.g., ball, car, bubbles, train, playdoh, puzzle, drum)

• Physical actions (e.g., up, push, spin, tickles, hugs, swing)

• Individualized reinforcers (e.g., hat, book, music, video)

• People or pets (e.g., mom, dad, Maggie)

Issues Concerning Motivative Operations

(MOs) and Mands

• All mands are controlled by motivating operations (MOs)

• There must be an MO at strength to conduct mand training

• MOs vary in strength across time, and the effects may be temporary

• MOs must be either captured or contrived to conduct mand training

• MOs may have an instant or gradual onset or offset

• High response requirement may weaken an MO

• Instructors must be able to identify the presence and strength of an MO, and use it when it is there

• Instructors must be able to reduce existing negative behavior controlled by MOs

• Instructors must know how to bring verbal behavior under the control of MOs

Intervention Program Level 1: Mand

Training for a Child With Some Echoics

• Identify a motivator that is currently strong (e.g., bubbles)

• Have the bubbles present

• Provide some “noncontingent” bubbles first, make it fun

• Pair the word “bubbles” with the delivery of the bubbles

• Begin training by giving an echoic prompt and delaying the delivery

of the bubbles

• There are 4 antecedents (MO, object, echoic, verbal prompt)

Intervention Program:

Level 1

Using a mand frame and prompts for early mand training

_______________________________________________________________________

Antecedent Behavior Consequences

Motivating operation (wants bubbles) Praise Nonverbal stimulus (bottle presented) “Ba” Blow bubbles

Echoic prompt (“bubbles”)

Verbal prompt (“Say...”)

________________________________________________________________________

Fading the Echoic Prompt

• The goal is to “transfer control” from the echoic prompt to

the MO and the object

• Partial prompt

• Delayed prompt

• Combination of delay and partial

Fading out the Echoic Prompt

Fading out the echoic prompt

_______________________________________________________________________


Motivating operation (wants bubbles) Praise Nonverbal stimulus (bottle presented) Ba Blow bubbles

Echoic prompt (Say bubbles)

Verbal prompt (What do you want?)

_______________________________________________________________________

Echoic Transfer Procedure

MO

Object

“say bubbles ”

“Right,

Say…”+

+

Echoic

prompt

_

Reinforce!

(blow bubbles)+

ASR #17

When selecting first words to teach

mands:

1. Choose words that are easy to say.

2. Choose words that are similar to other

words already in the child’s repertoire.

3. Choose words for items the child satiates

slowly on.

4. Choose words with multiple meanings so

you can teach more targets at a time.

ASR #18

In order to conduct mand training there:

1. Must be 40 hour a week program in place.

2. Must be an existing tact repertoire.

3. Must be a cognitive understanding of what

the target word means.

4. Must be an MO for the target item or

activity currently at strength .

ASR #19

Early mand training usually involves:

1. Thousands of training trials.

2. Small amounts of aversive control.

3. Using multiple antecedent variables and

gradually fading prompts.

4. Intraverbal and tact training also.

ASR #20

Transfer of control in mand training can

be accomplished by:

1. Generalization procedures.

2. Using delay or partial prompt procedures.

3. Multiple exemplar training procedures.

4. Teaching matching-to-sample.

Transfer of Stimulus Control Procedure

• Steps in the transfer procedure

• 1) Present target SD + verbal prompt (“What do you want?”)

• 2) If correct…..reinforce

• 3) If incorrect present echoic prompt

• 4) If echoic is correct repeat #1 (present the transfer trial, i.e., “What do you want” while holding up the reinforcer)

• 5) Add distracter trial (e.g., an imitation trial)

• 6) Repeat cycle with more distracters, and use less prompting

Strengthening the Response by

Adding Distracter Trials

MO

Object

“say bubbles”

“say…”

+ Distracter

Trial:

Tap table

+ “say…”

+

Generalization

• A specific word should occur under a wide variety of circumstances

• Different settings

• Different people

• Different noise level and distractions

• Different carrier phrases

• Different tone of voice, pitch, intonation, prosody, and volume

• Different materials

• Combinations of these

Teaching Format

• Basic behavior modification procedures

• Discrete trial (Stimulus/MOResponseConsequence)

• Short sessions (1-15 minutes)

• Training on the floor, at a table, playground, etc.

• Mixed VB format (mand, imitation, echoic, listener, MTS)

• Focus on the mand and tact

Immediate Goals

• Teach the child to mand-tact free from echoic (or imitative for signers) prompts

• Teach the child that he can gain access to reinforcers by manding

• Teach the child that the initiating stimulus may be visual, auditory, or both

• Teach the child to be a speaker and a listener

• Gain instructional control in a positive way

• Establish the instructor as a conditioned reinforcer, make learning fun

• Avoid the temptation to increase the size of the sentence (e.g., “I want..). It is more functional for the child to increase the number of mands rather than the words used in one mand

ASR #21

It is important to include distracter

trials:

1. So the child does not get bored by working

on the same target response.

2. To ensure the child is paying attention.

3. To probe target responses that have been

placed on maintenance.

4. To strengthen the target response.

ASR #22

In order to ensure that a mand is not

specific to a certain person, place, or

set of materials it is important to

include:

1. Generalization procedures.

2. Delay or partial prompt procedures.

3. Errorless learning procedures.

4. The motivating operation.

ASR #23

Mand training should be conducted:

1. In a controlled teaching environment.

2. At the table and with structured teaching

procedures.

3. Only in the natural environment.

4. In all environments.

ASR #24

An early goal of mand training is to free

the response from:

1. The nonverbal stimulus.

2. The motivative variable.

3. Physical, echoic, or imitative prompts.

4. One word mands.

Expanding the Mand-Tact Repertoire

• Following the acquisition of two unprompted mand-tacts, add

1-2 new mand-tacts

• Use the same criteria suggested above for selecting new

words

• Don’t worry about fading out the object yet

• Focus on single words only, no carrier phrases

• Data collection: First trial data

Basic Data SheetMand Data Sheet

Expanding the Mand-Tact Repertoire

• Increase the focus on imitation, RD, echoic, and MTS

• Program for generalization

• After a few mands are acquired it may be appropriate to start tact training

• No formal RFFC or Intraverbal training yet

• Carefully analyze errors and correct early

• Watch for emerging barriers (e.g., scrolling, prompt bound, rote mands, reinforcer dependency)


Level 1: Tact Training

Nonverbal

SD

Child sees a dog “dog”

ResponseGeneralized

Reinforcement

Child receives praise

When to Start Tact Training?

• Start tact training as soon as possible, However…….

• If the child does not have any mands the initial focus should be on establishing mands

• If a child cannot emit any echoic or imitative behavior the initial focus should be on using mands and pairing procedures to help to establish echoic or imitative skills

• If the child demonstrates severe behavior problems or noncompliance, it may be that these issues (along with mand training) are more of a priority

• If the child can easily emit several echoic or imitative responses, and has a few mands, then tact training should begin immediately


Teach as Tacts

• Nouns (3-D) that are relevant to the child (e.g., shoe, chair,

car, cat, ball, spoon, book)

• Items that may also be reinforcing (combining mand and tact

training)

• Use items that can be clearly identified (e.g., some toys have

multiple names)

• Select items that are easy to present, readily available, and

easy to manage in teaching sessions

• Use words or signs that are already in the child’s echoic or

imitation repertoire


Teach as Tacts

• Use words and signs that are easy to pronounce or formulate

• Select items that are clearly distinct from each other

• Select targets that are different from each other (they don’t

rhyme, or start with the same letter)

• Use items that the child can already select as a listener

• Make use of the “next 10 words list” to pre-select new tacts

• Select items that can be easily generalized

• Use the “First 300 nouns language list” (Roden & Sundberg,

2010)

ASR #25

Which of the following statements is true

regarding data collection during language

programming?

1. First trial data are not recommended because they

do not account for all responses.

2. Trial by trial data are not recommended due to a

greater chance of inaccuracy.

3. First trial data are recommended so that

interactions with the child are not disrupted.

4. Trial by trial data represent a more sensitive

measure since there are more opportunities to

collect them.

ASR #26

Following the development of a few

prompt free mands the intervention

program should include:

1. Tacts, listener discriminations (LDs), and

matching–to-sample.

2. Intraverbal behavior.

3. Listener discriminations by function

feature, and class (LRFFC).

4. Beginning academic skills.

ASR #27

Tact training usually involves

1. Relational Frame Theory.

2. Basic prompting, fading, and transfer of

stimulus control procedures.

3. Careful manipulation of the motivating

operation.

4. Teaching strong scanning skills.

ASR #28

The first words to teach as tacts should

be:

1. Words that rhyme with each other.

2. Words that can be easily transferred to

intraverbal.

3. Words that allow the child to express his

emotions.

4. Words that are functional to the child and

involve items or activities in his everyday

environment.

Tact Training: Transfer From

Echoic to Tact


Verbal prompt (“What’s that”)

Nonverbal stimulus (sees a shoe) Shoe Praise

Echoic prompt (“say shoe”)

Fade the Echoic Prompt


Verbal prompt (“What’s that”)

Nonverbal stimulus (sees a shoe) Shoe Praise

Echoic prompt (“say shoe”)

Echoic Transfer Procedure

“What that?”

Object (shoe)

“say shoe ”

“Right,

What’s that?”+

+

Echoic

prompt

_

Reinforce!

(“tickle”)+

Strengthening the Response by

Adding Distracter Trials

“What that?”

Object (shoe)

“say shoe ”

“Right,

What’s that?”+ Distracter

Trial:

Tap table

+“Right,

What’s that?”

+

Adding New Tacts

• Use three days of first trial correct data (cold probe)

• Add the acquired target to the generalization list

• Conduct listener trials (should already be happening)

• Add a new tact when an existing target has met criteria

• Use the “Next 10 word list” to select new target tacts

• Conduct daily maintenance and generalization trials on “mastered” tacts

• Add the mastered target to the “300 Nouns” list

• This list will later be used for selecting targets for noun-verb combinations, etc., LRFFCs, and intraverbals

• Avoid the temptation to add adjectives, prepositions, adverbs, etc.

Echoic and Imitation

• Incorporate echoic and imitation into mand, tact, listener and matching sessions, as well as play, social, self-help, and everyday natural environment activities, etc. Unless…

• The skills are very weak and need specific speech therapy or training time

• Standard teaching procedures of establishing stimulus control through prompting, fading and differential reinforcement

• There are several additional ways to increase vocalizations:

• use a mand frame

• pairing procedures

• use augmentative communication

• use in context echoic trials (out of context also)

• differential reinforcement of vocalizations and shaping

Teaching Listener Skills

• Begin with specific actions (e.g., clap, jump, sit, come here, run)

• Use the well-established behavioral procedures of prompting, fading, and differential reinforcement (Lovaas, 1977)

• Begin listener discrimination training (LD) as soon as possible

• Follow the sequence of listener skills presented in the VB-MAPP Listener Task Analysis

• Teach tacts and LDs at the same time (for Level 1 and most of Level 2 skills)

• Array management is critical: Get away from a neat array of 3 ASAP!

• Use large and messy arrays, scenes, and the natural environment

ASR #29

Distracter trials are used for:

1. Keeping the child busy.

2. Taking the child’s mind off the discrete trial

teaching format.

3. Strengthening stimulus and motivational

control.

4. Keeping the instructor entertained.

ASR #30

After a child has responded correctly to

a target three days in a row:

1. Begin working on the next target.

2. Begin using it as a distracter.

3. Continue working on it to make sure the

child has really mastered it.

4. Teach it across different setting, people,

and with different exemplars.

ASR #31

After several nouns are acquired

training should begin on:

1. Prepositions

2. Verbs

3. Adjectives

4. Pronouns

ASR #32

Echoic skills can be increased best by

using:

1. A mand frame and pairing procedures.

2. Receptive language training.

3. Play therapy.

4. Sensory integration.

Visual Perceptual Skills and

Matching-to-Sample (MTS)

• An important part of an early intervention program

• Teaching procedures involve the standard establishment of stimulus control through prompting, fading, and differential reinforcement

• Recommend following the sequence of matching skills presented in the VB-MAPP

• MTS can be used to help establish a variety of more advanced skills such as…

• Advanced scanning skills and attending

• Natural environment training

• Listener discriminations

• LRFFC categorization

• Intraverbal categorization

Sample Classroom Schedule Basic Elements of Teaching Tacts

and Conducting a Tact Session

• Have a variety of reinforcers available and ready to deliver

• Make sure the reinforcers are valuable at the current moment

• Know the level of the child’s existing tact repertoire

• Know how to conduct each of the basic six procedures (i.e., mand,

tact, listener discriminations (LD), echoic, imitation, and matching –

to-sample)

• Have a collection of items from a list of known tacts available for

interspersal (mixed VB), successful tacting momentum,

generalization, maintenance, and tacting practice (frequently rotate

this material and be able to conduct all these procedures)

Basic Elements of Teaching Tacts


• Identify the current targets (use the “Next 10 words list” and

selection system)

• Have the target materials ready at the teaching session

• Prepare the material prior to the session and keep it in the child’s

“materials bin”

• Have a first trial data sheet prepared and ready to use. Take data on

the targets only

• Know the best quality response that is targeted

• Know the various prompt levels

Basic Elements of Teaching Tacts


• Use a changing reinforcement criterion within a session (require

higher quality responding on each trial if possible)

• Use the opportunity to mand as a reinforcer, if possible

• Keep the student engaged as an active responder

• Teach the new Listener LD skill along with the tact

• Be able to read the data, and share the data with other staff at regular

staff meetings

• Be able to work the tacts into the child’s daily routine (outside of the

formal teaching—use “NET” –Natural Environment Teaching)

• Conduct tact training as interspersal activities in all other sessions,

including groups, recess, snack, etc. (the NET)

ASR #33

An important aspect of training on

matching-to-sample is:

1. Fading out intraverbal prompts.

2. Use of the motivative variables.

3. Increasing the size and complexity of the

comparison array.

4. Requiring tacts of the items matched.

ASR #34

Listener responding by function, feature,

and class (LRFFC) involves:

1. Intraverbal relations.

2. Discrimination among items based on

descriptions of the items rather than the

name of the item.

3. Matching-to-sample procedures.

4. A type of tact training.

ASR #35

Matching-to-sample, listener

responding, and LRFFC all involve:

1. Using the MO as a prompt.

2. Transfer of stimulus control from known

tacts.

3. Scanning an array and selecting a target

item .

4. Discrete trial training.

ASR #36

In order to maintain a consistent

intervention program it is important that:

1. As many people as possible work with a

child.

2. Every day involves a different schedule of

activities.

3. The child has extensive unstructured

activities during the day.

4. A classroom or in-home language training

schedule be established.

Staff and Parent Skills

• There are a specific set of teaching skills that are essential for

advancing an early learner through the VB-MAPP Level 1 targets

• These skills may take many months to learn and regular training and

supervision by professionals skilled in behavioral psychology and

Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior

• These skills include:

• Basic behavioral teaching procedures (prompting, fading, shaping

reinforcement, data collection, etc.)

• The basic elementary verbal operants (e.g., mand, tact, intraverbal)

• Child management skills

• Common sense


• Some Basic Elements of Teaching in an ABA/VB Program

• Staff (and parents) need to be able to explain:

• What is discrete trial training? (DTT, ABA, VB, NET)

• How do you find and use reinforcers?

• Why pair yourself with reinforcers?

• What is meant by “stimulus control” (SD control)?

• What are prompts?

• What is fading?

• What is differential reinforcement

• What is a prompt hierarchy?

• What is generalization?


• Staff (and parents) need to be able to use the following prompting

procedures:

• Physical

• Imitative/echoic

• Tact prompts

• Intraverbal (English word to prompt a sign)

• Gestural/positional/eye

• Direct verbal

• Indirect verbal

• All need to know how to fade these prompts and “transfer stimulus

control” to the target SD/MO


• Staff and parents need to be able to define and exemplify

• Mand (and why it is important to the child)

• Tact

• Imitation

• Echoic

• Matching-to-sample (MTS)

• Listener skills

• Listener responding by function, feature, and class (LRFFC)

• Intraverbal


• Staff and parents need to be able to teach and take data on…

• Manding skills

• Tacting skills

• Imitation skills

• Echoic skills

• Matching-to-sample (MTS)

• Listener skills

• Listener responding by function, feature, and class (LRFFC)

• Intraverbal skills

• Also, all need to learn how to incorporate these skills into non-

structured, functional, and daily social activities

Basic Components of an

ABA/Verbal Behavior Program

• Teaching procedures are based on standard ABA methodology (e.g.,

systematic use of reinforcement, prompting, fading, shaping,

extinction, generalization, chaining, data collection, etc.)

• Has a mix of Direct Teaching (DTT) and Natural Environment

Training (NET)

• Direct (Structured) Teaching is instructor led, with specific targets, a

progressive curriculum, and systematic use of the basic teaching

procedures, data collection, etc. (structured teaching can and should

be conducted in a natural setting, but is usually more difficult)

• NET involves teaching language skills during a child’s everyday,

functional, and social activities (e.g., play, arts & crafts, snack, recess,

self-care, downtime, daily routines, outings, transportation)



• Mands (requests) are an important part of early language development

• Pairing (staff member becomes conditioned reinforcer) is an important

part of every day, and always part of working with children

• Begin table-top work with skills that the child can already do, then

begin to increase the demand as instructional control is obtained

• Sessions should be a mixture of verbal skills (i.e., mand, tact, echoic)

with the opportunity to mand as the main reinforcement for the target

response

• Playing equals learning, use play to actively build skills

• The child should be making frequent requests for desired actions,

items, and activities with the mands becoming more generalized and

appropriate



• Words are taught through all functional categories of language (verbal

operants)

• Staff member captures and contrives situations to create motivational

conditions

• Errorless prompting procedures are generally used (as opposed to

punishment (NO) and trial and error)

• Encourages frequent responding when appropriate (fluency)

• Fast paced instruction keeps the child on task (but not all the time)

• Skills are generalized immediately

• Retention probes are conducted to make sure the skills that are

acquired are maintained



• Tasks are mixed and varied so child is thinking on “his toes”

• Difficult tasks are interspersed with easy tasks to keep level of

reinforcement high (i.e., control for “ratio strain”)

• Transfer procedures are used to make learning easier

• Natural language is used, staff member should not use robotic

language (e.g., ”What is it?” “Put with same”)

• Negative reinforcement (e.g., “All done,” “Break”) should not be used

• Goals/Skills are established from a functional language curriculum

(e.g., VB-MAPP)

• Program should be consistently supervised by trained professionals



VB-MAPPMaster Scoring Form

Copyright 2007-2008 Mark L. Sundberg

1 41/2 2 3 4

LEVEL 3

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Reading Writing LRFFC IV Group Ling. Math

15

14

13

12

11

LEVEL 2

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Imitation Echoic LRFFC IV Group Ling.

10

9

8

7

6

LEVEL 1

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Imitation Echoic Vocal

5

4

3

2

1

4th test:

17

Key: Score

Garrett

2nd test:

3rd test:

Date of birth:

Age at testing:

Date Color Tester

Child's name: 1st test:



Skills Scoring Form

Copyright 2007 Mark L. Sundberg

Child's Name: Lillian Key: Score Date Color Tester

Date of Birth: 4-30-04 1st test: 53 April, 07 SN

2nd test: 133.5 April, 08

3rd test:

LEVEL 3

Mand Listener VP/MTS Writing IV Group/CR Ling.

15

14

13

12

11

LEVEL 2


10

9

8

7

6

LEVEL 1


5

4

3

2

1

Tact LRFFCSocial/plReadingMath



Master Scoring Form 3

Copyright 2007 Mark L. Sundber g

Key: Score Date Color Tester

Child's name Lacey 1st test: 11/17/06 CS

Date of birth 7/17/04 2nd test:

3rd test:

LEVEL 3

Mand Listener VP/MTS Writing IV Group Ling.

15

14

13

12

11

LEVEL 2


10

9

8

7

6

LEVEL 1


5

4

3

2

1

Tact LRFFCSocial/playReading Math



Master Scoring Form 3

Copyright 2007 Mark L. Sundber g

Key: Score Date Color Tester

Child's name Lacey 1st test: 11/17/06 CS

Date of birth 7/17/04 2nd test: 5/18/07 CS

3rd test:

LEVEL 3

Mand Listener VP/MTS Writing IV Group Ling.

15

14

13

12

11

LEVEL 2


10

9

8

7

6

LEVEL 1


5

4

3

2

1

Tact LRFFCSocial/playReading Math

ASR #37

Which of the following is true?

1. It’s important that parents collect the same

type of data as staff members.

2. It’s not important to know how to interact

with children as long as you implement

procedures correctly.

3. Most of child management is common

sense.

4. Staff members only need to know the

verbal operants when teaching children.

ASR #38

Which of the following are true of

stimulus control?

1. Stimulus control means that a particular

stimulus evokes a particular response.

2. Stimulus control is a main objective of the

VB approach.

3. When you have stimulus control a child

can discriminate between different items.

4. All of the answer choices are correct.

ASR #39

• What are the major components of parent and staff training for language programming? Knowledge of basic behavior modification

procedures and the verbal operants.

Knowledge of discrete trial and natural environment teaching procedures.

Knowledge of prompting and differential reinforcement procedures.

Knowledge of prompting, fading, and shaping procedures.

ASR #40

• The main aspect of a verbal behavior approach that separates it from other approaches is: The language aspects of the program are

based on Skinner’s analysis of language. The language aspects of the program are

based on Piaget’s analysis of language.

The language aspects of the program are based on Brown’s analysis of language.

The language aspects of the program are based on Chomsky’s analysis of language.

Mark L. Sundberg, Debbie Ramirez and

Kaisa Weathers

How to use Matching-to-Sample to Teach

Listener Discriminations, LRFFC, and

Intraverbal Behavior

Matching-to-Sample (MTS) and

its Relation to RD, RFFC, & IV

ANTECEDENT -----> RESPONSE RELATION

Nonverbal + Nonverbal --> Nonverbal MTS

Verbal + Nonverbal ------> Nonverbal RD

Verbal + Nonverbal-------> Nonverbal RFFC

Verbal---------------- -----------> Verbal IV

What are the Other Similarities?

MTS, RD, and RFFC all

involve conditional

discriminations

Conditional Discriminations

Conditional discrimination: “A discrimination in

which reinforcement of responding during a

stimulus depends on (is conditional on) other

stimuli” (Catania, 1998, p. 382).

Conditional discrimination: “When the nature or

extent of operant control by a stimulus condition

depends on some other stimulus condition”(Michael, 1993, p. 14)

Matching-to-Sample

Nonverbal SD1 + Array (SD

2) Nonverbal Response

Sample Comparison

S SD S Select Ball

Matching-to-Sample:

A Conditional Discrimination

SD2/S

r

Comparison

S S

S S

Nonverbal

array

SrR2 Select ball

R1 scanNonverbal SD

1

(A ball)

Sample

Receptive Discriminations

Verbal SD1 + Array (SD


“Touch ball” +

S SD S Select Ball

Receptive Discriminations (RD):


SD2/S

r

S S

S S

Nonverbal

array

SrR2 Select ball

R1 scanVerbal SD1

(“Touch ball”)

RFFC

Verbal SD1 + Array (SD


“You kick a…” +

S SD S Select Ball

Receptive by Function, Feature &

Class (RFFC):


SD2/S

r

S S

S S

Nonverbal

array

SrR2 Select ball

R1 scanVerbal SD1

(“You kick a…”)

Matching-to-Sample

SD2/S

r

S S

S S

Nonverbal

array

SrR2 Select ball

R1 scanNonverbal SD1

A ball

Receptive Discrimination

SD2/S

r

S S

S S

Nonverbal

array

SrR2 Select ball

R1 scanVerbal SD1

“Touch the ball”

Receptive by Function, Feature &

Class (RFFC)

SD2/S

r

S S

S S

Nonverbal

array

SrR2 Select ball

R1 scanVerbal SD1

(“You kick a…”)

Learner Problems

•Errors with MTS, RD and RFFC

•Establishing verbal stimulus control

•Defective scanning

•Weak conditional discriminations, especially

between auditory and visual stimuli

•Difficulty with large arrays, and the natural environment

•Difficulty with similar stimuli in the array

•Difficulty with large arrays and similar stimuli

Is it possible to identify these

problems early in a language

program?

Perhaps they can be identified

in early MTS training.

Common MTS Curriculum

•Matching identical objects to identical objects

•Matching identical pictures to identical pictures

•Matching non-identical objects and pictures

•Matching objects to pictures

•Matching pictures to objects

•Association matching

•Sorting, puzzles, block designs, etc.

ASR #41

The “meaning” of a response comes

from:

1. The response.

2. The antecedent.

3. The consequence.

4. The correct answer.

ASR #42

How are intraverbals similar to RFFC?

1. The antecedent stimulus is the same.

2. The response is the same

3. They both involve conditional

discriminations.

4. Only choices 1 and 3 are correct

5. Choices 1, 2, and 3 are correct

ASR #43

Intraverbal tasks almost always involve:

1. Verbal conditional discriminations.

2. Nonverbal conditional discriminations.

3. Stimulus and response chaining.

4. Verbal responses controlled by MOs.

Possible Solution: A New MTS

Assessment and Curriculum

Identical pictures

Identical pictures–neat array of 2-3

Identical pictures– messy array of 4



Identical Pictures - Exact

Match Large Messy Array



Identical pictures (cont.)

Identical pictures- different size –messy array of 4

Identical pictures - different size –messy array of 8

Identical pictures - different positions & orientation- messy array of 4

Identical pictures – part-to-whole - messy array of 4

Identical pictures - different positions & orientation- messy array of 8

Identical pictures- different background messy array of 4

Identical pictures- different background messy array of 8



Identical pictures (cont.)

Identical pictures- similar stimuli in neat array of 3 (color, shape, class)

Identical pictures - similar stimuli in messy array of 6 (color, shape, class)

Identical pictures- similar stimuli in messy array of 8 (color, shape, class)

Identical pictures– similar stimuli – comparison in natural context

Identical pictures– similar stimuli – comparison in natural context

Similar Stimuli: Large Messy ArrayPossible Solution: A New MTS


Identical objects

Identical objects –neat array of 2-3

Identical objects – messy array of 4



Identical objects - different size –messy array of 4

Identical objects - different size –messy array of 8

Identical objects - similar stimuli in neat array of 3 (color, shape, class)

Identical objects - similar stimuli in messy array of 6 (color, shape, class)

Identical objects - similar stimuli in messy array of 8 (color, shape, class)

Identical object – similar stimuli – comparison in natural context



Non-Identical pictures

Same picture – different color (including B&W) - messy array of 4

Same picture – different color (including B&W) - messy array of 8

Same picture – different color - similar stimuli in messy array of 6 (color,

shape, class)

Same picture – different color - similar stimuli in messy array of 8 (color,

shape, class)

Same picture – different color - natural context

Same class – different color, shape, style – Messy array of 4


Same class – different color, shape, style, - similar stimuli in messy array of 6

Same class – different color, shape, style - similar stimuli in messy array of 8

Same class – different color, shape, style - natural context


Assessment and CurriculumNon-Identical objects

Same objects – different color – neat array of 3

Same objects – different color - messy array of 4

Same objects – different color - messy array of 8

Same objects – different color - similar stimuli in messy array of 6 (color,

shape, class)

Same objects – different color - similar stimuli in messy array of 8 (color,

shape, class)

Same objects – different color - natural context



Same class– different color, shape, style, - similar stimuli in messy array of 6

Same class – different color, shape, style - similar stimuli in messy array of 8

Same class – different color - natural context



Identical object-to-picture/Picture-to-object

Identical objects and pictures- neat array of 3

Identical objects and pictures- messy array of 4

Identical objects and pictures- messy array of 6

Identical objects and pictures- messy array of 8+

Identical objects and pictures- similar stimuli in neat array of 3 (color, shape, class)

Identical objects and pictures- similar stimuli in messy array of 6 (color, shape, class)

Identical objects and pictures- similar stimuli in messy array of 8+ (color, shape, class)

Identical objects and pictures- in context/scenes



Non-identical object-to-picture/Picture-to-object Non-identical objects and pictures- neat array of 3

Non-identical objects and pictures- messy array of 4



Non-identical objects and pictures- similar stimuli in neat array of 3 (color, shape, class)

Non-identical objects and pictures- similar stimuli in messy array of 6 (color, shape, class)

Non-identical objects and pictures- similar stimuli in messy array of 8 (color, shape, class)

Non-identical objects and pictures- in context/scenes

This same breakdown of the

nonverbal array applies to RD

and RFFC

Samples of Data that Support

these Distinctions

Different backgrounds

Array size and order

• Objects

• Pictures

Similar stimuli

Similar stimuli and large messy array

Identical Pictures: Array of 3

1 2 3 4

0

20

40

60

80

100

Participant 1

Participant 2

Participant 3

Matching Identical Pictures in an Array of 3

Per

cent

Cor

rect

Ide nticalDifferent

size

Different

orientationDifferent

background

Identical Pictures: Different

Background

1 2 3

0

20

40

60

80

100

Identical Pictures: Different Background

Sessions

Pe

rce

nt

Co

rre

ct

Array of 3

Array of 8

Array of 15

Participant 1

Identical Objects: Varied Array

Size

1 2 3 4 5

0

20

40

60

80

100

Object Matching-to-Sample With

Varied Array Size

Sets of Trials

Pe

rce

nt

Co

rre

ct

Ma

tch

ing

Array of 3 - Neat

Array of 4 - Messy

Array of 6 - Messy

Array of 8 - Messy

Array of 3 - Neat

Participa nt 4

Identical Pictures: Similar Stimuli

1 2 3 4 5

0

20

40

60

80

100

Par ticipant 1

Identical Pictures: Array of Similar Stimuli

Pe

rce

nt

Co

rre

ct

Array of 5Array of 3

Array of 7-8

Array of 10

Array of 15

Sessions

Identical Objects: Similar

Stimuli-Varied Array Size

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

0

20

40

60

80

100

Identical Objects: Similar Stimuli

Different Array Sizes

Sets of Trials

Pe

rce

nt

Co

rre

ct

3-N

4-M 10-M 7-M

3-N

6 - M 4 - N

4 -N3 - N 4-M

6 -M

3 - N

6 - M

3 - N

N = Near Array

M = Messy Array

Participa nt 1

How to use MTS to teach RD and RFFC

(Previous CAL-ABA Presentations)

Use MTS to teach more effective scanning and discrimination skills

Use MTS to teach more advanced conditional discrimination skills

Use the nonverbal SD in MTS as a prompt to transfer stimulus control to a verbal stimulus

The blank card procedure

Pairing speech with the nonverbal stimulus

Use MTS as a correction procedure

Don’t move to quickly to advanced MTS

Don’t move to quickly to RD and RFFC

ASR #44

Which of the following statements is

true regarding MTS?

1. A messy array should be incorporated into

MTS trials to facilitate correct responding in

the natural environment.

2. A messy array should be incorporated into

MTS trials to confuse the learner.

3. A messy array should not be incorporated

into MTS trials because it may hinder

learning.

Presenting a neat array is the only way a

ASR #45

MTS is useful for:

1. Teaching conditional discriminations.

2. Teaching discrimination skills.

3. Teaching effective scanning skills.


How to Teach Intraverbal Behavior to

Children With Autism

Mark L. Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D

(www.marksundberg.com)

Teaching Intraverbal Behavior to

Children with Autism

• Assess the child’s overall verbal repertoires (e.g., VB-MAPP)

• Conduct the intraverbal subtest, if the child’s overall VB-MAPP scores are at least entering Level 2 (past 18 months old in terms of typical language development)

The VB-MAPP Intraverbal SubtestThe VB-MAPP Intraverbal

Assessment Subtest

Copyright 2009, Mark L. Sundberg (v.6.0)

avbpress.com

Child's name: Tester:

Date of birth: Testing date (s):

Diagnosis if any: Total score____ (give a 0 or 1 for each item)

Group 1: Animal sounds & songs fill-ins) Score Write the exact response given by the child

A kitty says...

Twinkle, twinkle, little...

Ready, set …

The wheels on the bus go...

Rock-a-bye...

A dog says...

Peek-a…

The itsy bitsy...

Head, shoulders, knees and...

Happy birthday to...

Other:

Other:

Total points (10 points maximum):

Group 2 (Name, fill-ins, associations )

What is your name?

You brush your...

Shoes and...

You ride a...

You flush the...

You sleep in a…

You eat…

One, two...

You wash your...

You sit on a…

Other:

Other:



Assessment Subtest


avbpress.com

Group 3 (Simple What questions) Score Write the exact response given by the child

What can you drink?

What can fly?

What are some numbers?

What can you sing?

What's your favorite movie?

What are some colors?

What do you read?

What is outside?

What's in a kitchen?

What are some animals?


Group 4 (Simple Who, Where, & age)

Who is your teacher?

Where do you wash you hands?

Who builds a web?

Where is the refrigerator?

Who drives the car?

Where do you take a bath?

How old are you?

Where are the trees?

Who do you see on TV?

Why do you use a Band-Aid?



Assessment Subtest


avbpress.com

Group 5 (Categories, function, features) Score Write the exact response given by the child

What shape are wheels?

What grows outside?

What can sting you?

What do you do with a sock?

What can you push?

What do you do with a straw?

What do you write on?

Can you name some body parts?

What's something that's sharp?

What do you wear on your head?


Group 6 (adjectives, prepositions, adverbs)

What color is my shirt?

What do you eat with?

What's up in the sky?

What's above a house?

What do you smell with?

What are some hot things?

What grows on your head?

What is under a boat?

What animal has stripes?

What color is your shirt?



Assessment Subtest


avbpress.com

Group 7 (Multiple part questions) Score Write the exact response given by the child

What makes you sad?

Name some clothing.

Tell me something that is not a food.

What helps a flower grow?

When do we set the table?

What do you do with money?

Why do people wear glasses?

Where do you put your dirty clothes?

What is something you can't wear?

What's something that is sticky?


Group 8 (Multiple part questions)

What's in a balloon?

What do you take to a birthday party?

Where do you go if you're sick?

Why do you wear a coat?

What do you do before bed?

What's your last name?

What do you put in a sandwich?

What musical instrument has strings?

What do you do with an umbrella?

Why do adults need to get gas?


John’s VB-MAPP

Ryan’s VB-MAPPProcedures for Teaching Intraverbal

Behavior: An Early Learner

• The simplest types of intraverbal behaviors are the same as those that occur early for many typical children (IV Group)

• Providing the sounds that animals make and filling-in the missing words from songs and fun phrases (use motivators-EOs); these are often easy to teach, and have the effect of beginning to teach a child to make a non-echoic response to a verbal stimulus

• There are several ways to teach early intraverbal behavior, but most involve the same basic teaching procedures used for teaching other forms of verbal behavior (prompting, fading, chaining, etc.)

• For these early intraverbal responses, echoic prompting and fading procedures may work best

• Do lots of these types of IVs (100s); don’t rush to more difficult IVs

Procedures for Teaching Intraverbal


Echoic to intraverbal transfer with animal sounds.

________________________________________________________________________

Antecedent Behavior Consequence

Target verbal stimulus (A kitty says...) Meow Praise

Echoic prompt (Meow)

________________________________________________________________________

Echoic or tact to intraverbal transfer with a song fill -in.

________________________________________________________________________

Antecedent Behavior Consequence

Target verbal stimulus (Sponge Bob square ... pants Praise

Echoic or tact prompt (Pants/pants)

________________________________________________________________________



• In-context intraverbal fill-ins

• Nonverbal stimuli in the physical environment can also be helpful in

establishing intraverbal control (like MOs suggested above)

• Often it is the case that a parent will accompany an activity with

relevant verbal behavior such as Wash your hands

• These verbal stimuli are often consistently correlated with the sink

and water and may provide an opportunity for implementing the

following intraverbal training procedure

• In the context of the sink, water and a bar of soap, the trainer should

say Wash your..., after a brief delay (1-2 seconds) then say hands



• Prompt the child to emit the echoic response hands and represent the

verbal stimulus Wash your... and increase the delay slightly

• Reinforce the verbal response hands if the child emits it without the

echoic prompt

• If the echoic prompt and fading procedure does not result in the child

filling in the blank, use a tact prompting procedure where the trainer

points to the child’s hands after the verbal stimulus wash your…

• If this evokes the tact hands begin to fade the pointing prompt. If this

still fails to evoke the response combine the echoic and tact prompting

procedures

• The goal is to bring the response hands under the multiple control of

the context of the sink, etc., and the verbal stimulus Wash your…



• Intraverbal control can be further developed in two ways.

• One way is to conduct cold probes on the target intraverbal relation.

• In the absence of the sink present the verbal stimulus You wash

your....

• If it evokes the response hands reinforce the behavior and record it as

a pure intraverbal relation (the move to “out-of-context” fill-ins)

• Early rote responding must be avoided and it is certainly possible that

the sink may acquire strong control over the response hands

• In order to prevent this, a second verbal stimulus should be introduced

as soon as possible.



• In the same context of the sink, the trainer says Turn on the... and

using the same prompting and fading procedure previously described,

tries to evoke the response water from the child

• Once this response is acquired the two different verbal stimuli Wash

your.... and Turn on the... can be interspersed with each other along

with distracter trials consisting of tacts relevant to the context, and

mands when appropriate

• A third verbal stimulus can be added such as You dry with a...., or

Turn off the..., You wash with soap and..., etc.

• The goal of this training is to get as many different intraverbal/tact

responses as possible so that the nonverbal stimuli (the physical

environmental context) don’t dominate as the source of control



• Expanding, strengthening, and measuring the early intraverbal

repertoire

• The animal sounds, song fill-ins, fun activities, and in-context fill-ins

intraverbal training procedures can be expanded in a variety of ways

• New songs, different missing words, new contexts, etc.

• Reverse the order of the original IV

• Generalization to different people, contexts, tones, melodies, etc.

• Intersperse relevant nonverbal activities, as well as mands, tacts, and

LDs

• First-trial probe data on the target intraverbal relations should be

conducted on a regular basis



Expanding and strengthening out-of-context fill-ins

• Make sure all relevant words are known as tacts and LDs

• “On your feet you wear________” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• Fill-in-the-blank with a related receptive trial

• “On your feet you wear________” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• “Touch your shoes” (listener trial) (Imitative prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• Fill-in-the-blank

• “You wear shoes on your_______” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• Add new related item

• On your feet you wear shoes and________” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)



• Add new related item


• New related item with related listener trials


• “Touch your socks” (Imitative prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• You wear socks on your________” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• On your feet you wear socks and________” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• “Touch your shoes” (Imitative prompt, fade prompt, distracter)


ASR #46

Which of the following statements are

true regarding the intraverbal subtest?

1. It assesses the child’s overall ability to

learn.

2. Its results suggest how to teach the child.

3. You shouldn’t conduct the subtest with a

child that is at level 1.

4. All of the statements are true.

ASR #47

The purpose of using song fill-ins when

teaching intraverbals is:

1. To teach language that is under the control

of word form.

2. To teach language that is not under the

control of echoics and objects.

3. To make learning fun.


ASR #48

Scrolling occurs when:

1. The child has a large verbal repertoire.

2. There are too many answer choices.

3. There is more than one correct answer.

4. There is no stimulus control.



• Transfer fill-ins to “WH” questions


• What do you wear on your feet? (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• You wear socks on your________” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)


• Reversal with new WH question

• “On your feet your wear socks and_______” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• Where do your shoes go” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• Mixed WH trials


• Where do your shoes go” (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)

• Where do your socks go? (Tact prompt, fade prompt, distracter)



• General Suggestions

• Vary the order of the trials

• Use mixed VB training format

• Differentially reinforce highest quality (e.g., biggest reinforcer IV

trials)

• Reinforce novelty

• Use errorless correction procedures

• Program for generalization

• Make the activities as functional as possible for the child (NET)

• Make it fun


Behavior: An Intermediate Learner

• LRFFC to intraverbal transfer of stimulus control procedures

• Listener responding by Function Feature and Class

• A verbal stimulus that describe the nonverbal stimulus by its

• Function (what you do with it)

• Features (round)

• Class (sporting equipment)

• The verbal stimulus (e.g., “you kick”) and the response

Listener Responding by Function,

Feature, and Class (LRFFC)

You kick

Verbal stimulus Nonverbal array



• LRFFC to intraverbal transfer of stimulus control procedures

• A child often begins to tact the nonverbal stimulus in an LRFFC task

• The verbal stimulus (e.g., “you kick”) and the response (“ball”)

provide the foundation an intraverbal relation

• The task is to fade out the nonverbal stimulus

• And eventually (if not already) fade to a WH question (e.g., “What do

you kick”)

• Select words that are already strong in the child’s repertoire as tacts

and listener discriminations

• When first starting the LRFFC to IV transfer procedure target at least

two new intraverbal relations and intersperse them with previously

acquired skills (i.e., LRFFC, LD, or tact trials)



• The LRFFC trial consists of presenting the child with the array of pictures and the

verbal stimulus (e.g., “You kick a...”)

• Following a correct RFFC trial (e.g., “You kick a...”), praise the child and remove

the visual array of stimuli by covering up the target picture, or sliding the array away

from the child

• Then, after a few seconds of delay, present the target fill-in verbal stimulus (e.g.,

“You kick a...”)

• Use the standard reinforcement and correction procedures

• It is important to introduce a second target intraverbal relation as soon as possible

• For example, “You eat....” with a food item, as well as a ball in the array. The point

is to establish a verbal discrimination repertoire similar to the nonverbal

discrimination repertoire established with tact training

• If the child consistently provides a correct IV response when the pictures are

removed, then begin to include distracter trials and introduce new LRFFC to IVs

Using LRFFC to IV Transfer Procedures

for Establishing Verbal Stimulus and

Response Classes

• A goal of more advanced intraverbal training is to expand the content and variation

of the verbal stimuli and the verbal responses emitted by the child, and to avoid

establishing rote responding

• Generalization training can help

• The two types of generalization: stimulus generalization and response generalization

• A goal is to establish stimulus classes and response classes as they relate to the

intraverbal relation

• A stimulus classes is where a child learns that several different verbal stimuli (e.g.,

fruit, peel, a monkey likes...) can evoke the same word (banana).

• The responses classes is where a single verbal stimulus (peel) can evoke several

different responses (e.g., banana, orange, tangerine).

• LRFFC to intraverbal transfer procedures can be used to establish generalization

first with nonverbal stimuli, then with verbal only stimuli using the same procedures

previously described

Verbal Stimulus Classes and Verbal

Response Classes

Intraverbal stimulus and response cl asses.

Antecedent Behavior

Stimulus class

SD1

SD2 R1

SD3

SD4 SD5

Response Class

R1

R2

SD1 R3

R4

R5

Eat with

Plastic

Kitchen

Verbal Stimulus Class

Non-verbal stimulus class

Using LRFFC to Teach Verbal

Conditional Discriminations

• Intraverbal stimuli quickly become more complex (which is why it

takes typically developing children a long time to move up the

intraverbal levels)

• Verbal conditional discriminations involve at least two parts of a

verbal stimulus that affect each other

• First, each part must be in the repertoire (e.g., “wear” & “head”) with

generalized stimulus and response classes

• Then brought together while fading out the nonverbal array (LRFFC

to IV transfer)

Verbal Conditional

Discriminations

Verbal SD 1

“Wear”

“Find”

“Wear”

“Find”

“Play”

“Do”

Verbal SD 2

“Bed”

“Bed”

“Beach”

“Kitchen”

“Beach”

“Kitchen”

Verbal Response

“Pajamas”

“Pillow”

“Swimsuit”

“Food”

“Sand”

“Food”

+

Additional Intraverbal Procedures

• Verbal modules

• Expansion techniques

• Reading short stories followed by intraverbal questions

• Tact events then after a time delay run intraverbal trials

• Tact plus intraverbal conditional discriminations

• Social intraverbal behavior with peers (e.g., Twigg & Kibbe, ABAI, 2009)

Verbal Plus Nonverbal Conditional

Stimulus Control

Multiple Verbal SDs

• What is it?

• What color is it?

• What sound does it make?

• What do you do with it?

• What’s it made out of?

• What does it feel like?

• How much did it cost?

• Whose car is it?

• Where is the car?

• What size is the car?

• Where do you park it?

• How do you drive it?

• Who drives this car?

Single Nonverbal

Stimulus

• A Toy Car

Response with

Multiple Properties

• “Car”

• “Black”

• “Vroom”

• “Play with it”

• “Metal”

• “Hard”

• “Two dollars”

• “Mine”

• “On the table”

• “Little”

• “Garage”

• “Fast”

• “Daddy”

Thank You!

For an electronic version of this presentation visit:

marksundberg.com/ABAI

ASR #49

Which of the following statements is

true of fill-ins?

1. They are not used in everyday language.

2. They act as stepping stones used prior to

teaching “WH” questions.

3. They act as a prompting procedure.


ASR #50

The suggestion to use a “mixed VB”

teaching format means:

1. Use a mass trial teaching strategy.

2. Intersperse mands, tacts, intraverbal, and

listener skills with each other in teaching

sets.

3. Teach tacts separate from listener skills.

4. Mix several types of tacts together in a

teaching set.

ASR #51

The goal of advanced verbal training is to:

1. Avoid establishing rote responding.

2. Expand the content and variation of verbal

stimuli and the verbal responses emitted by

the child.

3. Teach new words to the child.

4. Only answer choices 1 and 2 are correct.

5. Answer choices 1, 2 and 3 are correct.

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