When it comes to teaching comprehension to autistic learners, it can be difficult to know where to get started. This is an important skill leading to independent communication, and it’s crucial to have a robust system for teaching the skills.

I’m going over some of the foundational skills leading to comprehension. Labeling is a progressional skill that should start with the preferred terms of the learner, then onto more functional beyond the therapy room for their day to day life. Intraverbals and (to keep things simple) filling in the blanks are another skill that is a cornerstone of conversation and a foundation of comprehension learning. Don’t forget to check out Dr. Sundberg’s supplement that I discuss in this episode.

WH questions are a specific target to get started with in comprehension. You can get very specific with criteria and data when creating learning targets and IEP goals for this skill. You can teach this skill with visuals (I share a resource for this today too!) and very importantly, you can use WH questions to teach and generalize personal safety questions: What is your name? What is your guardian's name? What is your phone number? Etc.

There are great links and resources for you to check out today, so don’t miss those! And if you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to leave a review or reach out to me at ABAspeech.org with any questions.

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• How to support a learner with struggling comprehension skills.
• A robust system for teaching comprehension with autistic students.
• Creating functional IEP goals for comprehension with WH questions.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Dr. Sundberg Intraverbal Supplement: Intraverbal Subtest V.6.0
ABA SPEECH Intraverbal Printable: Speech Therapy Activity: Focus on Comprehension & Expressive Language
Boom Cards for Comprehension
Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership - Membership ABA Speech
Join the bootcamp here: Dynamic Content Joint Attention Bootcamp 

*Alexa play Get Along by Kenny Chesney*

Rachel Stotts wrote the article, Accepting Different Opinions About Autism in the Nov/Dec issue of ASHA Leader. It is bright positive energy in a space that really needs it. She is an SLP and a mother of 4.  Rachel’s passion for autism is so important professionally and personally, as she has her adult autistic son at home.
 
Rachel shares her thoughts on the controversy surrounding the autism puzzle piece. For her, autism is a puzzle—figuring out all the right support, services, and needs. When it comes to different opinions and information, she reminds us to listen, stay informed, and evaluate based on our values and knowledge.  One person, one therapy, one anything—it just doesn't work in the autism population.

There is always someone offended, a trending opinion, or a hot button topic. So how do we navigate all of the information and opinions online and on social media?
-Remember who you are in this industry for: It’s not about likes and validation; it's about making a difference in the child’s life.
-Be cautious about the content you’re consuming.
-Find community away from negative online spaces.

Unfortunately, not everyone is going to see eye to eye on interventions, but as long as we support people and the people supporting the people, we can find positivity and make a difference!

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• ASHA Leader Article: Accepting Different Opinions About Autism by Rachel Stotts.
• Thoughts on the Autism Puzzle Piece.
• How to navigate online information.
• Finding support from negative spaces.

Mentioned In This Episode:
ABA SPEECH Connection Membership
Join the bootcamp here: https://aba-speech-llc.ck.page/38b4953816

Today we’re featuring more accessible research! We’re talking about a topic I am really passionate about; Modified Leisure with play, social skills, and joint attention all mixed in. 

Dr. Erin Barton explains the research involved in her study, Teaching Board Game Play to Young Children With Disabilities. Her work focused on expanding play research from pretend play to play with peers, with an emphasis on the least amount of adult intervention. Dr. Barton makes an important note that every child deserves a 100% chance that they will have at least 1 chance for a positive interaction with their peers. Board game play is a naturally occurring chance for small group play with functionality that applies beyond the therapy room.

The children involved in the study had limited speech, developmental delays and required no peer aversions, specific motor skills related to game play, and the ability to follow one-step directions. They generalized board game play with visual cues and step by step guides among an array of games that were picked daily by rotating student choice. In the study, they found that after between 5 and 10 sessions, children were able to generalize and maintain the skill. 


Dr. Barton also shares some tips that everyday clinicians can use today in the therapy room. 

• Cooperation focus: change games so they meet the needs of the child, they don't have to be the original win/lose function.
• Adaptations: create visual cues and prompts that can become a part of the game and do not need to be faded.
• Student interests: use games and interests the students enjoy to reinforce the process.

Did you like this episode? Let me know if you’d like more like this, and I'll keep bridging the gap between research and practice!

#autism #speechtherapy


What’s Inside:

• Increasing chances for positive peer to peer interactions.
• Generalizing board game play with cues and adaptations.
• Supporting peer to peer interactions with play and limited adult intervention.
• How to teach board game play for the everyday clinician. 

Mentioned In This Episode:
ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

“We have to see learners as a part of their community.” Brittany Schmidt, BCBA-SLP, explains a major point of the AAC Trial process, having the device be effective across all of the learners' environments and communication partners.

It’s hard to stay up to date and fully understand AAC when you’re not working with it on a regular basis. In this episode, Brittany shares some specific points and ideas when it comes to finding the right AAC device for a learner and avoiding device abandonment.

Over the years, there has been an incredible evolution of access. There is more affordability and availability of devices and applications with unique features that can be programmed for diverse learners. Ease and functionality, response and consequence changing, power words, and realistic goal setting are among some of the great points Brittany and I discuss.

You can find out more about Brittany through Thrive Clinical Solutions or reach out to her via email. Be on the lookout for her talk and CEUs on AAC through ABA Speech Connection.

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• Understanding the varying modes of intent to communicate, including problem behaviors.
• Helping learners communicate across environments and partners.
• The evolution of access to AAC.
• Unique app features that can help a variety of learners needs.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Thrive Clinical Solutions
[email protected]
ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

As a fellow busy SLP-BCBA, I know it's hard to keep up to date with research. That's why I’ve been combing through articles and inviting these researchers in our field on the podcast! I am on a mission to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Stephanie Gonzalez is a BCBA doctoral candidate at the University of Florida and the author of the article, Teaching Children to Respond to Questions About the Past: A Preliminary Analysis. While her research into this topic is ongoing, Stephanie and I had a great conversation about recall skills and how some may not see them as an available skill for their learners. The work she has done shows how this skill can be worked on alongside other important targets.

What did you do at school today? What did you do this weekend? What movie did you see? What toy did you play with? These are all valuable questions that recall the past and unlock conversations, especially for parents who want to know what their child is up to.

Using probe fading, Stephanie gradually builds a delay in recall, using differential reinforcements every time a learner correctly recalls. In fact, with the learners she's worked with, she has surprisingly built the 30 minute recall very quickly. Stephanie explains the base skills her learners have and how others may build this into their treatment package.

Be sure to read Stephanie’s article and stay tuned for more important research made accessible!

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Bridging the gap between research and practice.
• Research making recall skills available to learners.
• How to use probe fading to increase recall conversations with clients.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Autism Outreach: #107 The Importance of Comprehension Skills with Dr. Merrill Winston
Teaching Children to Respond to Questions About the Past: A Preliminary Analysis
ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

While schools in the past have focused on a consultative model when it comes to BCBAs, it has become a growing trend in the field for schools to hire a district wide BCBA of their own. When you move from a consultant to an actual school employee this opens up a lot of room for dialogue. BCBA, Dr. Bruce Tinor joins me to chime in with this conversation.

Dr. Tinor agrees that hiring BCBAs is the right step but just one is not enough. There are certain roles in a school where 1 overseer is enough, but being an effective BCBA requires a lot of hands-on work and direct contact. If you do find yourself in the daunting task of being your district's only BCBA, Dr. Tinor has some great tips to systematically attack and support your school. Even if you are the only BCBA employee of the school, find a community to collaborate and share knowledge and support.

Along with all of his wisdom and insight for active school based BCBAs, he shares some advice that applies to even new BCBAs wherever they may land. Pair with your clients. This might mean students, parents, or even other staff but when you have paired up and built rapport, success and trust will follow.

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• The role of a school based BCBA.
• Tips for working in a school district as a BCBA.
• The value of collaborating with other BCBAs.
• Advice for new BCBAs.

Mentioned In This Episode:
ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

Joining me from Upstate Caring Partners is Dr. Erik Jacobson. The agency works with a large population of individuals with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Upstate CP is focused on changing lives with compassionate care.

During our conversation, Dr. Jacobson discusses how Upstate CP has reflected on their previous caretaking model, evaluating hand over hand crafts and goals that don’t last the lifespan. They have transitioned into an instructional model that builds strong relationships and creates a safe environment in a dignified way.

Dr. Jacobson shares how their staffing and teams have changed, starting with hiring their very first BCBA in 2019. With a focus on making their program less like school and more like life, they are making lasting changes that are going to positively impact the individuals in their care for life. You can find more about Upstate Caring Partners on their website.

 #autism #speechtherapy 

What’s Inside:

• What is Upstate Caring Partners?
• Transitioning from a caretaking model to an instructional model.
• How to build strong relationships and create a safe environment in a dignified way.

Mentioned In This Episode:
 Upstate Caring Partners
ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or training), also known largely as ACT, is a relatively new premise in the field of ABA. Kate Nasuti who has been a BCBA for over a decade and in the field of ABA for 20+ years, joins me to discuss this important topic.

Kate shares her experience learning about ACT and how it's benefited her personally, even comparing “ACT Boot Camp” to a yoga retreat. It’s that impactful. She uses this technique now with parents and providers, giving access to this incredible therapy via coaching with individuals who would not otherwise benefit from ABA.

We go through some of the core processes of ACT: Mindfulness, Diffusion, Committed Action, Self as context, Values, and Acceptance. Kate describes some of these in detail, like Value Clarification. She uses this really beautiful quote from Michelangelo on his sculpture of David, “I just chipped all the way through the parts that aren’t David ''...to reveal that for clarification of our own values, we must just remove all the values that aren't ours.

Kate shares a ton of great resources, like the ACT course available on PRAXIS and Dr. Steven C. Hayes’ book, The Liberated Mind. ACT is such a beneficial addition to the science of ABA that I really encourage everyone to learn more!

 #autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is ACT?
• What are the 6 core processes of ACT?
• Who can benefit from ACT?
• Where to find more information and resources on ACT.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Get access to Kate’s ASHA and ACE course: Is It Really Burnout? Anxiety? How Words Can Get Us Stuck by joining the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership

Replay: Episode 107

As SLPs and BCBAs, we are tasked with teaching comprehension to our learners, but do they really understand these skills? Dr. Merrill Winston joined me to discuss not only reading comprehension but comprehension in everyday life and the building block skills to be successful.

What is comprehension?

Whether you're reading a book or listening to a statement, there are 3 markers for comprehension.

• Repeat it.
• Follow the Directions or Instructions within it.
• Talk about it.

Dr. Winston and I get into the nitty gritty of that last marker and talk about it when it comes to comprehension of daily life. He says that a major prerequisite for reading comprehension is comprehending their day. You can check this by having your learner sequence, or "serieate," their day. (First I did this, then I did this, then we did that…)
 
With this skill, students are pulling information from the past and making a time reference. You can practice by working in smaller increments, like the last hour even. This doesn't have to be verbal; it can be in pictures or icons as well! But the important thing is to ask those questions!! Students may not be able to serialize their day simply because they aren't being asked these questions.

We also talk about goal setting and realistic expectations. If you're considering setting a comprehension goal for your learner, Dr. Winston says to be sure to ask: What is the end goal? Where is this skill going to take them? Every skill you spend time on should have a goal that extends across the lifespan and opens more doors and opportunities. He even goes as far as to say that working on a goal for too long without progress is careless!
 
This was such a great chat with a leader in the field of ABA, and I hope you found it helpful!

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What does comprehension really mean?
• How should providers be working on comprehension?
• What is “seriating your day” and why is it important?
• Determining functional goals for your learners.
• How goals and skills build to reach larger goals.
• Goals that will impact your learners life.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Winston Behavioral Solutions 
ABASpeechByRose - Rose Griffin - Instagram
Membership - ABA Speech 

Replay: Episode 105

I love talking about joint attention, but a lot of my ideas and strategies in my courses may feel like they are geared toward older preschool age students. My tips today are for the youngest learners, toddlers age 2 to 3. Joint attention is an important foundational skill and it is never too early to get started with these strategies!

3 Ways to Get Started with Joint Attention with Your Toddler Today

Books
Books are the lifeline for learning and sharing activities and time with our little ones. For these young learners, when reading use a positive, energetic voice. Try using board books and interactive books with flaps. With your own child, make a goal to embed at least 15 minutes to read and interact with a book everyday!
Some of my favorites: Huggy Kissy and the Llama Llama series

Songs
Use YOUR Voice. Learn songs with motions to sing with your toddler. If toddlers aren't speaking they can join in by using the gestures and doing the motions as you sing. You can also use visuals like toys that match the song or printed visuals from my TPT store for early intervention songs.
Some of my favorites: Wheels on the Bus, 5 Little Monkeys, Happy and You Know It, Old McDonald

Play
Playing with toddlers is so fun and you never know what they will love and enjoy. Focus on not asking questions but just modeling simple language and narrating the activity.
Some of my favorites: Bubbles, Sensory Bins, Cars with Tracks

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• 3 ways you can work on joint attention at home today!
• Joint attention strategies for toddlers.
• Tips and tricks for embedding joint attention work in your day to day.
• How to read books, sing songs, and play with your child to assist with joint attention.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Books For Speech Therapy For Toddlers
Songs for Early Intervention by ABA SPEECH | TPT
Membership - ABA Speech