| When you are the parent or teacher of a child | | | | effective is in teaching students to break negative |
| diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, teaching | | | | patterns of behavior. With autistic children, the |
| them certain behaviors and tasks can become | | | | attention gained from scolding or reprimanding is not |
| overwhelming. Even though most individuals | | | | seen as a negative response, but as a reward of |
| understand that autistic children learn differently, | | | | attention, so breaking negative habits takes a |
| without training it can be difficult to know how to | | | | different strategy. With ABA training, negative |
| change negative behaviors or to teach certain skill | | | | behavior is ignored entirely, while a positive response |
| sets. ABA, or Applied Behavior Analysis therapy can | | | | to the same trigger is rewarded with attention, a |
| be a very important and effective tool. By breaking | | | | sticker, or some other small but enjoyable |
| concepts and behaviors into smaller and more | | | | response. This helps to condition the child into |
| understandable steps, the therapy opens the | | | | behaving and reacting appropriately to various |
| doorway to learning so that these students are given | | | | situations and stimuli. |
| a fair opportunity. | | | | |
| | | | | If you are a parent, educator, or school |
| With ABA therapy, children are given the ability to | | | | administrator, encouraging your school district to |
| take concepts and behaviors in smaller, easier bites. | | | | integrate Applied Behavior Analysis therapy is an |
| Behaviors are broken down into their most basic | | | | excellent idea. The approach can prove to be |
| steps, and each step is repeated until it has been | | | | beneficial for all students, and it can truly work |
| learned and can be mimicked without prompting. | | | | wonders for autistic children. These kids deserve |
| Over time, the steps are put together so that the | | | | the chance to learn while among their peers if |
| child is able to perform a routine task without stress | | | | possible, and the skills and behaviors offered by ABA |
| or confusion. It is important for educators to | | | | help to increase these chances. ABA therapy can |
| understand that autistic children are highly capable, | | | | also give students the skills they need to function |
| but that they simply learn differently than most | | | | well into adulthood. With affordable DVD courses |
| students. ABA therapy essentially helps them learn | | | | available, it is possible for any school system to |
| how to learn. | | | | provide educators with high quality ABA training that |
| | | | | can give every student the chance to learn at the |
| Another means in which ABA therapy is quite | | | | best of their ability. |