Helpful article on child safety in the March OARacle

The March issue of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) newsletter, The OARacle, has a useful article addressing an issue of interest for parents with a family member on the autism spectrum,

HOW TO: KEEPING YOUR CHILD SAFE

Kate Britton, M.S.Ed., M.A., BCBA  and Bridget A. Taylor, PsyD, BCBA-D
Take Practical Steps to Ensure Your Child’s Safety

This article recommends 7 strategies, including a very useful list of Functional Safety Skills; the article closes with a list of helpful resources.
Recommended!

To get acquainted with all the resources offered by OAR, including the "Life Journey Through Autism" series, AND to sign up for your own subscription to the e-newsletter, visit the OAR website.

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Best wishes!

Blog to the Verbal Behavior Wiki

DISCLAIMER: Personal opinion and blog, for information only and
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.

Helpful article on child safety in the March OARacle

Repeat: Yale Child Center makes course on autism available online at no cost to the public

**Repeat of post from March 24, 2010 - this really is an exceptional opportunity to access a quality resource at no cost, and I want to let it stand a few days so readers can take note of its availability. The original post was bumped for a time-urgent workshop announcement**

The Yale Child Study Center has recently made their undergraduate seminar course on autism available to the public online at no cost.

This is the same course that has been available to Yale University students. Presentations include .pdf handouts to accompany. If the videos are viewed on YouTube, there is the option of close captioning and possibly translation.















These seminars may be of interest and value as a general overview of the various areas of research and application involved in the autism spectrum disorders.

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Best wishes!

Blog to the Verbal Behavior Wiki

DISCLAIMER: Personal opinion and blog, for information only and
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.

Repeat: Yale Child Center makes course on autism available online at no cost to the public

WORKSHOP: April 30, 2010 - Hicksville, NY - "Autism & How it affects the entire family unit: How to recognize and remediate quality of family life issues..."

Presentation: Autism and how it affects the entire family unit: How to recognize and help remediate quality of family life issues - From marriage, friendships to siblings.
Presenters: David Celiberti, Ph.D., BCBA, & Ruth Donlin, M.S.

Date: April 30, 2010
Time: 10am to 2:00pm [10am-12Noon; 12:30-2:00pm]
Location: Levittown Community Hall
201 Levittown Parkway
Hicksville, NY (between Stewart Ave. and Old Country Rd.)
See Elija Foundation conference page for full information, cost, registration and RSVP.

10:00am - 12:00Noon : What about me? Understanding and addressing the needs of siblings of children with autism
Presenter: David Celiberti, Ph.D., BCBA

Description: The bond we share with our siblings is one of the longest, most important relationships of our lives. Unfortunately, many parents may struggle with concerns and questions related to their typically developing children.

This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of some common sibling challenges and address important topics such as the possible impact of autism on siblings, parent-sibling communication, siblings' understanding of autism and related disabilities, siblings' relationships with their friends, self esteem, and balanced parenting.

Objectives

• Learner will identify several possible positive and negative effects of autism on the sibling.
• Learner will describe strategies for communicating with the sibling about autism
• Learner will describe strategies for helping the sibling manage questions from peers

Presenter bio: David Celiberti received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Rutgers University in 1993 and obtained his certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2000. He is President of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment and President and founder of the Parent Professional Partnership SIG of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). He is in private practice, providing consultation to schools and agencies in the U.S. and Canada, and has authored several articles in professional journals and presents frequently at regional, national, and international conferences. He has taught at both undergraduate and graduate levels and has conducted research in the areas of applied behavior analysis, family intervention, and autism.

12:30pm-2:00 pm: How to beat the statistics: Understanding and addressing how autism affects the family unit
Presenter: Ruth Donlin, M.S.

Description: Families can become consumed with improving the life of their child(ren) with autism. However, in becoming singular in their focus to make sure they have done everything they can to help their child, they may overlook how to create a balanced family environment of love, peace, and stability which serves as the foundation by making the family relationships a priority and focus. There are purported statistics indicating that the divorce rate of families of children with autism is in the 80% range. Personal difficulties reported by parents of autistic children include increased stress; poor physical health; depression; excessive time demands; parental burnout; effect on family life, and future psychosocial problems. Parents also report decreased marital satisfaction and increased marital turmoil as a result of the daily  tensions associated with raising an autistic child. This is an important  observation considering that marital satisfaction seems to be a strong  predictor of a parent’s ability to cope with his/her child's disability (Friedrich, 1979). 

This workshop will focus on employing strategies to build and strengthen the family unit.

 Objectives:

• Learner will recognize common family stressors when raising a child with  autism.
• Learner will identify strategies for improving marital communication  toward a common goal.
• Learner will identify strategies to rectify these stressors and improve  the family unit.

Presenter bio:  Ruth Donlin is a consultant whose private practice is based in New York. She provides consultation to schools, agencies, and home programs that serve children and adults on the autism spectrum. She has completed her course requirements for a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute and is currently completing her dissertation. She presents on a variety of topics such as challenging behaviors, classroom management, using visual supports, team dynamics, and social skill development at conferences regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Ms. Donlin is President of the Autism Special Interest Group (SIG) for the Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).

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Best wishes!

Blog to the Verbal Behavior Wiki

DISCLAIMER: Personal opinion and blog, for information only and
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.

WORKSHOP: April 30, 2010 - Hicksville, NY - "Autism & How it affects the entire family unit: How to recognize and remediate quality of family life issues..."

WORKSHOP: IN 3/27/10 - Teresa Grimes, M.S., BCBA & Steve Ward, M.A., BCBA

IN FEAT (Indiana Families for Effective Autism Treatment) is hosting Teresa Grimes, M.S., BCBA & Steve Ward, M.A., BCBA
from Whole Child Consulting,
in a workshop for parents and professionals on  
The Inventory of Good Learner Repertoires.

Saturday, March 27, 2010, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Hammond, Indiana

Conference Location
The Calumet Conference Center
at Purdue University Calumet
2300 173rd Street Hammond, IN 46323
(219)989-3136

The workshop is free/no-cost*. There is a $20 fee for the box lunch and coffee service.
* BACB CEs offered for BCBAs and BCaBAs. There is an additional charge for BACB credits.
Full description from the IN FEAT website.

***After March 21st, please call to secure a seat and make arrangements to pay the day of the conference.***

For questions, contact
jillannmcneil@aol.com or call Jill at  (219)742-2803.

Description of the event:
This workshop is designed for teachers, parents and therapists, and can benefit all students, no matter their developmental level. The focus of this workshop is on helping students become easier to teach.
The Inventory of Good Learner Repertoires will help you identify ways to make your students easy to teach, and this workshop takes the next step- showing you how to teach those learner repertoires. Stop wasting time working too hard to teach anything, and teach your student how to learn! 
WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEARNER? Good learners respond readily in a wide variety of circumstances. They demonstrate "quality responding" in all environments.  

The Inventory of Good Learner Repertoires asks how well your student performs in a variety of specific instructional conditions. It is a detailed assessment that goes beyond other assessments. 
It looks at core behaviors, such as 

• Resilience and Regulation, 
• Perseverance and
  Focus, Flexibility, and Spontaneity. 

It helps you pinpoint the areas which are most important to target to help your student become a good learner. In addition, it helps you evaluate the adaptations required to evoke quality responding and to focus on removing those adaptations over time, so the learner can maintain quality responding in the most natural circumstances possible.

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Best wishes!

Blog to the Verbal Behavior Wiki

DISCLAIMER: Personal opinion and blog, for information only and
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.

WORKSHOP: IN 3/27/10 - Teresa Grimes, M.S., BCBA & Steve Ward, M.A., BCBA

Yale Child Center makes course on autism available online at no cost to the public

The Yale Child Study Center has recently made their undergraduate seminar course on autism available to the public online at no cost.

This is the same course that has been available to Yale University students. Presentations include .pdf handouts to accompany. If the videos are viewed on YouTube, there is the option of close captioning and possibly translation.



These seminars may be of interest and value as a general overview of the various areas of research and application involved in the autism spectrum disorders.

----------

Best wishes!

Blog to the Verbal Behavior Wiki

DISCLAIMER: Personal opinion and blog, for information only and
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.

Yale Child Center makes course on autism available online at no cost to the public

Fascinating audio presentation by Mark Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D on verbal behavior assessment for children with autism and the VB-MAPP

This is a fascinating (and long) audio presentation by Mark Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA (may need Quicktime), of the rationale and history of the application of Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior to learners with autism.

Dr. Sundberg discusses appropriate structuring of curriculum based on learner skill levels, and comparison of typical learner repertoires and language levels and how this informed Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program/ VB-MAPP development.

I believe that this is useful in considering a holistic and compassionate picture of teaching language to children with autism; it's long, but worth listening to - and more than once if you can do it.

35. A NEW GENERATION OF VERBAL BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION: THE VB-MAPP
2008 Penn State National Autism conference
August 5, 2008 9-4:15PM
Mark Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Audio (mp3)   Handout (pdf)

(INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED, BACB CEUs)
The evolution of Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior will be presented, with an update on its application using the VB-MAPP.


All past posts related to Mark Sundberg and his presentations

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Best wishes!

Blog to the Verbal Behavior Wiki

DISCLAIMER: Personal opinion and blog, for information only and
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.

Fascinating audio presentation by Mark Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D on verbal behavior assessment for children with autism and the VB-MAPP

A favorite article: "A model for problem solving in discrete trial training for children with autism."

While not a "VB" article, per se, I like to point this particular paper out to people when I can because I think it's very useful for thinking about how to teach and assess progress or, as may occur, lack therein in a logical and systematic matter. Don't let the "discrete trial" of the title throw you; there are other instructional strategies discussed, including incidental teaching and video modelling.

Ferraioli, S., Hughes, C., & Smith, T. (2005). A model for problem solving in discrete trial training for children with autism. Journal of Early and Intensive Behavior Intervention , 2(4), 224-246.

Note: As of 2010, the Journal of Early and Intensive Behavior Intervention is in the process of changing its name; it will now be known as the Journal of Behavior Assessment and Intervention in Children (JBAIC)
See the Journal website for more information.

----------

Best wishes!

Blog to the Verbal Behavior Wiki

DISCLAIMER: Personal opinion and blog, for information only and
not intended to be professional advice or endorsement.

A favorite article: "A model for problem solving in discrete trial training for children with autism."