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This strategy increases the likelihood that a learner will do a task. There is a process to identify what is motivating enough to drive a change in behavior. In some cases, this takes time to develop. This practice can help to establish a clear relationship between work and reward.

This strategy uses reinforcement to reduce how often challenging or disruptive behaviors occurs. It also allows a learner to receive reinforcement based on the quality of their efforts and allows the adult to acknowledge the student’s level of effort.

By making changes to the environment, learner behavior can be improved by reducing the frequency of challenging behavior. With time, the modifications can be gradually changed back to the original arrangement when the learner is ready.

Teaching communication skills to students to replace a challenging behavior such as grabbing or crying. By teaching a learner to communicate their needs or wants, the previous challenging behavior will reduce. Functional Communication Training can include various forms based on the student’s desired mode of communication such as alternative augmentative communication, PECs, etc.

Use of technology to assist students with social, communication, and or academics.  Technology Aided Instruction and Intervention tools include: speech generated devices, iPads, smartphones, and computer assisted instructional programs.

Teaching practice that is pivotal to the student therefore, student-motivated to encourage spontaneous communication, socialization, and play.  Pivotal response training requires teaching staff to find highly motivating items and or activities to encourage the student to spontaneously interact in a naturalistic setting.

Social Narratives are concise, individualized stories designed for pre-teaching.  Words and images provide tailored examples of prosocial behaviors and can be used to teach new or challenging skills. Social Narratives are easy to generate and are well-received by most learners, making them a popular choice for educators and parents.

Students who miss social cues or struggle to learn through experience and observation often benefit from a more direct approach to instruction. Social Skill Training encompasses a range of interventions that are concrete and systematic. It is common for this Social Skill Training to occur in a group setting where students are able to practice emerging skills.

Where better to learn and practice new social skills than in a group of diverse peers engaged in motivating activities? Structured Play Groups hinge on thoughtfully designed activities and are supported by adults who have been trained to plan and facilitate play. Measuring their support, facilitators scaffold play so learners can participate in a meaningful way without being unnecessarily directed.

Peer-mediated Instruction and Intervention allows students to learn from observation of, and instruction from, their peers. Peers are identified and recruited to receive training. Sessions occur daily and communication is ongoing. This helps to maintain the focus on identified goals while monitoring student progress.

Providing a learner specific and sequential help can build self-esteem and success by preventing errors. Adding an emphasis to gradually pulling back the help as the learner becomes more able will build independence.

Most self-help routines such as eating, dressing, and even navigating a building require multiple steps. Attempting to teach all the steps at once is overwhelming. This strategy helps the learner to address one step at a time and then introduces new steps as the learner masters the skill.

Oftentimes telling a learner how to do something is not enough. Modeling is a way of visually demonstrating the steps of a task. This can be done in the moment or during a specific activity to provide more repetitions and practice.

Teaching an academic concept in smaller steps for student success instead of the large concept. Discrete Trial Training provides a systematic approach for educators to teach the steps to the students utilizing errorless learning, clear feedback, and structured cues to help the student be successful.

Pictures such as Boardmaker (generic drawings) or real-life pictures to provide students with support when learning academic skills and or expected behaviors. Visual supports come in various forms: visual schedules, a to do list, visual demonstrations of completing a task, token reward system, etc.

Time Delay teaches students academic skills and embedded routines by gradually increasing the amount of time students have to respond to a cue. The process of time delay begins with 0 second between the teacher cue pre-determined response and eventually the time delay between the cue and response will increase as the controlling prompt decreases leading to student independence.

Video modeling involves learners reviewing a video of themselves or someone familiar to them performing the target behavior or skill, before they are expected to perform the same skill. If your learner benefits from consistent, repetitive, structured visual learning, video modeling may work well for them.

Task analysis involves using a visual support to break down and teach multi-step behaviors and tasks. Once the multi-step tasks and behaviors are broken down into smaller steps, staff members teach the learner each step. When the learner masters a step, they can move onto the next step, gradually becoming more independent.

This strategy provides the learner with a script that allows them to engage in communication with a partner in a structured, appropriate way. Scripting can be used to teach language and social behavior.