May – Applied Behavior Analysis
Research demonstrates time and again that Applied Behavior Analysis is an extremely effective method of significantly improving the lives of children on the autism spectrum. ABA consistently has been proven to be a successful method of teaching communicative, social, academic and daily living skills while decreasing inappropriate, harmful and problematic behaviors. But how much benefit will a child receive if the intervention offered is not really an ABA model? Despite the overwhelming number of programs purporting to deliver such services, the reality is that currently there are no regulations requiring special education therapists and teachers who work with children on the spectrum to be certified or even trained in Applied Behavior Analysis. This comprehensive lecture series is designed to familiarize parents, therapists and educators with the fundamental principles and everyday application of ABA and how to incorporate those principles across home, school and community environments.
Module 1 – The Principles of ABA: Understand the science of ABA and become familiar with how the principles work and their effectiveness with all ages and developmental levels. Topics to be covered include the A-B-C contingency, reinforcement and pairing, punishment and extinction, and motivation. May 1
Module 2 – Natural Environment Teaching: How to use the child’s motivation to teach new skills and encourage generalization of existing skills. Emphasis will be on communication, play, motor and daily living skills, teaching to independence using prompt and fade techniques, how to collect data, and ways to include siblings and peers during natural environment teaching. May 8
Module 3 – Discrete Trial Teaching: Creating an effective “table session” using errorless teaching procedures to teach communication, visual performance and academic skills. Learn how to collect and graph data, and effective ways to transition skills learned during discrete trial teaching into the natural environment. May 15
Module 4 – ABA Progressions: How to identify long-term goals, solidify foundational prerequisites and advance through more complex communication, academic, daily living and social skills. Learn why our children do not “outgrow” ABA. May 22
Module 5 – Applying the Principles: Review and discussion of individual goals and implementation techniques. Participants who attended all five modules will create a specifically tailored plan addressing a targeted goal, and learn how to use that plan as a blue-print for additional and future intervention goals. May 29
Presenters: To Be Announced
7 – 9 pm at the Greenville Community Church
270 Ardsley Road, Scarsdale, NY
Members – Free
Non-Members – $25 per Module or $100 for all 5 Modules
Need based scholarships available
Limited to 25 Participants – Please Reserve Early
Select to Download Registration Form
July – Biomedical and Nutritional Interventions
Increasingly, research suggests that many autistic traits, including withdrawal, eye-contact avoidance and perseverative behaviors, may be attributed to toxic exposure, inabilities to digest certain food proteins and compromised immune systems. Countless parents and professionals have reported improvements in behavior, social relatedness, language use and cognition upon implementing biomedical and nutritional interventions. But understanding these vast and complex protocols can be intimidating. Parents, therapists, educators and health care providers are invited to participate in this comprehensive lecture series and discover why biomedical interventions work and ways to successfully implement them. Participants will be asked to keep a “biomedical journal” to track their weekly successes and challenges.
Module 1 – Getting Started: Outline individual goals for the series. Learn how to begin implementing a biomedical protocol and get information about different laboratory tests and ways to check for heavy metal toxicity, yeast and bacteria overgrowth, allergies and digestive problems. July 3
Module 2 – Specialized Diets: Learn the why and how of implementing specialized diets including gluten- and casein- free, specific carbohydrate and low- phenol, sugar and oxalates. Discuss practical tips for shopping, cooking, eating out and special occasions. July 10
Module 3 – Vitamins and Supplements: Discover the benefits of using vitamins and natural supplements such as probiotics, enzymes, electrolytes and fatty acids to address common problems including acid reflux, yeast overgrowth, viruses and weakened immune systems. Learn about the role of homeopathy as a natural alternative to ailments. July 17
Module 4 – Detoxifying the Body and Environment: Learn about natural and medically prescribed options for removing toxic metals from the body, as well as natural ways to rid the home of toxins. July 24
Module 5 – Applying the Principles: Review and discuss individual goals and progress. Participants who attended all 5 modules will create a specifically tailored strategy to implement a healthier lifestyle to heal, rejuvenate and rebalance their child’s body. July 31
Presented by Nancy Guberti, Certified Holistic Nutritionist
7 – 9 pm at the Greenville Community Church
270 Ardsley Road, Scarsdale, NY
Members – Free
Non-Members – $25 per Module or $100 for all 5 Modules
Need based scholarships available
Limited to 25 Participants – Please Reserve Early
Select to Download Registration Form
October – Language Development
Few skills are as important as, or present more challenges than, the ability to communicate. The inability to express wants and needs is a huge source of frustration for the affected child and other family members. Language delays and disorders often result in inappropriate behaviors, delayed social and play skills, and difficulty with academics. Parents, therapists and educators are invited to a comprehensive lecture series designed to familiarize participants with how to facilitate language development in children who are non-vocal or language delayed using effective principles and techniques from both Applied Behavior Analysis and Speech and Language Pathology.
Module 1 – Overview of Speech and Language Pathology: Understand the difference between “speech” and “language” and the developmental progression of each. Learn how to distinguish between a delay and a disorder, and ways to address problems with articulation, fluency, oral-motor and sensory-motor planning, apraxia and feeding. October 2
Module 2 – Overview of Verbal Behavior: Discover how to encourage language development through the use of Applied Behavior Analysis by understanding the different functions of language, and ways to use the child’s motivation as a starting point for communication. Participants will practice effective procedures for teaching verbal behavior, and also learn about augmentative options for children who are non-vocal. October 9
Module 3 – Advanced Language Development / Avoiding Pitfalls: Learn how to use the principles of verbal behavior to encourage more advanced language skills including asking and answering questions, using descriptive language, and maintaining conversational turns. Discover ways to deal with common language problems such as non-responsiveness, prompt dependency, echolalia, scripting, rote responding and over- and under- generalization of word usage. October 16
Module 4 – Social Language: Understand pragmatic language and learn how to advance social communication in supported group interactions. Discover how to encourage the child’s ability to use vocal and non-vocal language to initiate, maintain and engage others. October 23
Module 5 – Applying the Principles: Review and discussion of individual goals and implementation techniques. Participants who attended all five modules will create a specifically tailored plan addressing a targeted language goal, and learn how to use that plan as a blue-print for additional and future language goals. October 30
Presenters: To Be Announced
7 – 9 pm at the Greenville Community Church
270 Ardsley Road, Scarsdale, NY
Members – Free
Non-Members – $25 per Module or $100 for all 5 Modules
Need based scholarships available
Limited to 25 Participants – Please Reserve Early
Select to Download Registration Form
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