Naturalistic Teaching Procedures

2009

Early behavioral treatments for children with autism used principles of reinforcement and punishment to create highly effective teaching interactions. Children with autism were often taken out of the ?natural? environment and taught in individualized, tightly controlled situations. In this way, distractions could be minimized, correct responding could be prompted, and consequences could be reliably delivered. Commonly labeled ?discrete trial training,? this teaching method made sense because basic behavioral research had clearly demonstrated that the rate of learning could be increased through immediate and frequent delivery of potent consequences. In addition, teaching these children the complex discriminations required for language and social development was thought to require careful control of teaching conditions.

Book Chapter

Consumers/Families, Professionals, Students

N/A