How to Use This Program
After this introduction, there are 14 modules. Each of them contains several sections. In many of the modules, we will describe how to teach various skills, and show you videos to demonstrate how to teach them. We strongly recommend that you read and view the videos in modules 1 through 6 first.
Module 1 Expected Development will show you what skills are expected at early ages in typical development. It’s a good idea to watch all the sections, starting with age 1 year, even if your child is older. You might notice that even if your child has older skills, she might be missing a skill or behavior of younger children. Then you will know that this missing skill might be a good one to work on.
Module 2 Basic Principles will explain the basic ideas behind behavioral and naturalistic teaching. You can then use these basic principles to come up with some of your own plans for teaching new skills to your child.
Module 3 Choosing Skills to Teach will discuss some very basic skills to teach first. It will also give you some specific guidelines for deciding if a particular skill is a good one to work on.
Module 4 Important Things to Teach Early describes several other skills that form the foundation of later learning, and that are, therefore, very important to teach early.
Module 5 How to Use Daily Routines shows you many daily activities that provide great opportunities for teaching your child. These might be bath time, errands outside the house, household chores, meals and snacks, and bedtime.
Module 6 Problem Behavior describes some behaviors that children do that can interfere with learning and interacting with other people. It then explains some ways to prevent or reduce these behaviors.
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When you have finished reading and watching modules 1 through 6, we will address Where Do I Go From Here, describing modules 7-14. This should help you decide what other modules might be most useful to you right now.
So, these are the titles of the 14 Modules:
Introduction
1. Expected Development
2. Basic Principles
3. Choosing Skills To Teach
4. Important Things to Teach Early
5. How to Use Daily Routines
6. Problem Behavior
Where Do I Go From Here?
7. Picky Eating
8. Toilet Training
9. Special Learning Sessions
10. Clear Instructions
11. Understanding Language
12. Let’s Talk
13. Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
14. Pretend Play
Within each module, please do the sections in the order in which they are presented. The information in later sections builds upon earlier ones. After you have completed a module, then you can go back over any of the sections that you would like to review. Then try out some of the suggestions to get comfortable with them and see if they might work for you and your child.
You may want to read and watch the videos several times, since there are many ideas that may be new to you. Stop whenever you need to think about what you have just read. It may help to watch some of the videos a few times. Think about how the ideas might apply to you and your child.
We put a lot of detail in each section. This is to try to cover many situations that might arise, and to provide alternate ways of teaching skills. Don’t feel that you have to learn all this detail. You don’t. Take what is useful to you and to your child.
This is very important, so we’ll repeat: There is a lot of material in the program, both in the text and in the videos. It would be easy to become overwhelmed. Remember – you don’t need to learn it all. Try things out with your child and see what is helpful.
Some of the skills we will be discussing may be too easy for your child. Your child may have already learned them. Other skills may be too difficult for your child. Some methods may not work for you or your child. Others will. There will be times when you or your child feel frustrated.
When you see your child starting to get upset or frustrated, give him an easy instruction, something you think he can easily do. For example, you could say “Do this” while clapping your hands. If he claps his hands, praise him (“Good clapping!” or “Good doing what I do”). Then take a break, if possible doing something he enjoys. You can start some teaching again later that day or the next day. If he can’t or doesn’t imitate you clapping your hands, gently take his hands and make them clap. If he needs that help, praise him anyway and then take a break.
My child won’t cooperate like the children in the videos! We hear you! Some of the video clips show an adult working on a skill that has already been worked on for several weeks or months while some of them show starting to teach a skill. Some of the skills in the video clips are pretty easy for the child to learn, while some will take a lot more teaching. If you have been working on something for several weeks and your child is not learning this skill, drop back. Do something easier. If you think your child might be able to learn this skill, but he is not interested in cooperating and is not motivated by your praise or even a treat or a game, you can go to Module 6 (Problem Behavior) where you might get some ideas that will help build cooperation. Then come back to where you were.
If you are getting frustrated or upset because things are not going as well or as quickly as you would like, you need a break! Give your child an easy instruction, as described just above, and praise him. Then do something that is relaxing for you. Take deep breaths. If someone else can watch your child, go for a walk, or do something else you haven’t had time to do. What you are doing with your child is not easy, but you are doing something very important for him. Take your time, be patient, and value even small steps.
The material in this program is based on the knowledge and experience of the authors, who have worked mainly in the United States. If there is anything that does not seem like a good thing to teach your child, then don’t teach it. Your family, your community, or your larger culture may have different things they want a child to do or not to do. Use the basic principles you learn in modules 1, 2, and 3 to teach the skills that you consider important.
We are going to assume your child has few skills in attention or language. Even if you think the skills we are talking about are too easy for your child, read about the basic ideas and methods of teaching. They can also be used to teach more advanced skills.
At the end of most modules, there is a short RECAP in the form of a quiz. These are designed to help you decide if you understood the material in that module. No one will see your recap guesses or answers unless you are in a research study and give your consent. A good way to work on these recap questions is to think about your answer and make your best guess. Then read the explanations of the correct and incorrect answers. If you answer most of the questions correctly, you will be ready to try out some of the ideas in that module. But, if some of the questions are difficult for you, or, if you feel you could benefit from reading the module one more time, please do that before moving ahead.