The Pyramid Approach for Parents and Professionals

25 minutes

General Description This webcast begins with a brief overview of the Pyramid Approach to Education, a unique teaching model designed by Andy Bondy, PhD based on the principles of broad spectrum applied behavior analysis. This webcast will briefly discuss the base elements of the Pyramid including functional activities, reinforcement systems, communication/social skills, and contextually inappropriate behaviors and alternatives. A description of the Pyramid’s top elements, including generalization, creating effective lessons, specific teaching strategies, minimizing and correcting errors, and data collection and analysis will follow.

The Pyramid Approach for Parents and Professionals is appropriate for all members of the educational team who would like to learn about the Pyramid Approach to Education, including speech-language pathologists, parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, behavior analysts, psychologists, social workers and other professionals who are providing services for or living with individuals with developmental disabilities.

What You Will Begin To Learn:

• How to successfully implement the Pyramid Approach to Education
• The importance of teaching functional communication skills
• How to create opportunities for teaching

A Clear Picture: The Use and Benefits of PECS

45 minutes

Join Lori Frost, MS, CCC-SLP as she introduces the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), and includes a synopsis of the six training phases, a discussion of myths and facts associated with PECS and an overview of the research related to PECS.

General Description This webcast begins with a brief overview of the Pyramid Approach to Education, a unique teaching model designed by Andy Bondy, PhD based on the principles of broad spectrum Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). A description of traditional approaches to communication and an overview of PECS follow. Lori briefly discusses the phases of PECS and outcome data, as well as the relationship of PECS to reinforcement systems, schedules, and behavior management. Please note that this is an overview only and is not intended as a training workshop.

A Clear Picture: The Use and Benefits of PECS is appropriate for all members of the educational team who would like to learn about the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), including speech-language pathologists, parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, behavior analysts, psychologists, social workers and other professionals who are providing services for or living with individuals with developmental disabilities.

What You Will Begin To Learn:

• The Picture Exchange Communication System is a unique augmentative/alternative communication system
• PECS consists of six distinct training phases
• PECS is an evidence-based strategy
• Common misperceptions about PECS

I am the master of my emotions

45 minutes

Join Andy Bondy, PhD as he explores why many children, especially those with autism, have difficulty in acquiring language related to expressing emotions and identifying emotions in other people. Andy presents the information in a simple and conversational manner, enabling even the novice to grasp the concepts discussed.

General Description
B.F. Skinner provided an important guide to the analysis of language in his book, Verbal Behavior. In this book, he stresses the critical value of focusing on the function of various aspects of communication. His analysis includes a very interesting section on what he termed “private events.” That is, how do we learn to talk about things that happen inside us? I am the Master of my Emotions will review traditional approaches to teaching children with autism to communicate about their emotions as well as how to respond to such language from other people. Dr. Bondy will also review how to consider various lessons related to emotions and how to incorporate Skinner’s analysis into the design of effective lessons. These lessons may involve very young children, teenagers or adults who continue to have difficulty with this topic. This webcast will review why this area is so difficult for those with autism and suggest teaching strategies that may lead to successful acquisition of these complex language skills.

I am the Master of my Emotions is appropriate for all members of the educational team who want to learn more about the language of emotions, including speech-language pathologists, parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, behavior analysts, psychologists, social workers and/or other professionals providing services for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.  What You Will Begin To Learn:

• To describe how children typically learn to comment about “private events”
• The type of information adults respond to when teaching children to tell us about their emotions, and what may be missing for children with autism
• Why traditional approaches to teaching “the language of emotions” may not be effective and how they can be improved
• How to take advantage of existing emotional displays and how to create situations that are likely to induce such feelings
• Why it is not really easy to teach “really”
• Why it will be helpful to attend the full-day workshop, The Language of Emotions

PECS and Skinner's Verbal Behavior

60 minutes

Join Andy Bondy, PhD and Lori Frost, MS, CCC-SLP as they explore how the work of B.F. Skinner can help everyone better understand how language can be viewed from a behavioral perspective. The information is presented in a simple and conversational manner, enabling even the novice to grasp the concepts discussed.

General Description
Skinner wrote an important behavioral analysis of language in the book, Verbal Behavior. In this book, he shows how we can look at basic units of language and determine how they are systematically related to important aspects of the environment. By understanding how these language units- called verbal operants- are acquired, we can better plan to help learners with communication challenges to master simple units as well as more complex parts of language. His analysis stressed that the form or mode of communication is not as important as the functional understanding of language units. For example, requesting an apple leads to a different outcome than commenting about an apple. Talking about an apple that is in front of you is different than talking about the apple you ate yesterday. Skinner’s analysis also points out why certain parts of language – “I really want the apple” – are so difficult for individuals with autism to learn. Finally, we point out that this analysis can be helpful to everyone – parents and professionals from various fields of study.

PECS and Skinner’s Verbal Behavior is appropriate for all members of the educational team who want to learn more about Skinner’s Verbal Behavior, including speech-language pathologists, parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, behavior analysts, psychologists, social workers and/or other professionals providing services for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. 

What You Will Learn:

• Define “verbal behavior” and “vocal” behavior
• Name the three antecedent conditions for verbal behavior
• List three primary verbal operants
• Analyze pure versus multiply controlled verbal operants