Fundamental Teaching Tools of Behavior Reinforcement by;Brian E. Mac Farlane MA.Ed.

PRT, like all other behavioral teaching approaches (and probably non-behavioral teaching approaches as well), uses the fundamental teaching tools of reinforcement, antecedent control, prompting,fading, shaping, and chaining. PRT uses both motivational and learning principles and applies them systematically in natural settings to optimize the development of fundamental skills that are pivotal to the development of a wide range of other skills.

PRT is a technique that a wide range of individuals can use, including family members and school staff, as well as individual therapists and consultants (e.g., speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists).

One primary goal of PRT is to promote generalization and maintenanceof mastered skills. A successful strategy for addressing this goal is to focus on skill deficits in the natural environment, in as many naturally occurring opportunities as possible, and with multiple intervention partners (National Research Council, 2001). For example, it is much more likely that learners will maintain newly acquired skills, such as buttoning, and generalize to different types of buttons if they button pajamas at night, coats when going outside, or a doll's dress during play-all naturally occurring opportunities that take place throughout the daily routine.

PRT can be implemented in any setting and context where (a) the learner has consistent contact with an individual and (b) there are activities or objects that the learner prefers

Pivotal Behaviors

Thepivotal behaviors that have led to significant gains in skill development and in collateral functioning are (a) motivation, (b) responding to multiple cues, (c) self-management, and (d) self-initiation (Baker-Ericzen et al., 2010; Nefdt, 2010).

Motivation to respond to social and environmental cuesis fundamental to development and a critical area of intervention. Learners with ASD may appear poorly motivated to respond to and engage in the social world around them (Jones, Carr, & Feeley, 2006).

Many learners with ASD can enhance their attention to multiple cues and increase their abilities to learn and generalize if this deficit is targeted (Brown & Bebco, 2012; Reed, 2012).

Self-management is a positive behavior support strategy that decreases interfering behaviors(e.g., repetitive, disruptive, stereotypical) while more functional replacement behaviors are being learned. Development of self-management techniques has been shown to improve academic performance (Palmen, Didden, & Arts, 2008), and play skills (Barry & Singer, 2001).

Studies have demonstrated that initiations are pivotal behaviors and that increasing these behaviors yields gains in other areas of language and social development. For example, children who were taught to use the question "What's that?" demonstrated an increase their use of expressive labels and generalize their question-asking to the home (L. K. Koegel, Camarata, Valdez-Menchaca, & Koegel, 1998). Researchers also have found that, when children were taught the question, "What's happening?" they exhibited other general language gains, including an increase in the average number of words spoken per sentence (L. K. Koegel, Carter, & Koegel, 2003).

Teaching Key Pivotal Behaviors: Procedures for Implementation

The aim of PRT is to change learners' behaviors to allow for a more typical trajectory of development in the most inclusive settings possible. In the sections that follow, specific procedures are provided to address each key pivotal behavior: motivation, responses to multiple cues, self-management, and self-initiation. Ideally, these procedures should be incorporated into general curricula instead of creating a separate curriculum for learners with ASD (R. L. Koegel & Koegel, 2006).

Case study conclusions:

Preschool

Once Devondre showed more enthusiasm to participate, he also became interested in other songs, topics, and books introduced during circle time. Expanding his interests was further facilitated by continuing to preview the new materials or information with him at home the day or two before being introduced during circle time. Overall, these strategies allowed circle time to become more pleasurable and rewarding to Devondre. In addition, familiarizing Devondre with routines during circle time enabled him to become a more active and competent participant.

Elementary

In summary, applying these intervention strategies helped students develop confidence and motivation to improve their academic achievement within an inclusive environment. Offering choices, simplifying and modifying tasks, reinforcing attempts, and providing natural and contingent reinforcement are beneficial procedures for motivating students with autism to make more rapid academic gains

HS.

As a result of the social skills program, students are able to initiate conversations and respond appropriately in social interactions with others. Parents also reported that children began to show more interest in their son's appearance by shaving, showering, and wearing different clothes.Moreover, some students become more confident engaging in reciprocal and empathetic conversations with selected peers. They also become more effective conversationalist and can begin developing friendships.

Summary

PRT strategies have strong empirical support for use in facilitating communication and social skills, but empirical support for use in school programs is still being acquired (Harrower & Dunlap, 2001; King-Sears & Cummings, 1996). With the significant acceleration of the rate of diagnosis of ASD in children and youth, school districts and other service providers are increasingly challenged to provide interventions to learners with ASD that are both effective and efficient. Utilizing the techniques in this module in close collaboration with learners' parents and other professionals will contribute to successful implementation of this intervention in different settings.