Re: teaching in the natural environment/New programs

[Guest guest]

Dear List,

As we struggle this coming week to adapt to more NET, and also change some

of our programs and add to them, I wonder if anyone has any ideas for us or

support with a couple things.

Firstly, we used the clicker/counter thing yesterday for the first time.

From about 9:00 AM -12:00 PM, Ize used 37 verbal mands, or close

approximations we counted as mands. This may not sound like many at all,

but it is a lot and it surprised me. He said, MOMMY as a request, CRACKER

at least a dozen times, PEE PEE which was cool, I GO PEE, I GO, I GOTTA GO,

PUH which was for something starting with P, but he also pointed, BUHBUH

for bubbles a couple times, etc. He also signed, HELP, ALL DONE and EAT and

we wrote those down in a log, but for now we are writing every last word

and/or communication down, but only counting the verbal manding language on

the counter thing. Later, by 1:00 we had 49 clicker/counter mands, and by

evening 56 and we did not include comments, although we wrote them down.

Remember, Isaac is more likely to comment or use non-request words oddly

enough than mands and we are very happy about them, but are not counting

them as mands of course. So, if he says, Good, Very Good, No, Yeah, Bye,

Ok, (etc.,) while we are thrilled and keeping track of that and trying to

increase that too, that is not manding.

I am finding the idea of this exhausting. We are to make a list she said,

of five to ten words/sounds that he says pretty consistently and NOT allow

access without him either making the attempt verbally, with sign or using

PECS. Voice is of course the best choice and most preferred. Even when he

signs and uses an icon, she said to then say the label, slowly enuniciate

it and give him it, but then try to require an attempt. We will be calling

his videos, MOVIES which is new, but we all agreed he had a lot of MMM

variations in his verbal imitation, babbling and he says, MOMMY fine. So,

initially even says, MOO would be great. I am to make a list of the few

words she said, tack it over his work table and in the living room, so they

can see it and bring the counters everywhere, wearing them around their

necks and push for this. She said, TV icon gets picked, drop everything and

he gets three, five minutes of TV and off it goes. He wants it on, he has

to try to say it verbally, and we allowed to model, or get the icon which

we will not help him with, until he at least tries, or points to the TV,

and even then, we just guide him near the icon if he can not say it, and

leave. It is his decision to mand and if he is successful, he will get it,

and hopefully ask appropriately more and more. Basically today we were told

NO MORE FREEBIES. LOL

Now, for my other question, she noted we had masterd him pointing to all

the pictures in a field of family and therapists. And also word cards. He

knows the names of all of us to read the word cards now. ;-)

So, she asked, if you say, POINT or SHOW ME ISAAC, can he? We said, yes and

she watched him do it very well. So later, she asked, if you ask him, " Show

me your name? " would he, and I did not know. She noted, he can point to

SARAH, his sister's name fine. She asked, if you ask him with a picture or

the word card, " Where is your sister? " or " Show me your sister's name. "

would be do that, and I did not think so. So, we are to advance our program

and start teaching, first with the pictures, Your name, the concept of

sister, father, mother, friend (therapist) and pet. Then we can teach the

word card names, " Where is your friend's name?, Where is your sister's

name? Show me Isaac? What says Daddy? What is your mother's name? " And so

far it is MOMMY, but I probably should include my husband's first name and

my name.

She suggested a blank distractor and his name which he knows to teach, YOUR

NAME. And with pictures, even postional prompting and light physical with a

small field and increasing it with other knowns of anything. Any thoughts

on how you all taught the new concepts of family names that were more

abstract?

Jennie