JASH article

[Guest guest]

I have a great Journal article from Koegel. It just came out in the JASH.

The article is " Pivotal Response Intervention I: Overview of Approach "

Here is a quote " An early study by R.L Koegel O'Dell and Koegel(1987)

demonstrated that a group of individual components, previously shown to

improve the rate and accuracy of responding was effective in producing

generalized and spontaneous verbal language acquisition in nonverbal

children with autism within and outside of the clinical setting. In

contrast, when language intervention sessions were conducted without the

motivational variables incorporated, very little or very slow gains with

little generalization or spontaneity were evidenced. These variables

include the use of child choice, frequent task variation, interspersing

previously learned tasks with new acquisition tasks, using less intrusive

prompting, reinforcing the child's attempts, and incorporating turn taking

in the interactions. "

The article talks about these things: motivation, child choice, natural

reinforcers, interspersing maintenance trials, reinforcing attempts,

multiple cues, self management and self initiations.

The JASH is the Journal of the association for persons with severe

handicaps. Vol 24 number 3 fall 1999 The whole journal is devoted to

autism. http://www.tash.org/publications/jash/special_issue.htm The

Journal is $5.00 for parents.

One thing I did implement after reading the article is a " What's that? "

program. I put some things in a bag and pull them out quickly saying

" What's that? " He imitates me and then I name the item. The theory is he

will start to say What's that on his own thus gaining information from his

environment.

I am also doing a " my turn " program where we play a lotto game and the only

thing we say is " my turn " when it is his turn. Then he says " my turn " in

imitation. When it is our turn we just take it quietly. Which is a baby

step toward the whole my/your concept.