OT - ABA vs TEACCH

[Guest guest]

Hello folks, DS's annual IEP review is in 2 weeks. Currently he is in ABA based school and has shown pretty good improvement but his speech developement (generation), and social skills have not improved well. Since a month and half, he got SEIT services and as per the teacher, he needs to mix with neurotypical verbal children to stimulate both the skills. Its not quite possible where we live. Going to the daycare is not an option. And recently we have been noticing that he is getting so used to this ABA 'trials' that he sometimes expects similar 'trial' at home too, which is way too robotic IMO in real life.

 I thought of changing the school that is TEAACH-based. I don't  have any idea how TEACCH works. I was at this school yesterday and the co-ordinator explained a bit but it was not enough for me to understand the concept. One thing I noticed though, the kids in this school are more verbal than the one in his current school.

 I know you are not DS's therapists and can not offer concrete opinion unless you have seen him but if you have experience with both these methods, what are your opinions about the methodologies with your own kid's issues. I will be very thankful if you could be little descriptive in your responses.

 Thanks in advance.Noel

[Guest guest]

Are you in NY? Sounds like maybe you are. Once a child has descent receptive

language ABA programs should be switched from discrete trial to verbal behavior

and only probe data should be recorded. When this is going well, teaching

should move to natural environment teaching.

How old is he? It sounds like it is time for part day general education. I

pulled my son out of an ABA preschool program and put him in a speech and

language program. He did much better there.

Caryn

>

> Hello folks,

>

> DS's annual IEP review is in 2 weeks. Currently he is in ABA based school

> and has shown pretty good improvement but his speech developement

> (generation), and social skills have not improved well. Since a month and

> half, he got SEIT services and as per the teacher, he needs to mix with

> neurotypical verbal children to stimulate both the skills. Its not quite

> possible where we live. Going to the daycare is not an option. And recently

> we have been noticing that he is getting so used to this ABA 'trials' that

> he sometimes expects similar 'trial' at home too, which is way too robotic

> IMO in real life.

>

> I thought of changing the school that is TEAACH-based. I don't have any

> idea how TEACCH works. I was at this school yesterday and the co-ordinator

> explained a bit but it was not enough for me to understand the concept. One

> thing I noticed though, the kids in this school are more verbal than the

> one in his current school.

>

> I know you are not DS's therapists and can not offer concrete opinion

> unless you have seen him but if you have experience with both these

> methods, what are your opinions about the methodologies with your own kid's

> issues. I will be very thankful if you could be little descriptive in your

> responses.

>

> Thanks in advance.

> Noel

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, I am in NY. He is 3.8years old now. I just recd his speech report and according to Preschool Language Scale - 5 (PLS-5), his auditory comprehension score is 89 (percentile rank 23%) and Expressive communication standard score is 81 (percentile rank 10%). I am going to talk to his class teacher but thought before I do that, I could ask you folks and do some homework.

 Thanks,Noel

 

Are you in NY? Sounds like maybe you are. Once a child has descent receptive language ABA programs should be switched from discrete trial to verbal behavior and only probe data should be recorded. When this is going well, teaching should move to natural environment teaching.

How old is he? It sounds like it is time for part day general education. I pulled my son out of an ABA preschool program and put him in a speech and language program. He did much better there.

Caryn

>

> Hello folks,

>

> DS's annual IEP review is in 2 weeks. Currently he is in ABA based school

> and has shown pretty good improvement but his speech developement

> (generation), and social skills have not improved well. Since a month and

> half, he got SEIT services and as per the teacher, he needs to mix with

> neurotypical verbal children to stimulate both the skills. Its not quite

> possible where we live. Going to the daycare is not an option. And recently

> we have been noticing that he is getting so used to this ABA 'trials' that

> he sometimes expects similar 'trial' at home too, which is way too robotic

> IMO in real life.

>

> I thought of changing the school that is TEAACH-based. I don't have any

> idea how TEACCH works. I was at this school yesterday and the co-ordinator

> explained a bit but it was not enough for me to understand the concept. One

> thing I noticed though, the kids in this school are more verbal than the

> one in his current school.

>

> I know you are not DS's therapists and can not offer concrete opinion

> unless you have seen him but if you have experience with both these

> methods, what are your opinions about the methodologies with your own kid's

> issues. I will be very thankful if you could be little descriptive in your

> responses.

>

> Thanks in advance.

> Noel

>

[Guest guest]

I don't have an answer, so you'd think I would refrain from responding, but I'd

hate for you to throw out a good thing and jump into something you don't know.

Sometimes, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. At his current

school, they have his assessments, his progress records, and his history, and

they have an environment that your kid is familiar with and has learned the

routines of. They know about ABA.

But it sounds like you are worried about the slow rate of progress in his

expressive speech.

You would like to see his expressive speech increase. You're wondering if it

might happen at the TEAACH-based school, as opposed to the ABA-based school with

not-very-verbal kids, because you have observed the TEAACH kids to be more

verbal than your kid. And this seems to go along with his current teacher's

recommendation that he needs to be around more neurotypical kids.

Here is my humble opinion on it. My daughter is 3 years and 8 months. My

daughter's expressive speech originates at her verbal-behavior based ABA

sessions that are heavy on speech, along with expanding cognitive abilities and

play skills. After she is taught signs and words, she uses them with everyone

else.

Just this week, after some focused sessions saying some words, she started

saying the last letters in words, which she used to omit. Now, she says " on " ,

instead of " uh " when she wants a certain shirt on or when she wants the light

on. She says " out " instead of " ow " when she wants someone to get out of a car in

the videogame that her sister is playing.

They are combining two words at her ABA sessions now. When she sees the doll

jumping she says " baby " and then does the jump sign. When she wants the DVD

player on, she says " Pay DDD " meaning " Play DVD " . When she wants me to say the

" pussycat pussycat " rhyme, she signs cat and music one after another.

This may not be much for other people whose kids are more advanced, but seeing

her clearly mand for things makes us incredibly happy, and it would not have

been possible without ABA, where they use rewards of video clips and yogurt

melts and tons of praise.

Long story short, our experience with ABA has been great. But I should add that

our BCBA is also a speech language therapist. And she is training my daughter's

preschool teacher to be a BCBA. I also should add that I don't know all that

much about TEAACH.

>

> Hello folks,

>

> DS's annual IEP review is in 2 weeks. Currently he is in ABA based school

> and has shown pretty good improvement but his speech developement

> (generation), and social skills have not improved well. Since a month and

> half, he got SEIT services and as per the teacher, he needs to mix with

> neurotypical verbal children to stimulate both the skills. Its not quite

> possible where we live. Going to the daycare is not an option. And recently

> we have been noticing that he is getting so used to this ABA 'trials' that

> he sometimes expects similar 'trial' at home too, which is way too robotic

> IMO in real life.

>

> I thought of changing the school that is TEAACH-based. I don't have any

> idea how TEACCH works. I was at this school yesterday and the co-ordinator

> explained a bit but it was not enough for me to understand the concept. One

> thing I noticed though, the kids in this school are more verbal than the

> one in his current school.

>

> I know you are not DS's therapists and can not offer concrete opinion

> unless you have seen him but if you have experience with both these

> methods, what are your opinions about the methodologies with your own kid's

> issues. I will be very thankful if you could be little descriptive in your

> responses.

>

> Thanks in advance.

> Noel

>

[Guest guest]

Many thanks for your opinion. I really appreciate it.To be very honest, the school as a whole did not leave a great impression as I found the director to be not so approachable. She sent me a signal, we know what we do and we don't encourage interference. So though my observations impressed me, I am not keen on sending DS to that specific school. If I do really have to go with TEAACH, I will find another school.

 I totally agree with you on records and the school's plan for DS for the next year. Next week, I am going to have a talk with them on their recommendation to CSE. Lets see what they have to offer. Our experience with this school is simply great and to tell you the truth, we do not have any complaints but the fact remains that they are rigidly ABA school (which as you said, may be helpful in the long run).

 With gaining language, I don't know how is your DD with receptive language. DS is pretty good (or got pretty good). Super Why and Caillou on PBS Kids taught him LOADS of things which he uses in his daily speech. For example, all letters and phonetics credit goes to Super Why (and iPod+iPad). Majority of day to day living expressions like phone rings and response like wait, I will get it and similar goes to Caillou. May be your DD could watch these shows and see if she gains something more.

 BTW, what is BCBA? I didn't get that.

 

I don't have an answer, so you'd think I would refrain from responding, but I'd hate for you to throw out a good thing and jump into something you don't know. Sometimes, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. At his current school, they have his assessments, his progress records, and his history, and they have an environment that your kid is familiar with and has learned the routines of. They know about ABA.

But it sounds like you are worried about the slow rate of progress in his expressive speech.

You would like to see his expressive speech increase. You're wondering if it might happen at the TEAACH-based school, as opposed to the ABA-based school with not-very-verbal kids, because you have observed the TEAACH kids to be more verbal than your kid. And this seems to go along with his current teacher's recommendation that he needs to be around more neurotypical kids.

Here is my humble opinion on it. My daughter is 3 years and 8 months. My daughter's expressive speech originates at her verbal-behavior based ABA sessions that are heavy on speech, along with expanding cognitive abilities and play skills. After she is taught signs and words, she uses them with everyone else.

Just this week, after some focused sessions saying some words, she started saying the last letters in words, which she used to omit. Now, she says " on " , instead of " uh " when she wants a certain shirt on or when she wants the light on. She says " out " instead of " ow " when she wants someone to get out of a car in the videogame that her sister is playing.

They are combining two words at her ABA sessions now. When she sees the doll jumping she says " baby " and then does the jump sign. When she wants the DVD player on, she says " Pay DDD " meaning " Play DVD " . When she wants me to say the " pussycat pussycat " rhyme, she signs cat and music one after another.

This may not be much for other people whose kids are more advanced, but seeing her clearly mand for things makes us incredibly happy, and it would not have been possible without ABA, where they use rewards of video clips and yogurt melts and tons of praise.

Long story short, our experience with ABA has been great. But I should add that our BCBA is also a speech language therapist. And she is training my daughter's preschool teacher to be a BCBA. I also should add that I don't know all that much about TEAACH.

>

> Hello folks,

>

> DS's annual IEP review is in 2 weeks. Currently he is in ABA based school

> and has shown pretty good improvement but his speech developement

> (generation), and social skills have not improved well. Since a month and

> half, he got SEIT services and as per the teacher, he needs to mix with

> neurotypical verbal children to stimulate both the skills. Its not quite

> possible where we live. Going to the daycare is not an option. And recently

> we have been noticing that he is getting so used to this ABA 'trials' that

> he sometimes expects similar 'trial' at home too, which is way too robotic

> IMO in real life.

>

> I thought of changing the school that is TEAACH-based. I don't have any

> idea how TEACCH works. I was at this school yesterday and the co-ordinator

> explained a bit but it was not enough for me to understand the concept. One

> thing I noticed though, the kids in this school are more verbal than the

> one in his current school.

>

> I know you are not DS's therapists and can not offer concrete opinion

> unless you have seen him but if you have experience with both these

> methods, what are your opinions about the methodologies with your own kid's

> issues. I will be very thankful if you could be little descriptive in your

> responses.

>

> Thanks in advance.

> Noel

>

[Guest guest]

If you are on Long Island, email me. I have toured most of the schools in

Nassau and Suffolk. My son is in Kindergarten now.

> > >

> > > Hello folks,

> > >

> > > DS's annual IEP review is in 2 weeks. Currently he is in ABA based school

> > > and has shown pretty good improvement but his speech developement

> > > (generation), and social skills have not improved well. Since a month and

> > > half, he got SEIT services and as per the teacher, he needs to mix with

> > > neurotypical verbal children to stimulate both the skills. Its not quite

> > > possible where we live. Going to the daycare is not an option. And

> > recently

> > > we have been noticing that he is getting so used to this ABA 'trials'

> > that

> > > he sometimes expects similar 'trial' at home too, which is way too

> > robotic

> > > IMO in real life.

> > >

> > > I thought of changing the school that is TEAACH-based. I don't have any

> > > idea how TEACCH works. I was at this school yesterday and the

> > co-ordinator

> > > explained a bit but it was not enough for me to understand the concept.

> > One

> > > thing I noticed though, the kids in this school are more verbal than the

> > > one in his current school.

> > >

> > > I know you are not DS's therapists and can not offer concrete opinion

> > > unless you have seen him but if you have experience with both these

> > > methods, what are your opinions about the methodologies with your own

> > kid's

> > > issues. I will be very thankful if you could be little descriptive in

> > your

> > > responses.

> > >

> > > Thanks in advance.

> > > Noel

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I am in Westchester. Thanks for the offer. I will keep in mind in case if I move to Long Island (May move sometimes this year, Westchester is just too expensive)

 

If you are on Long Island, email me. I have toured most of the schools in Nassau and Suffolk. My son is in Kindergarten now.

> > >

> > > Hello folks,

> > >

> > > DS's annual IEP review is in 2 weeks. Currently he is in ABA based school

> > > and has shown pretty good improvement but his speech developement

> > > (generation), and social skills have not improved well. Since a month and

> > > half, he got SEIT services and as per the teacher, he needs to mix with

> > > neurotypical verbal children to stimulate both the skills. Its not quite

> > > possible where we live. Going to the daycare is not an option. And

> > recently

> > > we have been noticing that he is getting so used to this ABA 'trials'

> > that

> > > he sometimes expects similar 'trial' at home too, which is way too

> > robotic

> > > IMO in real life.

> > >

> > > I thought of changing the school that is TEAACH-based. I don't have any

> > > idea how TEACCH works. I was at this school yesterday and the

> > co-ordinator

> > > explained a bit but it was not enough for me to understand the concept.

> > One

> > > thing I noticed though, the kids in this school are more verbal than the

> > > one in his current school.

> > >

> > > I know you are not DS's therapists and can not offer concrete opinion

> > > unless you have seen him but if you have experience with both these

> > > methods, what are your opinions about the methodologies with your own

> > kid's

> > > issues. I will be very thankful if you could be little descriptive in

> > your

> > > responses.

> > >

> > > Thanks in advance.

> > > Noel

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Noel,

I am glad you will work with the school on your son's current program. Just

recently, I almost switched to a new company for my daughter's ABA program, only

because one of her therapists, who happened to be the daughter of the lead

therapist, was skipping some elements of the program and writing fake data as if

she did the stuff and as if my daughter missed so many of the steps. I had to

have an uncomfortable talk with her and her mother. But after this awkward time,

they really polished their act, and the program is stronger than ever, and I

can't believe I came so close to firing these people who, in my opinion, are

saving my daughter's life. The program is so challenging and difficult that

there is no way I or any family member could take on teaching all that stuff to

y daughter; but eventually she masters it all. It's like watching miracles

happen every day. Anyway, I didn't want you to throw the baby out with the

bathwater, like I was about to.

About my daughter's receptive language, I am really not bragging here, but

merely stating a happy fact; it is " through the roof " according to her lead

therapist, the BCBA. BCBA is Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She writes the

ABA program that her 5 therapists implement for my daughter. I credit her

intensive ABA program and Baby Bumblebee DVDs for this. So, she understands most

everything; it's speech that is challenging still, but it is improving slowly

but surely.

Since my insurance last year didn't cover all these therapists, we got rid of TV

service, so we don't even get PBS anymore. But someone at work gave me a Caillou

video. I'll definitely check it out. I'll also see if there are Super Why and

Caillou DVDs for sale or if they are on youtube.

Take care.

Mel

[Guest guest]

Netflix has great online content for kids including Super Why. May have Caillou too, but haven't checked. My son loves Blue's Clues and Super Why on Netflix. Accesses them on his iPad whenever he can. Netflix has a charge, but cheaper than cable by far.

[Guest guest]

Hi Mel,You could also check your local library for the DVDs. I always get them from there.Noel

 

Hi Noel,

I am glad you will work with the school on your son's current program. Just recently, I almost switched to a new company for my daughter's ABA program, only because one of her therapists, who happened to be the daughter of the lead therapist, was skipping some elements of the program and writing fake data as if she did the stuff and as if my daughter missed so many of the steps. I had to have an uncomfortable talk with her and her mother. But after this awkward time, they really polished their act, and the program is stronger than ever, and I can't believe I came so close to firing these people who, in my opinion, are saving my daughter's life. The program is so challenging and difficult that there is no way I or any family member could take on teaching all that stuff to y daughter; but eventually she masters it all. It's like watching miracles happen every day. Anyway, I didn't want you to throw the baby out with the bathwater, like I was about to.

About my daughter's receptive language, I am really not bragging here, but merely stating a happy fact; it is " through the roof " according to her lead therapist, the BCBA. BCBA is Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She writes the ABA program that her 5 therapists implement for my daughter. I credit her intensive ABA program and Baby Bumblebee DVDs for this. So, she understands most everything; it's speech that is challenging still, but it is improving slowly but surely.

Since my insurance last year didn't cover all these therapists, we got rid of TV service, so we don't even get PBS anymore. But someone at work gave me a Caillou video. I'll definitely check it out. I'll also see if there are Super Why and Caillou DVDs for sale or if they are on youtube.

Take care.

Mel