The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals

No. No, thank you. I don’t want to. I don’t like this. These are important statements that communicate that you do not want something to happen.  In this episode, Lisa Wallace an SLP who has worked with young children with autism and their families for over 25 years talks about this important yet overlooked skill of communicating “no.”No may look like a variety of things depending on the activity and the child’s communication level. Clear signals might be verbally saying no, giving back or throwing an item, running away, crying, and in some cases severe problem behaviors. Other more subtle symptoms might be withdrawal, the closing of eyes, turning away, and disengagement. Effective communication of “no” should be a goal for every child, regardless of how they are currently communicating it. To assess where to start, Lisa recommends using observational informal assessment, taking notes, and talking to the caretaker. What triggers a “no” response? What does “no” mean to them? What does “no” look like to them?Lisa talks about working towards this goal in a mildly challenging way because there often are no provided opportunities to communicate “no”. Especially, if you have a child who is happily engaged in every activity. Or alternatively, you have a child who, provoking a “no” activity might cause triggering, dangerous behavior. Tips for “Practicing Protesting”-Provoke in a Mildly Challenging Situation (Avoid high stakes situations)-Set antecedents, what are going to be the causes of the “no”?-Provide visuals, AAC, or other familiar communication tools. -Ready to model. Show the learner what communicating “no” looks like.-Use the correct reinforcement: Removal of antecedent. You want the child to know and understand that when they communicate “no” or “I don’t want to” or “Not like this”, their communication is going to be validated. Do not continue doing the “no” activity in any capacity. This is such a great topic, and one I don’t think we discuss nearly enough. Saying “no” is an important piece of communication in helping our learners find their voice.#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:Why is communicating “no” so important?Creating goals based on communicating “no”.How to practice protesting in a supportive, non-triggering manner.What does “no” mean to each child?Observing clear or subtle “no” signals.Why saying “no” effectively should be a goal for every child.Mentioned In This Episode:ABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

As SLPs and BCBAs we are tasked with teaching comprehension to our learners, but do they really understand these skills? Dr. Merrill Winston joined me to discuss not only reading comprehension but comprehension in everyday life and the building block skills to be successful.What is comprehension?Whether you're reading a book or listening to a statement, there are 3 markers for comprehension.Repeat it.Follow the Directions or Instructions within it.Talk about it.Dr. Winston and I get into the nitty gritty of that last marker and talk about it when it comes to a comprehension of daily life. He says that a major prerequisite for reading comprehension is comprehending their day. You can check this by having your learner sequence, or "serieate" their day. (First I did this, then I did this, then we did that…) With this skill, students are pulling information from the past and making a time reference. You can practice by working in smaller increments, like the last hour even.This doesn't have to be verbal, it can be in pictures or icons as well! But, the important thing is to ask those questions!! Students may not be able to serieate their day, simply because they aren't being asked these questions.We also talk about goal setting and realistic expectations. If you're considering setting a comprehension goal for your learner, Dr. Winston says to be sure to ask: What is the end goal? Where is this skill going to take them? Every skill you spend time on should have a goal that extends across the lifespan and opens more doors and opportunities. He even goes as far as to say that working on a goal for too long without progress is careless! This was such a great chat with a leader in the field of ABA, and I hope you found it helpful!#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:What does comprehension really mean?How should providers be working on comprehension?What is “seriating your day” and why is it important?Determining functional goals for your learners.How goals and skills build to reach larger goals.Goals that will impact your learner’s life.Mentioned In This Episode:Winston Behavioral SolutionsABASpeechByRose - Rose Griffin - InstagramABA Speech: HomeABA SPEECH Your Autism Resource

Every October I send out a survey to find out what you all are struggling with. This year the top 2 answers were Engagement and Behavior Barriers. I talk about engagement often on the show, and in this episode, I am focusing on behavior barriers. If you’re trying to find ways to support your students who might have behavioral barriers or problem behaviors here are seven things to consider for preventing and handling these barriers:Service delivery - Where are your students receiving services? Classroom, Therapy office, Individual setting, group, etc.Staff support - Request support either with a behavior plan or with physical support from a paraprofessional or behavior technicianVisual Use visuals and familiar icons to help students know what to expect in your schedule and sessionHave your materials ready - Be prepared, and don’t leave time for gathering materials during your session… be ready to go, and keep your student engaged.Behavior Plan - Does your student have a behavior plan? Seek access to it or get the process started to create one.Fun and Functional - Embed student interests into the session, and be the giver of fun thingsAsk for help - The top priorities are for you to feel safe, the student to feel safe, and for intervention to take place…these things need to happen, advocate for them.I also recommend recording ABC data. Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence. Write down and track every occurrence of behavior and the correlating information. As time continues you will understand, notice a pattern, and begin to prevent these behaviors. I offer an ABC sheet in my course Help Me Find My Voice, but ABC sheets are readily available via web search.Not only is this podcast meant to help you give a voice to your learners, but also helps you have the confidence to reach and support all of your autistic students. If you found this helpful please subscribe so you don’t miss more important information you can put to use in your therapy room.#autism #speectherapy What’s Inside:How can you reach and engage students with behavioral barriers?How to approach behavioral barriers in therapy.7 things to consider when supporting students with behavior barriers.Giving the provider confidence to help ALL autistic students.Mentioned In This Episode:ABASpeechByRose - Rose Griffin - InstagramABA Speech: HomeABA SPEECH Your Autism Resource

I love talking about joint attention, but a lot of my ideas and strategies in my courses may feel like they are geared toward older preschool-age students. My tips today are for the youngest learners, toddlers aged 2 to 3. Joint attention is an important foundational skill and it is never too early to get started with these strategies!3 Ways to Get Started with Joint Attention with Your Toddler TodayBooksBooks are the lifeline for learning and sharing activities and time with our little ones. For these young learners, when reading use a positive, energetic voice. Try using board books and interactive books with flaps. With your own child, make a goal to embed at least 15 minutes to read and interact with a book every day!Some of my favorites: Huggy Kissy and the Llama Llama series SongsUse YOUR Voice. Learn songs with motions to sing with your toddler. If toddlers aren't speaking they can join in by using the gestures and doing the motions as you sing. You can also use visuals like toys that match the song or printed visuals from my TPT store for early intervention songs.Some of my favorites: Wheels on the Bus, 5 Little Monkeys, Happy and You Know It, Old McDonaldPlayPlaying with toddlers is so fun and you never know what they will love and enjoy. Focus on not asking questions but just modeling simple language and narrating the activity.Some of my favorites: Bubbles, Sensory Bins, Cars with Tracks#autism #speechtherapyWhat’s Inside:3 ways you can work on joint attention at home today!Joint attention strategies for toddlers.Tips and tricks for embedding joint attention work in your day-to-day.How to read books, sing songs, and play with your child to assist with joint attention.Mentioned In This Episode:Books For Speech Therapy For ToddlersSongs for Early Intervention by ABA SPEECH | TPTABA Speech: HomeABA SPEECH Your Autism Resource

We need to step back and wait so that the child has a chance to find their voice, whatever that looks like so that they can spontaneously and independently connect with us.Dr. Jamie Hughs-Lika is a BCBA-D, an Early Start Denver Model Certified Therapist, and has been working in the field for 26 years. We discussed what you can do when social engagement is difficult with your child or students and why is it so important to work on this skill.Social engagement and attention begin as early as infancy, with eye contact and small coos from your baby. When this isn’t present, and the pattern of limited social engagement continues, Dr. Hughs-Lika says differences in social attention are one of the first early signs of autism. Children with autism are less motivated to engage socially, and Dr. Hughs-Lika covers the three pillars of social motivation:Social Orientation: This is responding to communication and social attention with eye contact, gestures, etc.Social Seeking: This is initiating communication through gestures, imitation, showing toys or items, etc.Social Maintaining: This is ‘maintaining’ a social connection through turn-taking and social reciprocity. Dr. Hughs-Lika is also an autism mom and shares a little about her journey for connection with her son Liam. When she works with him and other children she “takes a pulse” of the interaction with these questions.What captures the child’s attention?What are the distractions?Where are the motivations?How close can I get to maintaining comfort in the activities?Are there interfering behaviors that are becoming inflexible or rigid?Social communication is the cornerstone of more advanced communication. Having fun, being positive, and building a personal connection with your child are important strategies for working on social engagement and communication. During our discussion, we talked about the assessments available, Dr. Hughs-Lika’s courses, and the nuance of working on this critical skill. You can find out more about her courses and other information by finding Sage Learning Systems on social media or visiting their websites.#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:Is social engagement an early sign of autism?What are the three pillars of social motivation?Available assessments for social skills.Strategies and Questions to guide interactions with your child or student. Mentioned In This Episode:—SAGE Learning Lab—Sage Learning Systems—Sage Learning Systems on Facebook—Chevalier et al article—Fun visuals for teaching strategies—ABA Speech: Home—ABA SPEECH Your Autism Resource

“Rose, I am working with a student who is not engaging during therapy!”This is a message I get week after week from my listeners! So this week I am playing back my most listened episode of 2022, number 62, all about joint attention. I go over some key strategies to not only increase attention during therapy but help your child or client on their journey to communicationThese activities involve shared activities through playing with toys, singing songs, and reading books. It is okay if your student isn't ready to fully engage when you introduce these activities, note their baseline data, and move forward with goals. You will be amazed to see the transformation and excitement over these simple activities.Toys:Playing with toys in therapy is all about creating an interaction in a semi-structured environment. Remember to use simple language and allow for natural curiosity and play and not bombard with questions. Examples of toys I love to use:Car and car track Mini ObjectsFarm SetLiteracy:Build excitement around the book, use books with repetition, and if your kids like it try an animated voice which can be really fun.A few books I love to keep in my therapy bag that are a great success for joint attention are, Pete the Cat and his White Shoes, Brown Bear, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.Music:Students love songs, they are familiar, and create engagement. I also love to use visuals that can be just laminated pictures or little toys that match the activity of the song. It can also be engaging to sing songs that have motions for the words.Songs I love:Old MacdonaldWheels on the BusHead, Shoulders, Knees, and ToesIt can be difficult to keep data and set goals around these abstract ideas, be sure to check out my goal bank on ABA speech. I hope you love these ideas and get use out of them in your next therapy session!#autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside:How to increase learner engagement?What is joint attention?How to embed joint attention across a student's day.Where to start with joint attention.Integrating shared activities into therapy.Why should you focus on the connection before communication?Mentioned In This Episode:IEP Goals for Students with Autism - ABA SpeechABA Speech: HomeABA SPEECH Your Autism Resource

Any chance to talk about collaboration, I am all about it! Janna Bedoyan and Morgan van Diepen are experienced members of the autism field. Janna is an NBCT teacher who specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Morgan is a BCBA and autism specialist. As I talk to these two today, their passion is just incredible.Together, Janna and Morgan have just published a new book, AAC Visualized - a visual guide for AAC full of detailed pictures, examples, ideas, and strategies. The mission behind AAC Visualized is to normalize the use of AAC, advocate for acceptance and access to AAC, and empower families through AAC education. In the creation of this book, they collaborated with SLPs, Teachers, Autistic Individuals, and AAC users to get an all-encompassing view on AAC. Janna and Morgan make it clear that it is NOT SLP versus ABA but instead there is a clear need for collaboration between the two. AAC is typically taught and used with SLPs but it's important for ABA providers to put it to use during therapy as well for these users. They share some of their tips and strategies from their book!3 Essential Tips for ABA Providers Teaching AACFollow the SLPs LeadMoving Beyond RequestsUse AAC to Teach AACBe sure to check out their book AAC Visualized and the "sister" book ABA Visualized. You can find Morgan and Janna on Instagram to check out all of the cool things they are doing in their field!#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:3 essential tips for ABA providers teaching AAC.Introducing a visual guide to normalize, advocate, and empower AAC.How modeling AAC can familiarize staff and users with AAC devices.Unique strategies for AAC and ABA.How to collaboratively support and empower students.It’s not SLP vs ABA.Mentioned In This Episode: Shop AAC VisualizedAAC Specialist & Consultant (@aac.and.me) • InstagramABA Visualized (@abavisualized) • InstagramABA Speech

I love hearing from autistic individuals in the field who have first-hand experience with the challenges and reality of diagnosis and therapy. Carly Millis Jalowiec is the Education Assistant at Milestones Autism Resources, today she shares with me her journey to her own autism diagnosis as an adult. Carly provides great insight into the difficulty of diagnosing autism in females and why providers and clinicians have an outdated idea of autism.Autism in girls is unfortunately too often missed. Carly explains that in the infancy of autism research was focused primarily on white boys with a narrow view of symptoms and presentations. Providers often only find a diagnosis in those with the same profile while social conditioning and traditional gender expectations create varied presentations for autism. Boys will often present autism symptoms in a very outward way while girls will typically internalize symptoms and characteristics. Carly talks about how arriving at her adult diagnosis leans a lot into her lifelong masking and camouflaging. Masking is a really important topic in the autism field today because so many individuals want and deserve to be honored as themselves. Carly explains how masking can help individuals fit into the world and get through the day but can really hurt themselves internally. She herself says she doesn’t know where she ends and the mask begins. There is an importance to learning to navigate the neurotypical world but not at the expense of losing yourself. This is where clinicians and providers come in. Social Skills instruction often leads therapy in the direction of hiding or changing an autistic individual with unrealistic goals. Carly stresses the importance of setting goals that do not change the individual or try to “remove the autism” because that simply won’t work. Goals and skills should revolve around redefining what success looks like for each individual in a way that honors their true self.Research and understanding of autism have changed in such a rapid way, more than any other field. So it is SO important that we have these important, nuanced conversations to increase awareness. You can find Carly on LinkedIn and check out Milestones online for autism resources and information! #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside:\What it’s really like is getting an adult autism diagnosis.Why is autism often missed in females?The difference in autism presentation for males and females.Why providers and clinicians have an outdated idea of autism.The benefits AND challenges behind masking and camouflaging autism.Teaching social skills to honor the autistic individual.Mentioned In This Episode:Carly Millis Jalowiec - LinkedIn Milestones Autism Resources ABA Speech

Wow! I can't believe we are here… episode 100! In honor of this milestone, we are flipping the script with my friend and mentor, Lisa Chattler, interviewing me.Going back to the VERY beginning, I had no idea what I wanted to be, so my mom gave me a career test my senior year and it actually revealed my ideal profession as a speech therapist. I really didn't know a lot about the career so I shadowed a friend of the family who was an SLP and that day I just knew it was perfect for me, so I declared my major and never looked back. Now I've been an SLP for 20 years.Lisa asks some great questions about the learners, mentors, resources, and paths that lead to where I am today: dual certified as a BCBA and SLP, operating an online business, offering courses and webinars, and hosting the Autism Outreach Podcast. And I get to share those important decisions and people who have shaped my experience. Since I was a kid, I've always been in trouble because I was turned sideways in my chair talking away. That is one of the reasons I love this podcast; not only do I get to talk and have great conversations but I get to do so with experts in the field that I really admire. I am happy to have this opportunity and keep spreading the word about autism, SLPs, BCBAs, and ABA through the show and my online courses. Thanks for being a listener, and just know your dedication to the field by listening is so important!#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:Celebrating 100 episodes of the Autism Outreach PodcastAn interview with host, Rose GriffinThe people, students, and experiences that shaped Rose Griffin’s career journey.Mentioned In This Episode:ABA Speech

Kristen Colyer is a BCBA and the Director of Children’s Services at The Infinity Center for Behavior Services. She joined me today to discuss Early Intervention and ABA for young children.When you first get that autism diagnosis, beginning Early Intervention and ABA services is the first step for support for many parents and their child. Kristen shares what that looks like at The Infinity Center. Because we are working with young children, most often with limited or no communication, parents are the best reporters. The first step is a parent interview to gain as much insight and knowledge of the child. Next, the child will join for an additional interview with the parent. Finally, the BCBA and the child will engage in play therapy. During this time the BCBA will observe and complete assessments. The Infinity Center most commonly uses the VB-MAPP and depending on the skills and communication level of the child may administer other assessments such as the Essential 8 or social skills assessments. This process from the parent interview to the play observation could span a couple of days. Support does not end with the child. In many cases insurance covers parent training. The Infinity Center offers parent support and twice-monthly parent training. In these trainings, they cover what’s happening in therapy, therapy goals, and how therapy activities can translate to at-home activities. Additionally, because play therapy can be oddly tricky, the center offers shadowing, training, support, and natural environment protocol practice for their staff.Learning and receiving therapy through play is so important and really effective. Kristen shares a few of her favorite and popular toys for therapy sessions. She says children often gravitate towards cause and effect play, favorites for these include the Melissa and Doug Wooden Ball Tower and the classic Jack in the Box. They also play Mr. Potato Head and the Shoebox game, based on BCBA Mary Barbera’s book and courses. The Infinity Center for Behavior Services is based in Maryland, if you’re in the area or would like to learn more you can check them out on social media or visit their website.#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:What does the assessment look like for children seeking ABA services?What is a robust assessment for younger students with an autism diagnosis?How are parents supported during early intervention?What does ABA look like for younger students?How are staff trained and supported in play and natural environment therapy?Top toys and tools for play therapy. Mentioned In This Episode: Infinity Center ABAInfinity Center for Behavior Services - Home | Facebook