RBT Exam Revision Course: Skill Acquisition

Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to the Skill Acquisition Quiz and links to external resources.

Table of Contents

C-01: Identify the Essential Components of a Written Skill Acquisition Plan

The first step in creating a skill acquisition plan is to choose a skill to target. This skill must be socially significant, meaning:
✔ It helps the individual become more independent
✔ It is age-appropriate
✔ It improves quality of life

A skill acquisition plan must include:

  • Teaching procedure (e.g., DTT, chaining, naturalistic teaching)
  • Materials used
  • Mastery criteria (what proficiency looks like)
  • Prompting Strategies (if applicable)
  • Reinforcement strategies
  • Error correction procedures
  • Data collection procedures
  • Plan for generalization & maintenance

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C-02: Preparing for the Session as Required by the Skill Acquisition Plan

 

1. Review the Skill Acquisition Plan

✔ Before starting the session, thoroughly review the Skill Acquisition Plan to ensure clarity on objectives and procedures. You should review all plans before begining of a session. It may also be useful to refresh your knowledge before running a particular skills-teaching intervention.

2. Identify and Prioritize Targets

✔ Check which targets need to be run urgently, such as:

  • Targets not run the previous session
  • Time-sensitive skills (e.g., related to time of day, or linked to external deadlines)
  • Skills requiring immediate generalization or fluency building

✔ Ensure that a balanced range of targets is addressed to prevent over-focusing on specific skills while neglecting others, and/or boring your client.

3. Ensure Materials are Ready

✔ Gather and confirm that all required materials are accessible, including:

  • Technology & Tools: Tablets, timers, tally counters
  • Teaching Aids: Flashcards, toys, visual schedules
  • Safety Equipment: Protective gear (if applicable)

4. Align with the Behaviour Support Plan

Review the Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) to ensure interventions are consistent with the individual’s behaviour strategies and you understand how to run both concurrently.
✔ Consider:

  • Proactive strategies to reduce behaviours that challenge
  • Response strategies to maintain consistency across skill acquisition and behaviour support
  • Reinforcement strategies used across both plans

5. Note Target Prompt Levels

✔ Identify and prepare for the current prompt levels specified in the plan to ensure consistency.

6. Clarify Error Correction Procedures

✔ Review the error correction strategies to ensure accurate and consistent application.

7. Availability of Reinforcers

✔ Confirm that reinforcers are ready and appropriately restricted to maintain effectiveness.
✔ While controlling access, ensure that restrictions respect the individual’s rights and are ethically justified.

8. Competence & Supervision

✔ If a skill teaching intervention is beyond your level of competence, seek supervisory guidance. If there is a concern about competence and scope that relates to ethics or behaviors that challenge, seek out this guidance iimmediately.

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C-03: Use Contingencies of Reinforcement

Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior occurring again. A stimulus is only a reinforcer if it actually strengthens behavior.

📝 Example:

  • If a child cleans their room more often after receiving screen time, then screen time is a reinforcer.
  • If the child cleans their room less, then screen time may actually be a punisher, not a reinforcer.

Two Types of Reinforcement:

  • Unconditioned (Primary) – Does not require learning (e.g., food, water, warmth)
  • Conditioned (Secondary) – Learned reinforcers (e.g., money, praise, tokens)

Reinforcement Schedules:

  • Continuous Reinforcement (CRF) – Every instance of behavior is reinforced
  • Intermittent Reinforcement (INT) – Only some responses are reinforced
  • Fixed Ratio (FR) – Reinforcement after a set number of responses
  • Variable Ratio (VR) – Reinforcement after a variable number of responses
  • Fixed Interval (FI) – Reinforcement after a fixed time period
  • Variable Interval (VI) – Reinforcement after a variable time period

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C-04: Implement Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) Procedures

Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) is a structured method that breaks down complex skills into small, manageable steps.

DTT Procedure:

1️⃣ Present a task/instruction (e.g., “Touch your nose.”) Prompt if scripted.
2️⃣ Wait for a response
3️⃣ Reinforce correct responses (e.g., praise, treat)
4️⃣ If incorrect, prompt & repeat

DTT is structured & systematic, making it easy to track progress and adjust teaching as needed.

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C-05: Implement Naturalistic ABA Teaching Procedures

Naturalistic ABA Teaching is more flexible than DTT, focusing on real-life situations to promote meaningful learning.

Key Features:

  • Skills taught in natural settings (home, school, community)
  • Reinforcement provided naturally (not contrived)

📝 Example: If a client is learning to request a drink:
DTT Approach: “Copy me'” → Prompt → Reinforce
Naturalistic Approach: During playtime model a “fun” response, if the learner attempts to copy you, they receive reinforcement (e.g. natural consequence or social reinforcement)

Common Naturalistic Teaching Methods:

  • Incidental Teaching
  • Natural Environment Teaching (NET)
  • Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
  • Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT)

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C-06: Implement Task Analysis and Chaining Procedures

Task Analysis breaks down complex skills into small, teachable steps. This is crucial for multi-step skills like dressing, washing hands, or cooking.

Types of Chaining:

1️⃣ Forward Chaining – Teach the first step first, then progress sequentially
2️⃣ Backward Chaining – Teach the last step first, working backward (ensures success)
3️⃣ Total Task Chaining – Teach all steps at once with prompts

📝 Example (Handwashing Task Analysis):
✔ Turn on water
✔ Wet hands
✔ Apply soap
✔ Rub hands together
✔ Rinse
✔ Dry hands

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C-07: Implement Discrimination Training

Discrimination training teaches a client to behave differently depending on physical and social stimuli by reinforcing behavior in the presence of one stimulus and not in the presence of another.

📝 Example:
A client is taught to touch a green card from a set of three (green, red, and blue) when given the instruction “Find the Green Card.”

  • The instruction (“Find the Green Card”) is the Discriminative Stimulus (SD) → signals reinforcement is available for choosing green.
  • If the client picks the red or blue card, no reinforcement is provided.

Real-World Example: Traffic Lights

Green Light → Means “Go” (reinforced by reaching the destination).
Red Light → Means “Stop” (reinforced by avoiding an accident).

Uses of Discrimination Training

  • Basic skills: DIscriminating animals, identifying colors, differentiating shapes
  • Complex skills: Recognizing medical patterns in brain scans

Key Considerations

✅ Change only one characteristic at a time during initial teaching.
🔹 Example: When teaching letters, use the same color and size to prevent confusion.

Understanding SD vs. S-delta (SΔ)

  • Discriminative Stimulus (SD): Signals that reinforcement is available.
  • S-delta (SΔ): Signals that reinforcement is NOT available.

📝 Example: If a therapist presents four cards (labelled 1, 2, 3, 4) and says “Point to number 1”:
✔ The instruction is the SD → It signals that reinforcement is available for pointing to card 1.
❌ The instruction is also  an SΔs →  It signals that reinforcement is not available for choosing other numbers.

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C-08: Implement Stimulus Control Transfer Procedures

Stimulus control transfer procedures help a learner respond to the correct stimulus independently by using:

  • Differential reinforcement: Reinforce behavior only in the presence of the target stimulus.
  • Stimulus fading: Gradually reduce differences between exising SD and new target SD.
  • Prompting and fading: Use temporary prompts, then gradually fade them.

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C-09: Implement Prompt and Prompt Fading Procedures

Prompts are cues or assistance (supplemental stimuli) that help a learner respond correctly.

Types of Prompts

1️⃣ Stimulus prompts (modifications to the stimulus)

  • Example: Making the correct answer larger or brighter

2️⃣ Response prompts (assistance given to the learner)

  • Examples: Physical guidance, verbal cues, gestural prompts

Stimulus Prompting Categories

Within-Stimulus Prompting: Modify the SD to make the correct response more obvious.

  • Example: Lightly kicking a soccer ball to help a child practice goalkeeping.
    Extra-Stimulus Prompting: Add an extra stimulus to guide the response.
  • Example: Using a visual schedule to help a child complete a morning routine.

Prompt Fading Procedures

  • Most-to-Least Prompting (MTL): Start with full assistance, then reduce.
  • Least-to-Most Prompting (LTM): Start with minimal assistance, increase if needed.
  • Graduated Fading: Slowly decrease the intensity of prompts over time.

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C-10: Implement Generalization and Maintenance Procedures

Generalization

The ability to apply a learned skill in new settings, situations, or with different people.

Response Generalization: The learner performs a variation of the skill in a similar situation.
Stimulus Generalization: The learner applies the skill in response to new or untrained stimuli.

Maintenance

The ability to retain a learned skill over time.

Techniques to Promote Generalization & Maintenance

Fading prompts and reinforcers (gradually reduce support)
Using multiple examples of  teaching stimuli (e.g. several different pictures of dogs, if teching someone to tact a dog)
Teach several response targets with the same stimuli (e.g. teach someone to identify a cow, tact it,  mand for it, use “cow” as an intraverbal response etc.  )
Varying language used when providing instructions (e.g. Find x” and Where is X?)
Practicing across settings (home, school, community)
Ensuring reinforcement occurs in real-life situations
✅ Move from thick and fixed schedules to thin and intermittent schedules  (e.g. Initially reinforce a response on an FR1 schedule but gradually move to a VR5 schedule in response to progress)

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C-11: Implement Shaping Procedures

Shaping reinforces successive approximations toward a target behavior (terminal goal).

Steps in Shaping

1️⃣ Identify the terminal goal behavior.
2️⃣ Identify the closest current behavior in the learner’s repertoire.
3️⃣ Use differential reinforcement to shape the behavior.
✔ Only closer approximations are reinforced.

📝 Example: A child learning to say “water.”

  • Step 1: Reinforce when they make a “wa” sound.
  • Step 2: Reinforce when they say “wata.”
  • Step 3: Reinforce when they say “water.”
  • Step 4: Reinforce only clear pronunciation of “water.”

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C-12: Implement Token Economy Procedures

A token economy is a behavior modification system where:

1️⃣ The learner earns tokens (stickers, points, etc.) for engaging in a desired behavior.
2️⃣ Tokens can be exchanged for backup reinforcers (toys, privileges, activities).

Key Components of a Token Economy

Tokens: Generalized conditioned reinforcers (stickers, points, etc.)
Target behaviors: The behaviors that earn tokens
Exchange system: How tokens are redeemed for rewards

Why Token Economies Work

Bridges the delay between behavior and reinforcement.
✔ Allows for scalable reinforcement.
✔ Highly customizable and effective across different settings.

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Principles and Concepts Glossary

 

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is a consequence that increases the future occurrence of a behaviour.

Types of Reinforcement:

Positive Reinforcement: A pleasant stimulus is added after a behaviour, increasing its future occurrence.
Negative Reinforcement: An unpleasant stimulus is removed, increasing the future occurrence of the behaviour.

🔹 Example of Positive Reinforcement: A child receives a sticker for completing homework, increasing the likelihood of completing homework in the future.
🔹 Example of Negative Reinforcement: A student finishes classwork early to avoid staying in at recess.

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Punishment

Punishment is a consequence that reduces the future occurrence of a behaviour.

Types of Punishment:

Positive Punishment: Adding an aversive stimulus after a behaviour (e.g., giving a detention for talking in class).
Negative Punishment: Removing a preferred stimulus after a behaviour (e.g., taking away a toy for hitting).

🔹 Example of Positive Punishment: A student is given extra homework after misbehaving in class, making them less likely to misbehave.
🔹 Example of Negative Punishment: A teenager’s phone is taken away after breaking curfew, decreasing the likelihood of future curfew violations.

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Unconditioned vs. Conditioned Reinforcers

Reinforcers can be either unconditioned (natural) or conditioned (learned through experience).

Unconditioned Reinforcers (Primary Reinforcers)

Naturally reinforcing – No prior learning required.
✔ Examples: Food, water, warmth, pain avoidance.

Conditioned Reinforcers (Secondary Reinforcers)

Learned through pairing with an existing reinforcer.
✔ Examples: Money, praise, tokens, grades.

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Generalized Conditioned Reinforcers

A generalized conditioned reinforcer is a reinforcer that has been paired with multiple other reinforcers, making it highly effective across different contexts.

✔ Example: Money – Can be exchanged for food (primary reinforcer), social status (secondary reinforcer), and other desirable items.
✔ Other Examples: Tokens in a token economy, social approval, grades, task-completion.

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Motivating Operations (EOs, AOs)

Motivating Operations (MOs) alter the effectiveness of reinforcement or punishment and influence the occurence  behaviors that produce the reinforcer. 

Types of Motivating Operations:

Establishing Operations (EOs): Increase the value of a reinforcer, making behaviour that produces it more likely.
Abolishing Operations (AOs): Decrease the value of a reinforcer, making behaviour that produces it less likely.

🔹 Example of an EO: A person who hasn’t eaten for hours is more likely to do things that result in food. They will probably also find food more satisfying.
🔹 Example of an AO: A child who just finished eating a large meal is less likely to ask for a snack. They’ll also find the snack less satisfying than normal if you give it to them.

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Setting Events

A setting event occurs before an antecedent and can increase or decrease the likelihood of a behaviour. Setting events and motivating operations overlap.

Setting events can be environmental, physiological, or social.

🔹 Example: A child who didn’t sleep well may have difficulty focusing in class.
🔹 Example: A worker who had a fight with a spouse may be more irritable at work.

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Three-Term & Four-Term Contingency

Three-Term Contingency (ABC Model)

This is the foundation of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and describes how antecedents, behaviours, and consequences interact.

1️⃣ Antecedent (A): What happens before the behaviour?
2️⃣ Behaviour (B): What does the learner do?
3️⃣ Consequence (C): What happens after the behaviour?

🔹 Example:
Antecedent: A teacher asks a student a question.
Behaviour: The student answers correctly.
Consequence: The teacher praises the student.

Four-Term Contingency (ABC + Motivating Operation)

This extends the three-term contingency by adding a motivating operation (MO) that influences behaviour.

Example: A child who is very hungry (MO) will be more motivated to ask for food (B) when they see a snack (A), increasing the likelihood of getting food (C).

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Stimulus Control and Discrimination Glossary

 

Stimulus Control

Stimulus control occurs when a behaviour is more likely to happen in the presence of a specific stimulus due to a history of reinforcement.

Example: A child raises their hand in class when the teacher is present but not at home, showing that the behaviour is under stimulus control.

🔹 How Stimulus Control Develops:

  • The behaviour is reinforced only in the presence of a specific stimulus.
  • Over time, the stimulus signals that reinforcement is available.

Key Concepts in Stimulus Control:

Discriminative Stimulus (SD): Signals that reinforcement is available for a particular behaviour.
Stimulus Delta (SΔ): Signals that reinforcement is NOT available for a particular behaviour.

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Discrimination Training

Discrimination training teaches individuals to respond differently based on specific stimuli by reinforcing behaviour in the presence of one stimulus and not reinforcing it in the presence of another.

Example: A child is taught to touch a green card when given the instruction “Find the green card”, but not a red or blue card.
✔ The instruction “Find the green card” functions as the Discriminative Stimulus (SD), signaling that reinforcement is available for touching the green card.

Real-World Example: Traffic Lights

Green Light → Drive forward (reinforced by reaching the destination).
Red Light → Stop (reinforced by avoiding an accident).

When to Use Discrimination Training:

  • Teaching basic concepts (colours, numbers, animals).
  • Teaching complex skills (reading words, recognizing social cues).

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Discriminative Stimulus (SD) vs. Stimulus Delta (SΔ)

Discriminative Stimulus (SD)

✔ Signals that reinforcement is available for a behaviour.

🔹 Example:

  • A vending machine with a “working” sign (SD) means pressing the button will dispense a snack.

Stimulus Delta (SΔ)

✔ Signals that reinforcement is NOT available for a behaviour.

🔹 Example:

  • A vending machine with an “out of order” sign () means pressing the button will not dispense a snack.

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Stimulus Generalization

Stimulus generalization occurs when a learner applies a learned behaviour to different but similar stimuli without direct training.

Example: A child who learns to say “dog” when seeing a golden retriever also says “dog” when seeing a poodle.

Key Factors Affecting Generalization:

The more similar the new stimulus is to the trained stimulus, the more likely generalization will occur.
Varying training conditions can promote generalization.

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Response Generalization

Response generalization occurs when a learner produces different responses that serve the same function as the trained behaviour.

Example:

  • A child learns to greet by waving but later starts saying “hello” or shaking hands as greetings.

Why Response Generalization is Important:

✔ Allows for flexibility in behaviour.
✔ Promotes real-life social skills and independence.

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Prompting and Fading Glossary

 

Types of Prompts

A prompt is a cue or assistance provided to help a learner respond correctly. Prompts increase the likelihood of success by guiding the learner toward the desired response.

Main Types of Prompts:

Verbal Prompts:  Extra spoken cues or instructions.

  • 🔹 Example: Saying, “Remember to use your inside voice when we’re in the library” to a child visiting a library. 

Gestural Prompts: Non-verbal cues like pointing or nodding.

  • 🔹 Example: Pointing to a cup after asking a child to ” Give me the cup.”

Modeling Prompts: Demonstrating the correct behaviour.

  • 🔹 Example: Asking a child to “Do this” and then brushing your teeth when teaching a child to brush their teeth.

Physical Prompts: Using physical guidance to help the learner perform the correct response.

  • 🔹 Example: Gently guiding a child’s hand to turn a doorknob.

Visual Prompts: Pictures, written instructions, or schedules.

  • 🔹 Example: A picture schedule for a morning routine.

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Least-to-Most Prompting (LTM)

Least-to-most prompting (LTM) allows the learner a chance to respond independently before providing a prompt. If they do not respond correctly, prompts gradually increase prompt intensity until they succeed.

Steps in LTM Prompting:

1️⃣ Present the instruction and wait for an independent response.
2️⃣ If no response, provide a mild prompt (e.g., fleeting gestural prompt).
3️⃣ If still incorrect, use a moderate prompt (e.g., sustained gestural prompt).
4️⃣ If needed, escalate to most intrusive prompts (e.g., physical guidance).
5️⃣ Reinforce correct responses.

Example of LTM Prompting:

✔ Teaching a child to tact “Shoes”

  • 🔹 Step 1: Ask, “What is it?” (No prompt)
  • 🔹 Step 2: If no response, give a partial echoic prompt(“Sh___”).
  • 🔹 Step 3: If still incorrect, give a longer partial echoic prompt (“Shoo_____”).
  • 🔹 Step 4: If needed, use a full echoic prompt (“Shoes”).

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Most-to-Least Prompting (MTL)

Most-to-least prompting (MTL) starts with the most supportive prompt and gradually fades to promote independence.

Steps in MTL Prompting:

1️⃣ Begin with full assistance (e.g., physical prompt).
2️⃣ As the learner becomes more proficient, reduce the level of prompting.
3️⃣ Continue fading until the learner performs the behaviour independently.

Example of MTL Prompting:

✔ Teaching a child to zip their jacket

  • 🔹 Step 1: Use a physical prompt (hand-over-hand guidance).
  • 🔹 Step 2: Reduce to modeling (demonstrate without touching).
  • 🔹 Step 3: Reduce to gestural prompting (pointing).
  • 🔹 Step 4: Provide no prompt and allow independent completion.

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Prompt Fading

Prompt fading is gradually reducing the level of assistance until the learner can perform the behaviour independently.

Common Fading Techniques:

Graduated Fading: Slowly reduce the intensity of the prompt over time.

  • 🔹 Example: Making a visual cue less prominent.

Most-to-Least Fading: Start with maximum support, then decrease over time.

  • 🔹 Example: Physical → Gestural → Verbal → No prompt.

Time Delay: Introduce a delay before prompting to encourage independent responses.

  • 🔹 Example: Wait 5 seconds before giving a verbal prompt.

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ABA Procedures Glossary

 

Differential Reinforcement

Differential reinforcement is a strategy that reinforces contextually appropriate behaviour while withholding reinforcement for contextually inappropriate behaviour.

Types of Differential Reinforcement:

DRA (Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviour): Reinforce an appropriate alternative to a problem behaviour.

  • 🔹 Example: Reinforce hand-raising instead of shouting out in class.

DRI (Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviour): Reinforce a behaviour that cannot occur at the same time as the problem behaviour.

  • 🔹 Example: Reinforce sitting in a chair to replace running around.

DRO (Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviour): Reinforce any behaviour except the contextually inappropriate behaviour within a given time frame.

  • 🔹 Example: If a child does not hit their sibling for 5 minutes, they receive reinforcement.

DRL (Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates): Reinforce a behaviour only if it occurs at a reduced frequency.

  • 🔹 Example: Reinforce a student for raising their hand only three times per lesson instead of constantly.

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Schedules of Reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule determines when and how often reinforcement is provided for a behaviour.

Types of Reinforcement Schedules:

Continuous Reinforcement (CRF): Reinforcement is given every time a behaviour occurs.

  • 🔹 Example: A vending machine dispenses a snack every time money is inserted.

Intermittent Reinforcement (INT): Reinforcement is given only sometimes when the behaviour occurs.

Fixed vs. Variable Schedules:

Fixed Ratio (FR): Reinforcement is delivered after a set number of responses.

  • 🔹 Example: A child earns a sticker for *every 5 math problems completed.

Variable Ratio (VR): Reinforcement is delivered after a random number of responses.

  • 🔹 Example: Slot machines pay out after a variable number of pulls.

Fixed Interval (FI): Reinforcement is given for the first correct response after a set amount of time.

  • 🔹 Example: A worker receives a paycheck every two weeks.

Variable Interval (VI): Reinforcement is given after an unpredictable amount of time.

  • 🔹 Example: Checking your email and sometimes finding a new message.

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Schedule Thinning

Schedule thinning involves gradually increasing the number of responses required for reinforcement to promote long-term maintenance of behaviour.

Example: Moving from continuous reinforcement (every correct response is reinforced) to a variable ratio schedule (only some correct responses are reinforced).

🔹 Why It’s Important:

  • Prevents dependency on reinforcement.
  • Increases the persistence of behaviour in real-world settings.

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Token Economy

A token economy is a behaviour management system where individuals earn tokens for desired behaviours and exchange them for rewards.

Key Components:

Tokens: Items used as generaliszed conditioned reinforcers (e.g., stickers, points, poker chips).
Target Behaviours: The specific actions that earn tokens.
Backup Reinforcers: The “real rewards” that tokens can be exchanged for (high-value conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers).

Example:

A classroom uses a star chart where students earn stars for completing assignments and can exchange them for a prize at the end of the week.

🔹 Why Token Economies Work:
Bridges delay between behaviour and reinforcement.
Scalable reinforcement for different learners.
Customizable for individual needs.

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Shaping

Shaping is a technique used to teach new behaviours by reinforcing successive approximations toward the desired goal.

Steps in Shaping:

1️⃣ Identify the target behaviour.
2️⃣ Identify the learner’s closest current behaviour to the target.
3️⃣ Reinforce small steps that gradually resemble the target behaviour.

Example of Shaping:

✔ Teaching a child to say “water”:

  • 🔹 Step 1: Reinforce any vocalization.
  • 🔹 Step 2: Reinforce “wa”.
  • 🔹 Step 3: Reinforce “wata”.
  • 🔹 Step 4: Reinforce “water”.

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Chaining

Chaining is used to teach multi-step skills by breaking them down into smaller steps.

Types of Chaining:

Forward Chaining: Teach the first step first, then add more steps progressively.

  • 🔹 Example: Teaching handwashing → First, learn to turn on the tap, then add the next step.

Backward Chaining: Teach the last step first, then work backward.

  • 🔹 Example: Teaching shoe-tying → First, the learner pulls the loops tight (final step), then works backward to earlier steps.

Total Task Chaining: The learner attempts all steps in sequence during each trial, with prompts as needed.

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Generalization and Maintenance Glossary

What is Generalization?

Generalization occurs when a learner applies a learned skill in different settings, with different people, or with new stimuli without requiring direct training.

🔹 Why Generalization is Important:
✔ Ensures skills are functional and not limited to training environments.
✔ Helps learners adapt skills to real-world situations.
✔ Encourages independence and flexibility in behaviour.

Types of Generalization:

Stimulus Generalization: The behaviour occurs in response to new or untrained stimuli that share characteristics with the original stimulus.

  • 🔹 Example: A child learns to call a Labrador a “dog” and later identifies a Poodle as a “dog” without direct training.

Response Generalization: The learner produces variations of the learned behaviour that still serve the same function.

  • 🔹 Example: A child learns to greet by waving, then later shakes hands or says “hello” as a greeting.

Generalization Across People, Settings, and Materials:

  • 🔹 Example: A student learns to tie their shoes in a classroom setting but can also tie their shoes at home, in a park, or in a store.
  • 🔹 Example: A learner follows instructions given by their therapist, and later also follows instructions from their teacher or parent.

What is Maintenance?

Maintenance refers to the learner’s ability to continue performing a learned skill over time, even after direct reinforcement has been reduced or removed.

🔹 Why Maintenance is Important:
✔ Prevents skill regression.
✔ Ensures long-term success in skill acquisition.
✔ Helps learners retain functional, real-world skills.


Strategies to Promote Generalization & Maintenance

ABA practitioners use intentional strategies to promote generalization and maintenance.

1. Teach Across Multiple Contexts

Train in different settings, with different materials, and with different people.

  • 🔹 Example: A child learning to order food should practice at home, in a restaurant, and in a school cafeteria.

2. Use Multiple Exemplars

Vary the stimuli used in teaching to prevent the skill from becoming too rigid.

  • 🔹 Example: If teaching a child to identify “apple,” use real apples, toy apples, apple pictures, and digital images.

3. Program Common Stimuli

Ensure training materials resemble real-world environments.

  • 🔹 Example: If teaching self-checkout skills, use a mock register that functions similarly to an actual store.

4. Reinforce Spontaneous Use of Skills

Catch the learner using the skill in a natural context and reinforce it.

  • 🔹 Example: If a child spontaneously says “thank you” outside of therapy, immediately provide reinforcement.

5. Gradually Thin Reinforcement Schedules

Move from continuous reinforcement to intermittent reinforcement to ensure long-term skill maintenance.

  • 🔹 Example: At first, a child gets praised every time they say “excuse me.” Over time, praise is given only occasionally until the behaviour is self-sustaining.

6. Encourage Self-Monitoring

Teach the learner to track their own performance to maintain independence.

  • 🔹 Example: A student learning to raise their hand instead of calling out may use a tally chart to track their successes.

7. Conduct Booster Sessions

Periodically review and reinforce previously learned skills to prevent forgetting.

  • 🔹 Example: Reviewing how to ask for help every few months ensures the skill remains strong.

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Teaching and Learning  Formats Glossary

Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT)

Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) is a structured, teacher-led teaching method used in ABA to break down complex skills into smaller, teachable steps.

Highly structured and repetitive
Uses clear instructions, prompts, and reinforcement
Effective for teaching new skills systematically

Steps in a Discrete Trial:

1️⃣ Antecedent (Instruction or SD) – Present a clear instruction.

  • 🔹 Example: “Touch your nose.”

2️⃣ Response (Learner’s Behaviour) – The learner attempts to respond.

  • 🔹 Example: The child touches their nose.

3️⃣ Consequence (Reinforcement or Correction) – Reinforce correct responses or prompt the correct response.

  • 🔹 Example: If correct, praise (“Great job!”) + a reward. If incorrect, provide a gentle prompt and try again.

4️⃣ Intertrial Interval – Short pause before presenting the next trial.

Example in Practice:

  • Teaching colours by showing a red card and saying, “What colour is this?”
  • Reinforce the correct answer (“Red!”) with praise or a small reward.

🔹 When to Use DTT:
✔ Teaching early language, imitation, and basic cognitive skills.
✔ Training social, academic, and self-help skills.

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Naturalistic Teaching Approaches

Naturalistic teaching methods focus on embedding learning opportunities into everyday activities rather than using structured trials.

Learner-led rather than therapist-led
Uses natural reinforcers
Encourages independence and spontaneity

Common Naturalistic Teaching Strategies:

Incidental Teaching: Teaching skills within naturally occurring situations.

  • 🔹 Example: A child reaches for a toy, and the therapist prompts, “Say ‘car’ before I give it to you.”

Natural Environment Teaching (NET): Teaching occurs in real-world settings instead of therapy rooms.

  • 🔹 Example: Teaching requesting skills during lunchtime rather than a structured session.

Why Naturalistic Teaching Works:
✔ Encourages generalization by teaching in multiple settings.
✔ Increases intrinsic motivation by following the learner’s interests.
✔ Creates more natural, functional communication skills.

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Pivotal Response Training (PRT)

Pivotal Response Training (PRT) is a play-based, naturalistic ABA approach that focuses on teaching key developmental skills (“pivotal areas”) rather than isolated behaviours.

Key Pivotal Areas:

Motivation – Encouraging learners to seek learning opportunities.
Initiation – Teaching learners to start interactions independently.
Response to Multiple Cues – Learning to respond flexibly to different stimuli.

How PRT Works:

1️⃣ Follow the learner’s lead – Use toys and activities that interest them.
2️⃣ Embed learning opportunities into natural interactions.
3️⃣ Use direct and natural reinforcers – Reinforce with what the child is interested in.

Example:

  • A child loves cars. Instead of asking, “What colour is this?” with flashcards, the therapist plays with toy cars and asks, “Which car is red?”
  • If the child answers correctly, they get to play with the car as a natural reinforcer.

🔹 Why PRT is Effective:
✔ Encourages natural communication and independence.
✔ Supports generalization of skills across settings and people.
✔ Reduces reliance on structured trials by making learning more natural.

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Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT)

Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT) is a naturalistic teaching strategy used to develop social imitation skills in young learners, particularly autistic children.

✔ Focuses on teaching imitation through play
✔ Encourages social engagement and turn-taking

Steps in RIT:

1️⃣ Observe the learner’s actions.

  • 🔹 Example: The child stacks blocks.

2️⃣ Imitate the child’s actions.

  • 🔹 Example: The therapist stacks their own blocks while making eye contact.

3️⃣ Encourage the child to imitate back.

  • 🔹 Example: The therapist claps their hands and waits for the child to imitate.

4️⃣ Reinforce imitation attempts.

  • 🔹 Example: “Wow! You clapped like me! Great job!”

Why RIT Works:

Builds foundational social communication skills.
Encourages spontaneous imitation of peers and adults.
Increases engagement in social interactions.

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