ABA

Applied behavior analysis is the application of the principles of behavior to make socially significant changes in the lives of our students. At Chicago Education Project, we believe that a student's learning behavior can be changed though modifications to the student's environment. Through careful analysis of the student we are able to understand the function of the student's behavior (sensory, attention, escape), and develop interventions to help them to become more confident and competent learners.

At Chicago Education Project we use the science of ABA to examine the student's learning style. We then determine which applications of ABA and which curriculums would benefit the learner.

Contemporary approaches of ABA are MUCH more than Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT). At Chicago Education Project, we use a variety of applications of the science including Verbal Behavior Teaching (VB), Natural Environment Teaching (NET), Incidental Teaching (IT), as well as fluency teaching or Precision Teaching (PT). The development of Contemporary ABA practice has been heavily influenced by research on language and play development in typical children, with an emphasis on individualized and positive approaches to understand and address problem behavior.

A few of the teaching methods used within Chicago Education Project include:

Discrete Trial Teaching is a teaching arrangement utilizing the principles of ABA. Typically, this arrangement uses least to most prompting techniques. The instruction very often follows a no-no-prompt prompt procedure, mass trials, and introduces one teaching target at a time.

Verbal Behavior is a teaching arrangement utilizing the principles of ABA. Typically, this arrangement uses most to least prompting techniques called errorless learning. Correction procedures for this instructional arrangement focus on transfer trials which use the student's strengths to teach to his areas of need. This instructional arrangement focuses largely on student motivation, immediate generalization and naturalistic rotation of skills practice.

Relationship Development Intervention is a family based intervention program utilizing shaping techniques and natural reinforcers to expose children to positive social family interactions. This instructional arrangement does not focus on academics or static skills, but rather dynamic interactions within the family circle. True application of this arrangement takes place in the home, but appropriate principles can be used in the classroom as well.

Precision Teaching is a teaching arrangement utilizing the principles of ABA. This arrangement hinges on component-composite analysis of complex skills and teaching the smaller components before expecting results in the complex skill. This is primarily a measurement system where skills are taught to fluency, or quick, accurate and reliable responding as a component of mastery. Other components of mastery using Precision Teaching include retention, stability, endurance and multiple applications of the skill.

Pivotal Response Intervention is a teaching arrangement utilizing the principles of ABA. This arrangement focuses on what are deemed "pivotal behaviors." This arrangement targets these areas of a child's development rather than specific teaching targets. Some of these include such as motivation, responsivity to multiple cues, self-management, and social initiations. (Koegel Autism Center)