Teaching Learners with Autism to Engage in Verbal Mediation During Complex Tasks

Course Description

Verbal mediation is a crucial problem-solving strategy, especially important for learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to master everyday tasks such as following multi-step instructions, listing, engaging in conversation, and inferencing. This course explores how to teach verbal mediation skills to learners with ASD, enhancing their ability to perform complex tasks.

Understanding Verbal Mediation

Verbal mediation is the presumed mechanism for performing complex tasks. Research shows that engaging in related verbal behaviour increases correct responses in various complex tasks, while blocking verbal behaviour can lead to performance deterioration. This course will delve into joint control, a type of verbal mediation occurring during complex listener tasks, and its role in various cognitive processes.

Teaching Verbal Mediation Strategies

This presentation reviews procedures to teach mediating strategies, including:

• Rehearsal of instructions and acting on self-echoics
• Tacting items and actions in the current environment for later recall
• Learning to ask oneself questions as a complex problem-solving technique

Course Objectives

By the end of this workshop on verbal mediation, participants will:

• Identify joint control prerequisite skills
• Recognize joint control examples and applications
• Describe the role of verbal mediation in problem-solving

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is designed for:

• BCBAs, BCaBAs, and RBTs (current and aspiring)
• Teachers and therapists
• Professionals using ABA to design and implement programming for individuals with autism

Why Choose This Course?

• Evidence-Based Approach: Learn strategies backed by research in verbal behaviour
• Practical Application: Gain skills to teach complex problem-solving techniques
• Comprehensive Learning: Part of a broader series on verbal and non-verbal behaviour
• Professional Development: Earn 1 Learning CEU while enhancing your skills
• Expert Instruction: Learn from experienced BCBAs with diverse backgrounds in ABA and Verbal Behaviour

1 Learning CEU Available

The workshop is designed for those who: have or are pursuing BCBA/BCaBA/RBT; teacher; therapists; and others whose role uses ABA to design & implement programming to decrease behaviours and increase skill acquisition of individuals with autism.