Social Skills Series: Learn How To Help Your Child Listen

Listening is an essential part of communication. It is also an important skill that every child needs to learn at home and school. As soon as children are born, they are trying to figure out how to communicate with the people around them.

What is ABA?

ABA stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis. It is a system of behavioral therapy for people who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or developmental disabilities. The goal of ABA is to help the person improve communication, social skills, and learning abilities by systematically teaching new behaviors. ABA therapists work with the child and their parents to help them understand how their behavior affects others. 

How does ABA therapy work?

Parent-child therapy lessons are designed to be simple, yet they require an investment of time and effort. The process starts with a parent enrolling their child in sessions with a therapist trained in ABA therapy. There is a lot of teaching involved. The therapist will teach the parent to better understand their child's emotions and what triggers the tantrums. The therapist will also help the parent identify things that can be done at home to keep the tantrums from happening again.

Listening skills explained

Listening skills are not innate—the ability to listen well has to be developed. Listening is a skill that needs to be practiced to improve. And, if your child doesn't have the skills they need now, you can teach them. There are many ways for you to practice with your child and help them improve their listening skills. You could ask them questions about what they want to do as a career or what they’ve been doing at school each day.

Help your child learn to listen

To help your child learn to listen, you need to engage their mind. You can do this by using colorful visuals and telling a story while showing what they want to accomplish. This encourages your child to focus on the task and become interested in it. The more they enjoy listening, the more receptive they'll be to what you're saying.

Other Listening Tips for Parents include: 

Use short sentences.

Use short words.

Use simple, easy-to-understand vocabulary.

Speak in your child's normal tone of voice.

Point out the things you see, touch, hear and smell to see if your child is paying attention.

How to use ABA therapy with your child 

Listen carefully to your child. Creating a positive atmosphere with the child will help them maximize their listening skills. Try to be aware of any distractions that might give your child the opportunity not to listen; otherwise, they may not be ready to learn or change. Be patient and understand that there are times when your child will push back. They may refuse to listen but it is important for you to keep encouraging them and help them find their way through this phase.

Conclusion

Here we have explored various ways to help your child listen. Some of these ideas may seem like common sense, but they can make a big difference. Implementing these tactics will show your child that you are someone who cares about them.

I hope you found this blog informative and the information helpful. If you are interested in learning more about Applied Behavior Analysis and the services Behavior Matters, LLC provides, please send an email to info@behaviormattersllc.com

Social Skills Series: 3 Games That Teach Kids To Cooperate

Applied Behavior Analysis is a way to teach children with autism to learn basic skills that are important for everyday life. This article lists 3 games to help improve your child's social and emotional learning.

What is Applied Behavior Analysis?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a science that helps us understand how behavior works. Behavior analysts study how people learn, think, and behave. They then use what they have learned to help people with problems interfering with their ability to do things. The goal of ABA is to increase desirable behaviors while decreasing inappropriate behaviors. It is always used positively. Applied Behavior Analysis is a behavior-change methodology designed to make life better for people with autism and their families. 

Benefits of Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is a strategy of teaching that helps students learn to work together. They can discuss topics, raise their hands, listen respectfully to others' ideas, and share their thoughts with the whole group. Games are one-way children can be introduced to cooperative learning. Through collaborative learning, children learn to work with others and solve problems independently. 

How to Play Collaborative Games With Kids

Collaborative games are designed to help kids learn to work together in an activity. This type of game will usually have several parts that players need to work together to accomplish. Any number of people can play the game, but it is best when played with four or more participants. Collaborative games can be used for any age level, but the best results come when playing with children between six and ten years old. Choose a game that is appropriate for the age level of the children you will be playing with. Younger kids can play some games, but other games will be too complicated for young children.

3 Easy Games That Teach Kids To Cooperate

The power of teamwork is vast, and working together can help kids in school and beyond. Here are some easy games that teach kids to cooperate. Many easy games teach kids to collaborate. You can find them online or create your own. These are just a few ideas that can help kids learn to work together in a fun way. 

1. Waiting in Line Game 

This game is an excellent choice for the school cafeteria or any line. Choose a kid to be the leader. The other kids will wait in line behind them. When it is their turn, they will go up to the leader and say, “I would like an apple.” The leader will then respond, “Yes, you may. You may have one .” The kid will then respond, “Thank you.” And the leader will respond, “You’re welcome. ” That person will then get their food and take a seat at another table. The following person in line then steps forward to repeat the same process.  

2. Barnyard Call

Each person is given the name of an animal, with approximately three-five people having the same animal. Spread the group across a field, court, classroom, etc. No one is allowed to tell another which animal he is. At the signal, each person makes the animal's noise that he has been given. The winners are the first group to find all of their animals and sit down.

3. Hop off The Boat

Use a large sheet and a small ping pong ball. Form two sides. The object is to get the ball to fall off the other team's side for a point. Each group holds an opposite end of a bedsheet.

Place the ping pong in the middle of the sheet. Instruct teams that they can raise and lower as needed, but remind the players to be careful not to “launch” the ball (as they will be very inclined to do so). Place until the first team reaches 5 points or any number you choose.

Conclusion

The best way to teach our kids cooperation is to provide them with opportunities for it. The games in this article are perfect for teaching cooperation, even if they are competitive. They can also be made cooperative by changing the rules.

I hope you found this blog informative and the information helpful. If you are interested in learning more about Applied Behavior Analysis and the services Behavior Matters, LLC provides, please send an email to info@behaviormattersllc.com

Social Skills Series: Teaching Children How to Share

Social skills are an essential part of being a happy and healthy child. This article will explore how you can use Applied Behavior Analysis techniques to teach children the social skills they need to succeed in sharing, connecting with others, and cooperating with their peers.

Principles of Sharing

    Sharing is a complex process, and every person shares their personality and personality style. Some people do not share more often than others; most people do share most of the time. But there are different motivations for sharing, different methods of sharing, and different thoughts on how one should go about sharing. Children do not automatically know how to share. It is essential to teach them the principles of sharing and negotiating conflicts with their peers. The principles in include:

1. Children should take turns with toys, meaning they shouldn't play with something unless it's their turn. 
2. Children shouldn't take someone else's toy without asking first. 
3. The third principle is that children can't break another child's toy.

Applied Behavior Analysis for Sharing

    Teaching children about sharing is an essential social skill. When children understand how to share, they are more likely to learn other important skills, including empathy, cooperation, and problem-solving. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) teaches children how to share. This type of therapy encourages adults to praise and reward the child when they share. It also gives them plenty of opportunities to practice and learn how to share in a safe environment.

Teaching Basic Sharing Concepts

    One way to teach kids how to share is by presenting them with a set of two items, one that they want and the other that someone else wants. This should be done in a way that makes it clear that both children can have what they want, but only if they both give up something. Parents need to remember that this lesson may not come easily or naturally, so it may take some time for children to grasp the concept.

    Children are taught how to share from a young age because it's an essential life skill. The best way to teach sharing is to show children how other people use the material they're trying to access. In this way, children can learn to share without feeling like they are giving up something of their own. For example, if a child is trying to get a toy out of another child's hand, the parent can say something like, "Oh, that's a cool toy. Does it make music?" If the child holding the toy then says, "Yes, it plays a song," the first child can respond with, "Cool! I love that song! May I have a turn?" In this way, the parent can help teach children how to share without stepping in and taking the toy from the other child.

    Kids tend to watch their parents closely and model their behavior after their parents. In addition to teaching kids what sharing is, it's also important for parents to model the behavior. There are many ways that parents can do this, from sharing the responsibility of cleaning up to offering toys to a crying baby.

Activity Ideas for Teaching How to Share

Here are four activities:

1. Use shoeboxes to make a "sharing station" for children to put their toys in. When they come across an item that another child wants, they can ask the other child if they want it.
2. Have one child find five treasures throughout the room and hide them in different places. Have the rest of the children search for them; once found, the treasure is shared with whoever finds it.
3.  Draw a picture of what you shared today on a large piece of paper and hang it up in your classroom.
4. Make a "sharing garden" out of cups and spoons using pipe cleaners and markers; when everyone is finished, take the garden home for your child to share with their family!

Conclusion

This blog discusses the importance of social skills training for children. We have to teach our children how to play well with one another and share. Social skills training also helps a child's personal development, physical growth, and academic learning.

I hope you found this blog informative and the information helpful. If you are interested in learning more about Applied Behavior Analysis and the services Behavior Matters, LLC provides, please send an email to info@behaviormattersllc.com

Teach Social Skills to Children With Autism

In this blog post, we'll be talking about how you can teach your child social skills with the help of ABA therapy. We'll also discuss what social skills are and why they're essential to learn.

Why is it essential for children on the autism spectrum to learn social skills?

Social skills are the non-spoken communication skills we use in our day-to-day lives. This includes greetings, appropriate topics of conversation, and knowing when it is appropriate to touch another person. Children on the autism spectrum find social skills complex for various reasons, such as sensory processing differences, difficulty understanding social cues or facial expressions, and difficulty regulating emotions.

What is ABA therapy?

ABA therapy is a behavioral method of teaching different skills to autistic children. It has many benefits and is tailored to the individual child's needs. For example, it may involve working on social skills, such as saying hello or playing with others. ABA therapists work with parents or teachers to develop a curriculum for individual children that helps them learn how to behave appropriately in different situations.

With daily practice, the child will feel more comfortable in their environment, which will improve their overall quality of life. Social behavior is often a problem for children with autism spectrum disorders, and it is one of the focus areas of ABA therapy. An ABA therapist will use repetitive teaching and positive reinforcement with the child to teach social skills, like looking someone in the eye, shaking hands, and accepting or giving a hug.

Ways to use ABA therapy to teach social skills.

ABA therapy is often used to teach social skills to children with autism. It can be done one-on-one or within a group setting. First, two essential concepts must be earned before the therapy begins: "chaining" and "cueing." Chaining is where you link together certain behaviors to form a sequence. Cueing is when your child's behavior allows you to praise them for doing something correctly. Once the child masters these two concepts, it's time, to begin with, the therapy.

For example, let's say that you want your child to look at you before saying "Hello" when they greet someone. First, you would teach the child to look at you whenever they say, "Hello. " This is the chaining part. Then, you will praise when the child does this correctly a few times, which is the cueing part. Finally, you would have the child do this behavior in a varvarioustions and with various people.

Conclusion

The techniques taught in this blog are essential for children with autism to know for successful functioning in society. Teaching these skills will help them develop independence, reduce anxiety, and make friends with people different from themselves.

I hope you found this blog informative and the information helpful. If you are interested in learning more about Applied Behavior Analysis and the services Behavior Matters, LLC provides, please send an email to info@behaviormattersllc.com