Methods used in ABA

Reinforcement is a key component of all ABA programs — in fact, without reinforcement, there is no ABA.

Reinforcement simply means providing something a child finds motivating or enjoyable after a desired behaviour occurs, which increases the likelihood that the behaviour will happen again in the future.

Reinforcers can be many different things — what works well for one child may not work for another. It is essential to identify each child’s individual preferences so that reinforcement is meaningful and effective.

Examples of common reinforcers include:

• A favourite toy
   
• Praise or positive attention from an adult ("Great job!" / clapping)
   
• A preferred food or drink
   
• Social interactions (tickles, hugs, high-fives)
   
• Access to a favourite activity (watching a video, playing a game)
   

The value of the reinforcer plays a big role:
👉 The higher the value or desire for the reinforcer, the more motivated the child will be to engage in the desired behaviour in order to earn it.

Why is this so important?
Reinforcement provides the motivation to learn. It helps children see that learning and using new skills can result in positive outcomes. This makes learning more enjoyable and builds a positive association with the process.

Your ABA team will work with you to:

✅ Identify effective reinforcers for your child
✅ Rotate reinforcers to keep motivation high
✅ Fade reinforcement gradually as skills become more natural and independent

Pairing in ABA

Before any adult starts working directly with a child, one of the most important first steps is something called pairing.

Pairing is the process of helping a child build a positive association with the adult (e.g. tutor, therapist, parent). In other words, the adult becomes a person the child wants to be around, because good things happen when they are there.

During pairing, the adult provides access to the child’s preferred items, activities, and interactions — the things that function as reinforcers for that child. This builds trust and positive feelings.

Over time, the child learns:
👉 “When this person is around, fun things happen!”

When effective pairing has occurred, you’ll often notice the child:

• Smiling and approaching the adult willingly
   
• Being excited to interact with the adult
   
• Wanting to engage in activities with the adult
   
• Associating the adult with positive experiences rather than demands
   

When a child is paired well with a therapist or adult, it creates a strong foundation for learning and skill development to happen. The adult becomes a "reinforcer" themselves, which increases the child’s motivation to engage in new learning activities and reduces potential resistance.

Key point:
👉 Pairing is not a one-time event — it is an ongoing process. Even as teaching begins, adults should continue to pair themselves with fun and positive experiences to maintain the relationship.

Summary:
Pairing helps children feel safe, motivated, and happy around those who support them. It is a vital step to ensuring a successful ABA program.

 A prompt is a cue or assistance given to encourage the correct response from a child. Prompts help bridge the gap between what a child cannot yet do on their own and what we want them to learn to do independently.

In Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), prompts are a key teaching strategy. They ensure that learning happens in a way that is positive and successful, and that children experience many opportunities for correct responses.

Prompts are typically organised into a prompt hierarchy, ranging from most intrusive (strongest level of assistance) to least intrusive (minimal assistance).
Examples of prompts include:

• Physical guidance (helping the child perform the action)
   
• Gestural prompts (pointing, nodding)
   
• Modeling (demonstrating the correct response)
   
• Verbal prompts (giving a verbal clue or instruction)
   
• Visual prompts (pictures, symbols)
   

The ultimate goal when using prompts is always to fade them systematically, so the child can perform the skill independently.

Two main prompting strategies:

1. Most-to-least prompting (used when teaching a new skill):
   Start with the most helpful prompt to ensure success and prevent errors. Then gradually reduce the level of assistance.
    
2. Least-to-most prompting (used when the skill is known but not yet mastered):
   Start with no prompt or minimal assistance and only increase the level of prompting if needed. This helps prevent prompt dependency (where the child waits for a prompt instead of trying independently).
    

In summary:
Prompting helps children learn new skills successfully and confidently. By carefully planning how and when prompts are used and faded, we promote independence — the true goal of any teaching program. 

 The ABC model is a simple way to understand why behaviours happen by looking at three parts:

• A: Antecedent — What happens right before the behaviour.
  Example: An adult says, "Put your coat on."
   
• B: Behaviour — The actual behaviour that occurs after the antecedent.
  Example: The child drops to the floor and cries.
   
• C: Consequence — What happens after the behaviour.
  Example: The adult helps the child put their coat on.
   

By observing the ABCs, we can better understand the reasons behind behaviours and how to support positive changes. 

 Manding is when a child asks for something they want or need—like a toy, food, or attention. Therapists or parents set up situations that encourage the child to practice manding. It’s an important first step in developing verbal language because it teaches the child that using words or communication is the best way to get what they want. Over time, the child learns that trying to communicate (mand) is more effective than other behaviours to get their needs met.

Discrete Trial Training is a teaching method that breaks down skills into small, simplified, and structured steps. Instead of teaching an entire skill all at once, each step is taught individually through separate trials. This makes learning more manageable and effective for the child.

A typical sequence in DTT often follows these stages:

• MT (Mass Trial): Repeating the same task multiple times to build familiarity.
   
• DT1 (Discrete Trial 1): Introducing the first step of the skill.
   
• DT2 (Discrete Trial 2): Teaching the next step or variation.
   
• RR (Random Rotation): Mixing previously learned tasks randomly to encourage generalization and prevent rote learning.

In errorless learning, the instructor immediately provides the correct prompt to guide the child to the right answer or behavior, preventing mistakes from happening. The goal is for the child to learn the correct skill straight away, without experiencing failure or errors.

This method uses prompts — which can range from physical guidance to verbal cues — to ensure success. Over time, these prompts are gradually reduced (faded) to encourage the child to perform the skill independently.

When teaching a new skill, it’s common to use a most-to-least intrusive prompting hierarchy, meaning you start with the most help possible and slowly lessen assistance as the child gains confidence and mastery.

and many many more....