Beyond the Behavior Plan: Holiday Support
The holiday season is upon us and we’re getting ready to navigate all of the changes in routine. There’s no better time than now to put a plan together to support you and your learner to make the holidays a little more predictable & a little less worrisome.
Beyond the Behavior Plan: Visual Schedules
Visual schedules represent a way of visually displaying a specific sequence of events, steps, activities within a learner’s day.
Visual schedules are a really adaptable tool and can include many different ways of representing those daily tasks or steps.
Beyond the Behavior Plan: Reinforcement Systems
Reinforcement systems are specific supports put in place that provide the learner with feedback that increases their likelihood and “buy in” for engaging with a specific contingency. This could be an activity, a location, an item or a person.
Systems let us know there is a specific strategy to the frequency (how often) and duration (how long) that the reinforcement is available or provided. The system also lets us know there is a specific reinforcer made available (this can be tangible (item), physical (hug/high five), verbal (praise), etc.)
Tangible Behavior
Tangible maintained behaviors occur when a learner wants to gain access to something physical (an item or activity) of interest within their environment.
Sensory Behavior
Sensory behaviors are those that occur when a learner engages in a specific action (or series of actions) because it feels good. Sensory behaviors do not require interactions with others and are often maintained automatically because it makes the learner feel good. Learning why these behaviors occur, what the behaviors can look like as well as how to support your learner with their sensory behavior is essential.