Copyright

Registered Behavior The course content was created by Chaza

Attar and is the property of Autism
Technician Course
Therapy & Training Inc.
Presented by Chaza Attar, BCBA
All rights are reserved
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Program Information
This training program is based on the
Remember!
Behavior Analyst Certification Board " Active Listening
(2018) RBT task list (2nd ed.) and is
" Quiz
designed to meet the 40-hour training
requirement for the RBT credential. " Competency
Assessment
The program is offered independent
of the BACB.

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 Natural Environment
Teaching (NET)
In today’s class
You will learn…

C-5 Implement naturalistic

teaching procedures

What is it? Structure of

" A concept is taught in context
the NET
" Method of teaching loosely following the learner’s
" Predictable routine
establishing operations (EOs)
" Choice point
" Targets are embedded into play and asked when
the motivation is high " Variations

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Video Model
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Research…
Sundberg and Partington (1998) noted that NET was
established based on the frameworks of:
1. The Natural Language Paradigm (Koegel et al. 1987)
2. Incidental teaching (Hart and Risley, 1975)
3. The expanded program of Milieu Language
Training (Hart & Rogers-Warren, 1978, Cautilli J., 2006)
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As an RBT
" Interact with the learner at the table or floor
" Ask questions and give instructions in relation
to the activity
" i.e. if playing in the sandbox, the RBT may ask
the learner to label shovel, copy pouring action,
fill in “you dig with a …”, etc.
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Research…
" Provides an alternative, less structured, and more
naturalistic approach
" Should be used within EIBI for autism, along with DTT
" Enables children with autism to generalize verbal
behaviour in the context of motivating activities
" In the initial stages of NET, the therapist focuses on
mand training through manipulation of a learner’s
MOs 12
(Sundberg and Partington, 1998) (Michael 2004) 12
 NET NET
" You want to embed all " The targets you embed depend on the learner
your domains (tact, mand, and their program
echoic, etc.) " Advanced wh - questions while others are
" This is a playful interaction working on receptive skills
with targets embedded at " Embed previously acquired skills and intersperse
varying natural points. them in the play

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Verbal Behavior in
the NET NET
" Mand: Child requests “train please” " Early learners will start in
" Receptive: You tell the learner to “give you the big the NET
track”
" Intermediate learners will
" Tact: You ask the learner to label the colour of the train
spend more time in ITT
" Intraverbal: You ask “Who drives a train?”
" Advance learners will return
" Imitation: You ask the learner to copy an action with
to the NET
the train such as moving it up and down the track.
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" Echoic: You tell your learner to say “all aboard!”
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Early Learners Early Learners
" Spend about 70-80% in the NET
" Have limited skills " Most of the teaching here
is PROMPTED
" Pairing starts here
" Try to fade whenever and
" Gradual increase of demands
wherever you can based
" Manding will start here on your learner
" Simple program targets embedded

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Intermediate
Learners
" Spend about 50% in NET and 50% in ITT

Video Model " Generalize ITT skills into the NET

" Ask questions, have the learner label and identify
things that are directly related to the activity

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 Advance Learners
" Spends about 80% in NET

Video Model " Generalize ITT skills into the NET

" Build new mands, tacts and more complex
receptive skills
" Responding to wh-questions

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Create a NET
Lesson Plan
" A plan of the learner’s program targets
" The learner may be working on labelling sand
Video Model and bucket, etc.
" These targets can be interspersed with other
previously acquired targets.

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 Activity: Sand box Theme: Construction site

Previously
Acquired skills
Previously
Acquired skills
Targets Avoid
Mand shovel bucket dig a hole

Receptive pour the sand give me the shovel bury the car
" Unnatural teaching

Tact sand shovel pouring

" Back to back demands
from a specific domain
Imitation digging a hole dumping the sand making a castle

sound of a truck
Echoic backing up
pour the sand here Hurry everyone

Where does the sand What carries the sand

Intraverbal you dig with a…?
go…? to the dump site? 26

Teaching in
the NET
" Select a reinforcing activity
" Think of a theme and ways to expand
" Play and have fun — as you are playing ask questions
Let’s Practice!
or place demands when motivation is present
" State your SD
" Prompt your learner
" Then naturally embed a transfer trial

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 Selecting Teaching Targets

Video Model
Selecting Teaching
Targets

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Targets
" Select program targets.
" If your learner is working on an imitation program,
select objects that you can incorporate in your play
" i.e. selecting a tambourine as target which can be
embedded when you and your learner pretend you
are in a marching band.
Targets
" If you know that your learner likes a carwash, you
can teach what questions that are associated with
carwash.
" i.e. What goes into the carwash? What comes out
of the carwash? What cleans the car?

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 Targets
" Think of novel ways of running the target
" Getting someone’s attention happens when
Quiz
someone is on the phone, talking to someone
else, behind a closed door, back towards the
person, etc. Time!
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Questions Answers
The RBT said, you roll the….. and then The RBT said, you roll the….. and then
prompted “ball” while playing bowling. What prompted “ball” while playing bowling. What
domain did the RBT run in the NET? domain did the RBT run in the NET?
A. Manding A. Manding
B. Intraverbal B. Intraverbal
C. Receptive C. Receptive
D. Tact D. Tact
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 Questions Answers
The RBT said “clap your hands, touch your The RBT said “clap your hands, touch your
nose, touch your head” while playing in the nose, touch your head” while playing in the
sandbox. Did the RBT run receptive skills right sandbox. Did the RBT run receptive skills right
during NET? during NET?
A. Yes A. Yes
B. No B. No

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Questions Answers
Stimulus-stimulus pairing is when a neutral Stimulus-stimulus pairing is when a neutral
stimulus is presented at the same time as an stimulus is presented at the same time as an
unconditioned stimulus? unconditioned stimulus?
A. Yes A. Yes
B. No B. No

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 Questions
The RBT gives the learner crayons and begins colouring
with him using hand over hand. She has a Dora movie
playing in the background. The learner begins pushing
her and the movie. What might be wrong here?
A. The learner does not like colouring
B. The learner does not like Dora
C. The learner does not like the RBT
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Answers
The RBT gives the learner crayons and begins colouring
with him using hand over hand. She has a Dora movie
playing in the background. The learner begins pushing
her and the movie. What might be wrong here?
A. The learner does not like colouring
B. The learner does not like Dora
C. The learner does not like the RBT
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NET vs. ITT

NET ITT
" Teaching loosely " Structured teaching

NET vs. ITT " No specific location " At the table

" Targets are intermixed
" Targets embedded
using an Easy/Difficult
naturally during play
ratio

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 NET vs. ITT Remember…
NET ITT " Although both NET and DTT are effective in
" Start the learner here " Core skills taught establishing verbal repertoires in children with
" Generalize targets " Many trials autism
here " Fast pace of teaching " NET alone may be effective in establishing
" Follow learners EO spontaneous verbal behaviour and its
generalization

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45 (Delprato, 2001; Elliot, Hall, & Soper, 1991; Koegel, et al., 1992). 46

Remember…
" You may have moments where they do not
respond or ignore you all together
" Stop… look… listen
" Gently stop their hands and repeat your SD and
be sure they comply.
Final Thoughts 48

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 References
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007).
Applied behavior analysis (2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Bloom K. Evaluation of infant conditioning. Journal of Experimental Child
Psychology.1979;27:60–70. doi 10.1016/0022-0965(79)90059-6.
Dawson G. Early behavioral intervention, brain plasticity, and the prevention of autism
spectrum disorder. Development and Psychopathology. 2008;20:775–803. doi: 10.1017/
S0954579408000370.
Bijou S. W., Baer D. M. Child development II: universal stage of infancy. New York:
Appleton-Century-Crofts; 1965.
Schlinger H. D. The behavior-analytic view of child development. New York: Plenum
Press; 1995.
(Delprato, 2001; Elliot, Hall, & Soper, 1991; Koegel, et al., 1992).
References
Hart B., Risley T. R. Meaningful differences in the everyday experiences of young
American children. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes; 1995.
Rogers S. J., Dawson G. Early start Denver model for young children with autism.
New York: Guilford Press; 2010
Stone W. L., Yoder P. J. Predicting spoken language level in children with autism
spectrum disorders. Autism. 2001;5:341–361. doi: 10.1177/1362361301005004002.
Shillingsburg, M. A., Hollander, D. L., Yosick, R. N., Bowen, C., & Muskat, L. R.
(2015). Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing to Increase Vocalizations in Children with
Language Delays: a Review. The Analysis of verbal behavior, 31(2), 215–235. doi:
10.1007/s40616-015-0042-2
Koegel, R. L., O’Dell, M. C., & Koegel, L. K. (1987b). A natural language teaching
paradigm for non-verbal autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental
Disorders,17, 187–199. doi:10.1007/BF01495055.