Naturalistic Teaching Strategies in ABA Therapy
As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me I forget. Teach me I remember. Involve me and I learn”.
Naturalistic teaching strategies in ABA therapy also work on the same principle to treat children with autism. Naturalistic teaching strategies are a group of strategies that cannot only be implemented in therapy sessions but can be practiced in daily routines as well.
Read this article to learn more about naturalistic teaching strategies and their benefits.
What are Naturalistic Teaching Strategies in ABA Therapy?
Naturalistic teaching strategies comprise a method of teaching that is not restricted to any professional or controlled settings but can be implemented anywhere or anytime. Its core principle is to use the natural environment and real-life situations to promote learning.
This approach is widely used and instructed by therapists to the parents so that they can practice it, no matter if it’s at a grocery store or a playground. They are found to be effective in treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as these kids are more likely to learn in an engaging and conducive environment.
Key Naturalistic Teaching Strategies
Here are the four naturalistic teaching strategies in ABA therapy:
1. Incidental Teaching
The principle of incidental teaching is to use natural opportunities to teach the desired behaviors or skills. In this approach, the therapist or caretaker waits for the right moment to happen naturally and then avails that moment as a teaching opportunity.
For example, if a child shows interest in playing with a car, the caretaker or the therapist can use that moment to teach him car-related vocabulary such as push, go, wheels, etc. In this way, the learning will become interesting for the child, and the likelihood of throwing tantrums will be reduced.
2. Milieu Teaching
Milieu teaching is one of the naturalistic teaching strategies that is closely related to incidental teaching. The only difference is that in incidental teaching, the caretaker or the therapist waits for the opportunity to happen naturally, whereas in milieu teaching, a conducive environment is provided to encourage certain actions to happen. For example, if the therapist wants the child to demand a certain toy, they may place the toy at a distance, which encourages the child to demand that toy.
3. Natural Language Paradigm (NLP)
Natural Language Paradigm is one of the teaching approaches that focuses on communication and language skills. In this method, natural moments that occur in daily life are used as a teaching opportunity to make the learning process engaging. This improves the child’s social skills and enhances social interactions.
For example, a therapist practicing NLP can place food that is out of reach during mealtime. This encourages the child to speak and demand for the food. If the child’s verbal skills are not very strong, the therapist might use model language that teaches the child to use the same communication form afterwards to demand food.
4. Pivotal Response Training
Contrary to discrete trial training DTT, which focuses on step-by-step learning of a complex task, pivotal response training is a strategy in applied behavior analysis that targets key areas of development.
These areas include self-management, social behaviors, and motivation, which provide a foundation for a wide range of skills. This strategy promotes generalization as the core principle of PVY is that by fixing the key areas, the child will directly show improvements in secondary areas as well.
For example, if a child is highly interested in solving a puzzle, you can use that puzzle as a reward for the completion of other tasks. The therapist may involve the child in different educational activities and set the puzzle as an incentive. This will not only motivate the child but also let them learn new skills as well.
Benefits of Naturalistic Teaching Strategies
Here are the benefits of naturalistic teaching strategies:
1. Increased Engagement
As naturalistic teaching strategies are focused on incorporating learning into daily lives, they don’t feel enforced. So, when the teaching methodology aligns with the interests and preferences of the learner, the learning experience becomes more enjoyable and engaging.
For example, if a child has an interest in animals, incorporating animal-themed activities is a great way to evoke their interest. As a result, the child responds more effectively and shows a willingness to participate in activities.
2. Generalized Behaviors
Skills that are taught in natural settings have a generalized effect on other behaviors as well. As they are practiced in real-life environments, the child doesn’t associate those learned skills or activities with confined settings but implements them into everyday experiences.
Such as, if you have taught the child to ask politely during mealtimes, there is a high chance that the child would implement it in other situations as well. This will also improve their social skills and help them interact with other people.
3. Contextual Relevance
When the learner sees that the new skills are relevant to their everyday activities, they are more likely to understand their implications and practicality. For instance, if you teach a child to ask for help during playtime, he will most likely ask for help in other life scenarios too.
4. Better Social Interactions
The incorporation of learning activities in everyday life doesn’t make the child aggressive as it allows natural learning. Instead of asking for forceful interactions, engaging them in group activities, asking them to share their lunch, or turn-taking improves their social skills naturally.
Final Words
So, in Applied behavioral analysis (ABA), naturalistic teaching strategies are a great way to teach children skills and the right behaviors. They have lasting outcomes as compared to forced learning as children are involved by themself in such type of strategies.
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