Video

Video 1

This video demonstrates an example of providing a direct and contingent reinforcer in response to the child’s behaviour. Throughout this snack routine, the therapist supports the child’s communicative initiations by immediately providing the appropriate reinforcer. When the child initiates “more water”, the therapist hands over her cup; when the child asks for “cookie”, the therapist places a cookie while modeling a two-word phrase or acquisition label “in bowl”; when the child initiates social bids such as imitating the therapist’s drinking sounds, the therapist responds and continues the interaction. Providing the reinforcer related to the target behaviour (in this case, expressive language) teaches the child about the relationship between the child’s behaviour and the positive consequence that follows. It also allows the teaching environment to be more rewarding and enjoyable to the child, making avoidance or escape behaviour less likely to occur.

Video 2

In this activity, the therapist and child are having a snack. Food routines are a great way to work on expressive and receptive language development. The child can communicate to the adult what he or she wants to eat or to drink, when he or she want more of the preferred item, and can also participate with the set up and clean up of the activity (such as giving the cup to the adult, putting the napkins and utensils on the table cup, throwing the trash away).