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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Welcome! This is the Autism of America Behavior Technician monthly newsletter. We are providing this resource so that we can more easily share important information and company announcements with everyone.
Announcements
You can view the company calendar to find important information, closing dates, and to schedule any meetings (when needed). Find the calendar here.
To access the calendar (and any other password-protected pages on the AOA website), use password: AOA2403!
This password may change at times for security purposes. You will be informed when this occurs.
Reviewing the newsletters is a mandatory part of your position.
BT REMINDERS
This area of the newsletter will address things related to your position as a Behavior Technician. We will give reminders that you may already be familiar with just as a refresher or for the purposes of informing those who may not be aware of the information. We might also share new information related to your role as a BT.
Reminder(s) of the Month
Policy on Gifts
With the holidays coming up, it is a good time to give the reminder that AOA has a company-wide policy which states that AOA staff and clients/their parents should not give each other gifts.
The exchange of gifts and/or items of monetary value can create ethical dilemmas.
This can be a tricky situation to navigate but knowing the policy ahead of time can make it easier. For more guidance, discuss this with your supervisor.
FEATURED ABA CONCEPT
This area of the newsletter will briefly review one ABA concept, strategy, or tip as a way to help you improve your ABA skills which will ultimately help us give the best quality services to our clients. We continue to strive for excellence in our services and want to support your growth in the field, as well.
Conducting preference assessments
A preference assessment is a tool that can be used to identify what might motivate the individual to engage in identified behaviors. More specifically, a preference assessment can help identify potential reinforcers that can be used when you are trying to increase the occurrence of specific behaviors in your client.
Your BCBA will provide guidance to you when/if your client requires a preference assessment.
Preference assessments require more systematic techniques than we have space to describe here, but we will give you an overview of some types of preference assessments.
TYPES OF PREFERENCE ASSESSMENTS
Ask - Vocally ask the client what they would prefer. You can use an open-ended question ("What do you like to do in your free time?") or give choices ("Do you like blocks or bubbles better?"). You can also interview parents and caregivers about the child's preferences. You could also present visuals in the form of pictures of the potential items or activities you are assessing.
Free Operant Observation - Observe the child in an environment with potentially preferred items/activities. Record how much time they spend with each item they interact with. Rank the items from most to least time of engagement.
Trial-Based Methods - Present the child with one (single stimulus), two (paired stimulus), or multiple (multiple stimulus) potentially preferred items. Each approach requires different responses from the person conducting the preference assessment. This method allows a systematic approach to ranking preferred items.
IMPORTANT DATES (Events, Closings, Etc.)
CLOSINGS
THANKSGIVING DAY - Thursday, November 28th, 2024
NOTE: AOA is OPEN on Friday, November 29th
EVENTS
QBS Training (Grand Rapids location)
November 21st and 22nd; 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Themed Client Activity: Making a Fall/Thanksgiving-Themed Wreath
This is a way to connect all of our BTs and kiddos and bring a greater sense of community to our team despite being in many different locations. Additionally, this activity gives our clients something new and exciting to experience which can incorporate mastered skills, current goals, or new skills as well as to develop social and communication skills no matter the learner's needs or abilities. Feel free to contact your Center Coordinator or the BCBA overseeing your case for more guidance.
Week of November 18-22
To celebrate Fall and/or Thanksgiving, AOA would like all of our centers (and home-based staff if you're able) to help our kiddos complete a craft representing this theme.
The craft we will complete is making a fall or thanksgiving themed wreath which supports a variety of skills such as fine motor skills and receptive language skills. You can also incorporate pattern and/or color recognition.
Materials
AOA will provide craft supplies if needed.
Materials needed: paper plate, glue, items to glue on the wreath, hole puncher, string.
Instructions
The BT should cut a circle out of the paper plate prior to working on this craft with the child (unless the child is clearly able to complete this step safely). This creates the base for the "wreath."
OPTIONAL STEP: If you would like to, have the child paint or color the paper plate to make it more realistic.
Present the child with a selection of items to paste on the wreath.
Ideas of items to offer include: paper or plastic leaves or these leaves, feathers, fall/thanksgiving themed stickers, pieces of tissue paper (in fall/thanksgiving colors), cotton balls, acorns, pumpkins such as these ones
Vocally instruct the child to select which items they want to use and then inform them to glue the items on the wreath.
OPTIONAL STEP: For children with the ability to do so, consider having them write things they are thankful for on items they are pasting on their wreath. For example, they could write "mom" on a paper leaf if a leaf is an option of something to glue onto the wreath. With this addition to the craft, you might consider writing a "title" on a slip of paper which says "I am thankful for..." and pasting this in a clearly visible location on the wreath.
Put the child's name and the date on the back of the wreath.
Use the hole punch to put a hole on the top of the wreath and tie a string so it can be hung up on display.
COMPANY VALUES
We would like to share the AOA core values with you. We strive to incorporate these values into everything we do. We hope you will embrace these values and demonstrate them throughout your work, as well.
THE AOA CORE VALUES INCLUDE:
Excellence
Compassion
Respect
Diversity
Positivity
THANK YOU
Thank you for all you do for your clients and for AOA. We appreciate you!
If you have any questions about this content, feel free to contact the Training & Development Director, Heather Gilmore, at hgilmore@autismofamerica.com. You are also welcome to contact your BCBA, center coordinator, or HR staff.
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