Reference no: EM133882952
Assignment:
I have chosen to teach Yara, a 7 year old with autism, how to brush her teeth by herself. To accomplish this task, I would use a forward chaining procedure. Forward chaining is a good choice because it lets Yara learn each step of the process in order, starting from the beginning, which helps her feel successful right away (Cooper et al., 2020). This method keeps things organized and simple, which can help Yara stay focused.
The steps for brushing teeth would be:
- Get the toothbrush and toothpaste
- Take the cap off the toothpaste
- Put toothpaste on the toothbrush
- Turn on the water
- Wet the toothbrush
- Brush the top teeth from left to right for 30 seconds
- Brush the bottom teeth from left to right for 30 seconds
- Spit into the sink
- Rinse the mouth with water
- Rinse the toothbrush
- Turn off the water
- Put everything away
I would also create a data sheet to track if Yara does each step by herself or needs help.
To make sure the task analysis fits Yara's needs, I would watch how her parents help her at home and talk with them to see if any steps need to be added or changed. This way, the plan matches her skill level and experience.
One step that might be hard for Yara is brushing for the full amount of time. To help with this, I would use a visual timer to show her how long to brush and maybe utilize a song to manipulate environmental variables preventing her from doing this. Over time, I would slowly stop using the timer as she gets better. I would also give her praise or a small reward when she brushes for the right amount of time. This use of prompting, fading, and reinforcement helps Yara build the full skill step-by-step (Miltenberger, 2016).
- Evaluate the selected chaining procedure and provide feedback on other options.
- Review the task analysis and provide feedback on the clarity of the steps presented and whether further validation is needed.
- Were the shaping procedures described clearly enough that you could implement the treatment? (I.e., were they described technologically?)
- Ask at least one thoughtful follow-up question.