Are you looking for a new resource created for the behavior analyst practitioner?
Let me introduce you to The R.E.A.L. Model™, Rethinking Generalization: A practitioner’s guide to teach for generalization within ABA treatment for autism and other disabilities, written by Brenda Terzich-Garland, M.A., BCBA.
Why this book?
Providing ABA Treatment and incorporating generalization is well-known among practitioners, but how effective are you in training for generalization for each child you serve?
ABA treatment is not a commodity, but a scientific evidence-based treatment informed by the principles of behavior analysis and generalization is paramount in the success of treatment effectiveness and social validity.
Teaching for generalization deserves the same critical analysis and training on implementation as the programs themselves that make up a child’s ABA program.
It is one thing to know about generalization and another to effectively teach for generalized behavior change for each child receiving ABA treatment.
The R.E.A.L Model™, Rethinking Generalization fills in the gap between the conceptual understanding of generalization (theory) and teaching for generalization in practice within ABA programs.
“[Terzich-Garland] deftly weaves child development with family dynamics and cultural expectations to produce a sound behavioral approach to teaching the often taken for granted ‘skill’ of generalization.”
— Dr. Phyllis N. Williamson, Licensed Psychologist
Excerpt
Dear Reader,
Thank you for picking up my book. You are a practitioner who uses the science and technology of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to help people—and if you’re like me, you’re also a lifelong learner. Over the years, R.E.A.L. (Recreating Environments to Accelerate Learning) has improved the work of ABA practitioners, from those just entering the field to professionals who have practiced for many years. I love what I do and the passion I have for ABA lies in our ability to change the quality of people’s lives.
This book’s focus is the delivery of ABA services for children diagnosed with autism, or what is commonly referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). I’ve worked with this population for over 25 years of my career and will continue to do so. Writing this book was motivated by a gap I saw in available resources; a lack of materials to train other clinical staff, whether behavior technician implementers, behavior analyst supervisors, or other support roles vital to treatment effectiveness for ABA intervention. As a behavior analyst, I’ve seen ABA continue to grow for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders from its infancy to what it is today.
ABA companies vary greatly in their approach to training new or seasoned behavior analyst practitioners— particularly around how to plan and teach for generalization for children with ASD. Though we agree that ABA programs must include generalization treatment goals, I believe a missing piece is a practical resource for how to best go about training for generalization.
The R.E.A.L. Model™ described in this book is for any practitioner providing ABA services who needs to move beyond a conceptual understanding of generalization. It should be used as a guide to plan and systematically build in generalization while progressing intervention programs within intensive behavioral treatment.
The practitioner using this book should have a good working knowledge of the basic principles of behavior analysis, including generalization; an understanding of the curriculum development necessary for designing ABA intervention; and experience training others to implement treatment procedures—specifically, lesson implementation to remediate skill deficits. It is also recommended that the reader have a general understanding of Skinner’s analysis of Verbal Behavior with respect to the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) and designing language programs.
As practitioners, we have the privilege of working with families whose quality of life has been impacted by their child’s disability of autism, ASD, or other related behavioral disorders. We can improve the lives of the children we work with exponentially through the powerful technology of ABA. In doing so, we enhance our own lives and positively contribute to humanity. We also have a responsibility to provide ABA services ethically and at the high quality set forth by the standards of our field—and to bear the responsibility of effecting change in the individuals we serve. ABA is not a commodity to be sold like candy bars, but a scientific, evidence-based discipline. As practitioners, we must commit to the intervention effectiveness and social validity that sustains the practice of behavior analysis.
I wish you well in your future endeavors,
Brenda Terzich-Garland
