Idaho Partnerships
Conference on
Human Services
Pivotal Response Training &
Natural Environment Teaching
Utah Behavior Support Clinic
Dr. Sellers, BCBA-D
October, 2015
1.
Some Basics
2.
Pivotal Response
Training
3.
Natural
Environment
Teaching
SOME
BASICS
REGARDING
TEACHING
Some Basic Terms
SD
Discriminative
Stimulus
Prompt
Response
Consequence
Stimulus
Control
BASIC Learning Trial
Three Term
Contingency
SD
Response
Prompt
(if needed)
Consequence
Basic LEARNING Trial
Systematic Presentation
of the Learning
Opportunity and SD
Systematic Delivery of
Prompts &
Consequences
Increases Ability to Focus
on Correct Response
Increases Ease of Data
Collection and Analysis
Increases Ability to
Identify When to Modify
Get Attention
BASIC LEARNING
TRIAL
COMMON TEACHING
STRATEGIES
HIGHLY
STRUCTURED
NATURALISTIC
Discrete Trial
Incidental
Teaching
Drill/Fluency
Natural
Environment
Teaching
Pivotal
Response
Teaching
BENEFITS
HIGHLY
STRUCTURED
NATURALISTIC
Lots of Learning
Trials
Natural
Antecedents
(SDs)
Lots of
Instructional
Control
Natural
Change Agents
& Settings
-Materials
-Prompting
Natural
Generalization
Trials
Reinforcers
Stimulus
Control
Setting
Initiator
Generalization
DTT/Structured
NTS
10-20
1-3
Powerful, but
Functional in
possibly arbitrary
context
Tight (minimize
Loose (multiple
distractions; less
distractions;
variation in
variation in
stimuli)
stimuli)
1-1 Work
Play/contextual
Teacher
Learner
Often post
Programmed
acquisition
from outset
PRT
PIVOTAL
RESPONSE
TRAINING
PURPOSE
PRT
• Facilitate Generalization (responses and across
items)
• Increase Initiations/Spontaneous Behavior
• Reduce Prompt Dependence
• Increase Motivation
PIVOTAL RESPONSES
PRT
Behaviors that are “pivotal” to broad areas of
functioning/development. Mastery may produce gains
in many non-targeted behaviors.
Responding
to Multiple
Cues
Motivation
SelfSelf-Initiation
Management
MAIN COMPONENTS
PRT
Choice & Shared Control
Clear Uninterrupted Instructions/Opportunities
Multiple Exemplars/Components
Reinforce Attempts/Approximations
“Connected” or “Related” Reinforcers
CHOICE & SHARED
CONTROL
PRT
WHY?
CHOICE & SHARED
CONTROL
PRT
Lots of High
Interest Items at
Eye Level
Rotate Items
Frequently
Facilitate
Exploration &
Choice
CHOICE & SHARED
CONTROL
Present Items or
Opportunity to
Chose/Indicate
Watch for Child’s
Indication of Preference
or Choice
Retain Item for Learning
Opportunity
PRT
CLEAR UNINTERRUPTED
INSTRUCTIONS/OPPORTUPRT
NITIES
Related to the
Activity/Item
Developmentally
Appropriate
-Language
Interesting to
Child
CLEAR UNINTERRUPTED
INSTRUCTIONS/OPPORTUPRT
NITIES
Eye
Contact/Attentio
n
Mix Between
Mastered/Easy &
New/Challenging
MULTIPLE
EXEMPLARS/COMPONENPRT
TS
Use same item for
different purposes
Use same item with
different responses
Describe the same
item in different
ways
MULTIPLE
EXEMPLARS/COMPONENPRT
TS
Different Actions
Different/Attributes Adjectives
• Push
• Crash
• Fly
• Drive Fast/Slow
•Vehicle
•Drives
•Doors, windows, wheels
•Color
•Size
•Shape
Different
Requests
Multiple
Combinations
• “Car?”
• “I want car?”
• “Can I have a
turn?”
•Requests: “I want the big
car/red car/fast car.”
•Labeling: “I see the
old/small/yellow car.”
•Receptive: “Get the big,
blue car.” “Make it go
fast and crash.”
REINFORCE
ATTEMPTS/APPROXIMATI PRT
ONS
Immediately
Correct Responses
Reasonable Attempts
Approximations
REINFORCE
ATTEMPTS/APPROXIMATI PRT
ONS
Get to where
you want to be!
Systematically
increase
requirements…
Start where
child is…
“CONNECTED” OR
“RELATED” REINFORCERS
PRT
Reinforcement Specifically
Related to the Desired
Behavior
Delivered
Immediately
Delivered with Specific
Praise
STEPS REVIEW
PRT
1. Arrange
environment
4. Following a correct
response, give access
to the item of interest
•Reinforcer is related to the
behavior
2. Follow the child’s
lead to an item of
interest
3. Require a communicative
response (mand) or a response to
an SD related to the item of interest
• If presenting an SD, get attention first.
SUMMARY/SUGGEST
PRT
IONS
· Gain attention
· Give choices to maintain motivation
· Vary toys
· Model social behavior
· Reinforce attempts
· Encourage conversation
· Extend conversation
· Take turns
· Descriptive praise & Narrate play
VIDEOS
PRT
Brief Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGlPVUCF1ww
Guided Model Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZOS-aYRVOI
More Advanced Language:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_ZrvMX3ykY
NET
NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT
TEACHING
PURPOSE
• Provide “Natural” Learning Opportunities
• Promote Generalization
• Promote Observational Learning
• Contact with Natural Contingencies
NET
MAIN COMPONENTS
NET
An Enriched/Motivating Environment/Context
Learner Initiated
Capturing/Creating Relevant Learning
Opportunities
Relevant Reinforcement
ENRICHED MOTIVATING
ENNVIRONMENT/
CONTEXT
NET
Motivating Items
Motivating Activities
Varied Schedule
Choice
Engage with Items
LEARNER INITIATED
Observe the
Individual
Plan the
Environment for
Independence
Plan the
Environment for
Exploration
Follow Child’s Lead
(but still preplanned)
NET
CAPTURING/CREATING
RELEVANT LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES
NET
Capture Existing Opportunity
Interrupt On-Going Activities
(pause, block, etc.)
Entice
Interrupted Chains
Sabotage
CAPTURING/CREATING
RELEVANT LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES
Expectant Gaze
Gestures
Verbal Prompts
Physical Prompts
NET
RELEVANT
REINFORCEMENT
What Does
This Mean?
NET
No Matter the
Teaching
Strategy, the
Child & You
MUST
Have FUN!
No Matter the
Teaching
Strategy, MUST
Collect Baseline
(before) and
Ongoing Data