SYLLABUS
Advanced Topics in Behavior Analysis and Verbal Behavior
Dr. Vincent J. Carbone, BCBA-D
NYS Licensed Behavior Analyst
Vcarbonecarboneclinic@gmail.com
IESCUM
Parma, Italy
December 1-3, 2014
Goal: To provide graduate students with an overview of important concepts and principles
included in B.F.Skinner’s (1957) analysis of verbal behavior. Accomplishment of this goal will
assist in preparing students to develop instructional programs for children with autism and other
related disabilities who may not acquire verbal behavior through the everyday exposure to the
indirect contingencies of reinforcement arranged by a verbal community.
Objectives: After completing this course the students will have a verbal repertoire, e.g.
intraverbals and tacts, that include:
1. Definitions of the primary verbal operants and identification of behavioral principles that
make up the controlling variables for each .
2. Descriptions of the procedures derived from the basic principles to effectively teach each
of the primary verbal operants. .
3. Description of the concepts and principles related to the motivating operation and how it
relates to the acquisition and teaching of verbal behavior.
4. How to contrive and capture motivation to teach the mand as part of a language training
program
5. How to teach verbal behavior in natural environment settings.
6. Describe the differences between topography and selection based verbal behavior
methods of alternative communication.
7. How to increase vocal production in minimally vocal children with autism.
8. Definition of autoclitic processes and the role they play in language training programs for
children with autism.
Course Activities and Requirements: The following is a list of the activities that will lead
to successful completion of the course objectives:
1. Attend each class d to discuss the relevant material. The class meetings will include
discussion of power point material, discussion of assigned readings and video
illustrations of relevant concepts and principles.
2. Read the assigned readings and power points prior to each class and complete study
guides.
3. Participate in class discussions and ask relevant questions during class meetings.
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Course Outline
The following is a schedule of the units of study and related materials. Prior to the class meeting
complete all reading assignments and review the power point slides
Monday, December 1, 2014
The Primary Verbal Operants and The Role of the Motivating Operation in the
Teaching Children with Autism
Reading AssignmentsAlbert, K. M.., Carbone, V J., Murray, D., Hagerty, M., Sweeney-Kerwin, E. J. (2013) Increasing
the mand repertoire of children with autism through the use of an interrupted chain procedure.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 5, 65-76.
Carbone, V.J. (2013). The establishing operation and teaching verbal behavior. The Analysis
of Verbal Behavior,29, 45-50.
Carbone, V. J., Morgenstern, B., Zecchin-Tirri, G. & Kolberg, L. (2010). The role of the
reflexive-conditioned motivating operation (CMO-R) during discrete trial instruction
of children with autism. Focus on Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 25, 110-124
Carbone, V.J., O’Brien, L., Sweeney-Kerwin, E.J., and Albert, K. (2013). Teaching eye
contact to children with autism: A conceptual analysis and single case study. Education
and Treatment of Children, 36, 139-159.
Laraway, S., Snycerski, S, Michael, J., & Poling, A. (2003). Motivating operations and terms to
describe them: Some further refinements. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 407414.
Roxburgh, C., & Carbone, V. J. (2012). The effects of varying teacher presentation rates
on responding during discrete trial training for two children with autism. Behavior
Modification, 3, 298-323.
Sweeney-Kerwin, E., Carbone, V. J., O’Brien, L., Zecchin, G., Janecky, M. N. (2007).
Transferring control of the mand to the motivating operation in children with autism.
The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 23, 89-102.
Power Points- The Motivating Operation
Pairing & Manding
Teaching in the Natural Environment
Intro to Verbal Behavior
Operants and Teaching Procedures
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Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Joint Control & Secondary Verbal Operants
Joint Control
Reading Assignments
Causin, et al., 2013
Power Points:
IESCUM- Joint Control
Secondary Verbal Operants
Reading Assignments
Description of Autoclitics by Jay Moore
Howard & Rice, 1988
Moore VB Operants and Autoclitics
Peterson Autoclitics
Power Points
Autoclitic from Sundberg
Autoclitics
IESCUM Linguistic Structure
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Topography and Selection Based Verbal Behavior
Reading Assignments –
Carbone, V. J.,, Lewis, L., Sweeney-Kerwin, E. J., Dixon, J., Louden, R., Quinn, S., (2006). A
comparison of two approaches for teaching vb functions: Total communications vs. vocalalone. Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis, 1, 181-192.
Carbone, V., Sweeney-Kervin, E., Attanasio, V., Kasper, T., (2010). Increasing the vocal
responding of children with autism and other developmental disabilities using manual sign
language, mand training, prompt delay procedures, and vocal prompting. Journal of
Applied Behavior Analysis.43, 705-709.
Michael J. Two kinds of verbal behavior plus a possible third. The Analysis of Verbal
Behavior.1985;3:1–4.
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Miliotis, A., Sidener, T. M., Reeve, K. K., Carbone, V.,J., Sidener, D. W., Rader, L.,
Delmolino, L. (2012). An evaluation of the number of presentations of target sounds
during stimulus-stimulus pairing trials. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 45, 809813.
Rader, L, Sidener, T.M., Reeve, K.M., Sidener,D.M., Delmolino, L., Miliotis, A.,
Carbone, V.J. (2014) Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing of Vocalizations: A Systematic
Replication. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 30, 69-74.
Schlosser, R. W., & Wendt, O. (2008). Augmentative and alternative communication intervention
for children with autism: A systematic review. In J. K. Luiselli, D. C. Russo, W. P.
Christian, & S. M. Wilczynski (Eds.) Effective practices for children with autism. (pp.325389). New York: Oxford University Press.
Tincani, M. (1985) TB and SB VB. Tincani, M. (2004). Comparing the Picture Exchange
Communication System and sign language training for children with autism. Focus on
Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 3, 152-163.
Van der Meer, L., Sutherland, D., O’Reilly, M.F., Lancioni, G.El., Sigafoos, J. (2012 ) A further
comparison of manual signing, picture exchange and speech generating devices as
communication modes for children with autism spectrum disordres, 6, 1247-1257.
Power Point- Topography and Selection-Based Verbal Behavior
Grading:. There will be a multiple choice question test on the last day of class. The test will
cover all the material presented during the course and may include material from the readings
that were not discussed in class.
The grading scale is as follows:
90-100 – A
80-89- B
70-79- C
60-69- D
Below 60 - F
All policies governing academic matters established by IESCUM will be adhered to.
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