From the Table to the Playground: Practical Applications for ABA in Early Childhood Environments

Target Audience:

Headstart and Preschool Professionals (Lead Teacher, Instructional Assistant, and Related Service Providers), Daycare Providers, Childcare Providers, Early Childhood Administrators and Principals

CDA Subject Area: Goal III - To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance

Relationship to Early Care and Education:

In 2014 the CDC released statistics showing that 1 in 68 American children were diagnosed with as autism spectrum disorder. With the continued increase in students being identified as having autism, the need for early childhood professionals knowledgeable and capable is a necessity. Early childhood professionals have the great opportunity to be a support for families as their children may be identified as having an autism spectrum disorder. This webinar course will provide early childhood caregivers and educators with ABA strategies to assist them in their work with children.

Description:

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has been identified as the most effective research based intervention for treating autism spectrum disorders. ABA may sound overwhelming, but the basic principles can be easily applied to a variety of early childhood settings. Teachers, therapists, parents, and other caregivers will benefit from the information presented in this session. You will walk away with a toolkit of ABA strategies to assist you in your work with children with disabilities.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will define applied behavior analysis.
2. Participants will identify situations where ABA strategies can be useful.
3. Participants will identify 3 behavioral strategies that can be used in early childhood environments.

Syllabus:

Pre-Assessment – 30 minutesParticipants will take a brief assessment of knowledge about the subject prior to the webinar and view video clips of techniques that will be discussed further during the webinar presentation.

Webinar – 1 hourParticipants will view webinar presentation.

Discussion Board –1 hourAfter the webinar participants will be given a question to respond to based on the webinar training, videos and handouts. Participants will post an answer to the question using examples and information from the webinar, handouts and additional videos to support their answer. Participants will also respond to one other attendee post on the discussion board.

Post-Assessment Questions – 30 minutesParticipants will answer assessment questions based on webinar information, handouts and video examples discussed during the training.

Total Training Hours: 3.0

Continuing Education Units:

• The Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Division of Child Care APPROVED 3.0 CLOCK HOURS
• Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) APPROVED

**Certificates of Attendance will be awarded after the completion of all activities**

Presenter By:

Caitlin Conley, M.Ed.

Caitlin is passionate about helping children with autism and other developmental disabilities. She has spent four years teaching kindergarten through third grades. Caitlin also has experience providing ABA and verbal behavior therapies to children with autism. She has a master’s degree in elementary education and is working on her Rank I in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education. Additionally, she has completed coursework in applied behavior analysis at the Florida Institute of Technology.