March 2023

Proactive Strategies Sounds

like a
plan

Great
idea!
Summary of:
Reinforcement and Punishment Procedures
On it!

Presentation by: Liz Arriaga

Let's get
started
 Reinforcement

Once we gain an Positive Reinforcement: Negative Reinforcement:

Increases the understanding of which Something is added or Something is removed or
likelihood of the responses increase a given which makes the taken away which makes
behavior (e.g., social praise) behavior increase. For the behavior more likely to
behaviors to occur we can offer that to the example, praise, money, occur. For example,
individual in the presence of removing aversive noises,
more in the future tickles, food, toys, etc.
a more appropriate behavior tasks, or situations.

For example: A student is talking out in class, teacher then sends the student to the hallway. The student was liked
being in the hallway as he doesn't have to do math. In the future he will talk out during math again (his behavior was
increased, or reinforced.
Tips for Reinforcement
Reinforcers should be personalized and preferred:
Take moments to observe their interested in motivation in order to determine what reinforcer
would be best
Reinforcement should be immediate
In order to help facilitate an understanding of what is correct, it should be immediate after the
target behavior. This will increase the likelihood of the behavior occurring more in the future.
Amount of reinforcement should match the behavior
Consider the difficulty of a task when deciding how much to reinforce. For example, you need to
provide a lot of help to put their jacket on so your praise is more neutral versus when they do it
independently you throw a party!
Provide choices to reinforcers
Ensure you understand WHAT they are motivated by. By providing choices prior to the demand you
can more clearly pinpoint what they are seeking.
Limit access to reinforcers
This will help will maintaining their effectiveness. For example, this is especially utilized during
toilet training. If a child loves m&m's only limiting them to appropriate voids will keep them
motivated to engage in appropriate voids.
Fade reinforcement when skill is learner
When a child is first learning a skill utilizing a much more dense schedule of reinforcement is necessary.
Once a child begins to improve and use the skill independently start to minimize your reinforcement.

Back to Agenda Page

 Punishment
Punishment is something that ABA rarely utilizes
and is only done so when all parties agree it is the
Decreases the likelihood best course of action and when all other methods
have been exhausted. Punishment does not
of the behaviors to occur teach alternative behaviors to engage in instead.

less in the future Instead we prioritize reinforcing behaviors we

want to see and use extinction to stop reinforcing
behavior we want to see less.

For example: A student is talking out in class during math, teacher then sends the student to the hallway. The
student is embarrassed to leave class in front of his friends. In the future he will talk out less during math in the
Back to Agenda Page
future (his behavior was decreased, or punished.)
Proactive
Strategies
Proactive Strategies: tools used to Goal: The goal of proactive
prevent challenging behaviors Proactive Strategies strategies is to clarify student
from occurring. Helps reduce the expectations, promote positive
chances of them occurring and behaviors, prevent problematic
stress of engaging in challenging behaviors, and promote
behaviors. independence in self-management

Attention Access/Tangible Sensory Escape

Teach appropriate ways Give access to preferred

Teach an alternative
to ask for help or initiate items more frequently Provide choices related
behavior they can do
interactions. when the child isn't to the task
that will meet the same
engaged in challenging
sensory need and
Give attention more behaviors Use of visual supports
provide easy access to
frequently when not that show expectations
that replacement activity.
engaged in problematic Use schedule and timers
behavior. Start with easier tasks
For example: placing
Teach appropriate ways and build up to the more
exercise bands around a
to ask for items, challenging task
chair to kick and bounce
activities, and people
on instead of walking
Inform of an upcoming
around the room
Inform them about task and expectation
upcoming transitions
Teach how to find and
(priming) Clear expectations,
use appropriate sensory
frequent breaks, adjust
independently.
Use visual supports (e.g., length of task, and
first then appropriate protests.
 Summary

Goal Context Tip

1 2 3

Altering the Consider the context in which the

student typically engages in the
challenging behaviors. How can you
You can also alter the
environment to promote
alter that environment to set the positive behaviors!

Environment student up for success

Placing sensory items

Plan ahead to prevent where the student has
Changing the setting to problematic behaviors from Changing where the student is sitting easy access in order to
occurring to minimize distraction promote sensory play or
set up the student for independent coping
strategies
success
Sitting between two children to
prevent or block aggressive behavior
Placing communication
as well as mediate challenging tasks
cards near the child
like waiting or sharing.
while he is working on a
difficult task as a
Identify elements that are likely
Clearing a table prior to starting a craft reminder for how to ask
triggers for problematic
or homework to prevent throwing for help
behaviors. Set up the
items
environment to limit triggers.
Priming
Goal: How: Context:
Increase the students Prior to a situation that Transitions, changes in
success with an may be difficulty, the situations, new
upcoming activity or adult wll inform the situations, or starting a
event by preparing child about what is task
them for it in advance coming

Examples
Verbal Reminder: Time countdown:
verbal reminders to Showing visual timers
prepare for a transition to the student prior to
(e.g., we are going to a transition (e.g., we
be going to dance need to get ready for
class soon and dance bed in ten minutes lets
with our friends) start our timer)
 How: Identify a reward that will
likely be motivation for the
Goal: Increase motivation and
student, make a statement in the
compliance in completing tasks
form, provide reward once student
has completed the target task

First, Then Contest: this easy to use phrase

can be inserted throughout the day
in a variety of settings. Before
Tip: use specific language (e.g.,
instead of saying "work hard" say
giving a demand, think if you can "finish 3 problems")
Using a simple statement to increase
re-word it using first, then phrase
compliance

Tip: Use this tip when describing Tip: try using a visual first then
the reward (e.g., five minutes with board to remind what they need to
trains) do in a more salient way
 Easy, Easy, Hard

This will increase This can be utilized Tip: When choosing easy

Use a pattern of motivation and across different settings tasks to give, make them
and a wide variety of related to the target task. For
requests to build confidence to example, if the goal is to do
tasks (e.g., chores,
complete a harder homework you could say
increase effort homework, turning off grab backpack, now sit
task. eletronics) down, okay let's start
Providing Choices

Goal: How: Context:

By providing choices When possible provide Order of tasks,
we provide autonomy. choices related to the materials to use,
This is likely to task and provide person to work with, or
increase cooperation choices of rewards to choosing where to sit
and motivation to earn.
remain engaged
Coming up...
Next time we will discuss Reactive Strategies!