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| Programming for Pragmatics: Bringing Assessment to Practice for High-Functioning Learners on the Autism Spectrum |
| Saturday, May 28, 2016 |
| 8:00 AM–3:00 PM |
| Skyway 272, Hyatt Regency, Blue East |
| Area: AUT; Domain: Service Delivery |
| CE Instructor: Alexia Stack, M.Ed. |
| ALEXIA STACK (A Block Above Behavioral Consulting), MAGDALENA A. MARKIEWICZ (A Block Above Behavioral Consulting) |
| Description: It is well known that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience qualitative impairments in social skills development (DSM-5, 2013), including especially impaired pragmatic language skills. Moreover, pragmatic language deficits place individuals with ASD at risk for social bullying, limit their ability to develop and maintain friendships and romantic relationships, and increase their likelihood of suffering from anxiety and depression. Support for the assessment and development of pragmatic language skills is crucial for individuals with high-functioning ASD. There is an increase in evidence-based practice within the fields of applied behavior analysis, speech and language pathology, and developmental psychology for pragmatic language assessment and programming. Therefore, early intervention addressing pragmatic language skills is necessary for individuals with ASD. Learning to use assessment tools to select goals for intervention, designing programs based on assessment results, and on-going data analysis to monitor learning are all skills required by behavior analysts in delivering services to high-functioning learners on the autism spectrum. |
| Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the workshop, the participant will be able to: (1) define pragmatic language skills; (2) discuss higher order pragmatic language skills that are known to be challenging for learners on the autism spectrum; (3) name the assessment tools that can be used to guide program development; (4) use assessment tools to identify missing component skills needed for higher order pragmatics; (5) design programs based on assessment results; (6) clearly define target behaviors and effective measurement procedures. |
| Activities: Workshop objectives will be met through a combination of lecture, group discussion, data analysis, video analysis, sample assessment data, small group practice, program development coaching, and application of data-based decision making. Participants will receive supplemental materials to follow lecture material and for note taking purposes. Example assessment data will be made available for small group practice. Sample worksheets and sample data will be included for small group learning objectives. |
| Audience: BACB certificants and licensed psychologists, behavior analysts, and service delivery staff |
| Content Area: Practice |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Keyword(s): pragmatic language, program development |