Solution Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Autism: Chaos to Calm

Got autism? Want to communicate with your child? Use TAGteach so you and your child can “talk” without words.

July 28, 2015December 22, 2017 Martha Gabler

As autism parents, many of us find ourselves raising children with communication and language challenges. How do you communicate with a child whose use of language is atypical, or a child like mine who is profoundly nonverbal?

There are alternative communication approaches: picture symbols, sign language, communication devices. These are all excellent.

A new way to “talk”

There is yet another option for communicating with our kids. It is based on behavioral science. It is the TAGteach combination of listening, communicating, and encouraging. Read More

TAGteach: What is a “tag point”?

June 23, 2015April 20, 2024 Martha Gabler

Have you ever asked, “What’s the point?”

In TAGteach, we ask, “What’s the tag point?”

In TAGteach, the “tag point” is the absolute part of a behavior that, when performed, will receive the audible mark (tag). It is a specific physical movement that we want a learner to do.

For example, if a child is learning to climb up the stairs, we might set a tag point, “Foot On Step.” When teaching a child to write the letter V, the first tag point might be “Pencil on Top Line.” The tag point is the specific physical movement that will be tagged by an audible marker and that will result in reinforcement for the learner.

The child will hear the tag sound, know that he did the behavior correctly and will try to do it again correctly the next time.

The tag point is what we look for and reinforce

The tag point is the crucial component of TAGteach. TAGteach stands for Teaching with Acoustical Guidance. TAGteach is a teaching and communication method based on the scientific principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

Martha Gabler BAM Radio Podcast

June 23, 2015February 15, 2016 Joan Orr

Martha was a recent guest on BAM Radio, talking to host Sharon Plante about TAGteach and helping kids with autism learn at their own pace.

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Got autism? Want to increase a child’s self-care skills? Use TAGteach to increase fine motor skills.

June 8, 2015February 15, 2016 Martha Gabler

This article focuses on fine motor skills, and how to use the effective, scientific TAGteach method (Teaching with Acoustical Guidance) to help your child build these skills.

If you are not familiar with the basics of the TAGteach method, please visit the Resources pages on this site:

What is TAGteach?
How to Get Started with TAGteach
If you need additional information with lots of videos and examples, you can take my free online course.

Why work on fine motor skills?

Recent research has shown that an important factor for success for individuals with autism in adulthood is the level of self-care skills: individuals with higher levels of self-care have higher levels of employment and needed fewer supports. This fact alone is an important reason for focusing on these crucial skills. Self-care skills also make for a less stressful, more smoothly running and ultimately happier household. We can increase these vital skills with the right tools and through understanding certain facts.

FACT 1: “Behavior” is “movement”

Here’s the rule about behavior:

Behavior is movement, physical movement of the body. (1)

TAGteach: Task Analysis and Tag Points

May 25, 2015May 7, 2016 Martha Gabler

TAGteach is an excellent method for teaching children, especially those with autism, because of the precise positive reinforcement of desired behaviors.

In addition to timely and effective reinforcement, it is also important to think about the details of a task, and how to set tag points. This post will address both of these issues.

Task Analysis

A task analysis describes the many small steps that go into performing a single activity. For example, we often tell children to “wash your hands” when they come home from school. It seems simple to us. For a child with autism, it can be a complex task. The child has to:

take off a coat
hang it up
walk to the bathroom
open the door
go to the sink
stand still
turn on the faucet
grasp a bar of soap (or hold one hand under the nozzle of a soap dispenser while pushing down on the pump with the other hand)
place hands under the water flow
rub the slippery soap over his hands
continue holding his hands under the water flow until the soap is rinsed off
turn off the faucet (with wet hands)
reach for and grasp a towel
rub the towel over his hands
replace the towel on the towel rod
walk out of the bathroom

This everyday task has at least sixteen steps involving the legs, torso, arms and hands! There could be many more steps if you were to break it down even further.

Okay, TAGteach. How do I get started?

May 11, 2015February 15, 2016 Martha Gabler

Congratulations on your decision to use TAGteach to increase functional behaviors in your child with autism. Here are some suggestions for how to get started. Once you have tagged your child a few times, you will find it easy and natural to do.

We are frequently asked how much background and explanation is needed before getting started with tagging. The answer is: as little as possible. Just jump right in and start tagging! Your child will figure out very quickly that the tag is followed by a treat and that his actions are causing you to tag. This gives your child an unprecedented degree of control and he will be excited to play the game. If your child needs some explanation, just use as few words as possible to explain that the tag sounds means he did something right and he will get a treat after each tag.

1. Gather your materials: A tagger and reinforcers

A TAGteach tagger is a small plastic box clicker; available here. You can use any object that makes a quick, sharp click sound: a ballpoint pen, a flashlight, or if need be, a spoon to tap.

Reinforcers are any items that your child values. Get some treats that your child likes: very small pieces of candy, pretzel pieces, cereal pieces, tic-tacs, or anything similar. Put them into a small container that you can hold in your hand. A desired item can by anything: candies, treats, a chance to play with a toy, tokens for special treats or privileges, or money; social praise or recognition can sometimes serve as a reinforcer.

For more ideas about reinforcers, do a Google search on “reinforcers for autism”. The key point with a reinforcer is that it must be something the child likes and will work for. The easiest way to start is with food or drink – so unless this is impossible, we suggest that you use an edible treat for your first attempts at TAGteach.

2. Think about what you want

Each child with autism has a unique profile of skills, sensory issues and behaviors. Each family has a unique combination of people, responsibilities and resources. Take a few minutes to think about your priorities:

What issues are at the top of your mind right now?

What functional skills or behaviors would help your child with autism, and/or help your family situation?

Take a few moments to jot these down. Be sure to write these in positive terms so that they are statements of what you want your child to DO (as opposed to what you want to stop or prevent).

Positive Reinforcement Opens the Doors to Learning

April 27, 2015February 15, 2016 Martha Gabler

When we hear about positive reinforcement most of us like it because we believe in being nice, positive and supportive.

In the field of Behavior Analysis, “positive reinforcement” is a technical and scientific term; it has a precise meaning that goes beyond general notions of being polite and encouraging.

What is Positive Reinforcement?

Here is the technical definition of positive reinforcement: “The offering of desirable effects or consequences for a behavior with the intention of increasing the chance of that behavior being repeated in the future.” (Dictionary.com)

Basically it means that an action followed by a positive consequence (reward, money, praise, social recognition), will increase, or, be performed more often. So, positive reinforcement is a way to increase desired behaviors. Positive reinforcement is not only a definition, it is a scientific law. Years of research in experimental and applied Behavior Analysis have proven that positive reinforcement increases behavior. See “What is ABA and Why is it so Important to Autism?”

5 Helpful Tips to Make Life Easier for Autism Families

April 25, 2015February 15, 2016 Martha Gabler

This article features helpful comments for parents of young children from Ms. Ricky Teichman, Director at The Puzzle Place, a daycare and preschool in Freehold, NJ for children with autism and other special needs.

Being a parent or guardian of kids with autism means having a different set of guidelines from that of non-autism homes. Careful decisions have to be made, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be a confident caregiver to your special-needs child. Thankfully, there are practical and proven ways to make living with autism more manageable both for you and your child.

1. Keep in mind that consistency is key

If there is one thing that a child with autism needs, it is an established routine. For instance, if you use positive reinforcement for good behavior, make sure to use it consistently while explaining why you’re rewarding your child. A regular system will help reinforce the learning techniques from school or daycare, including communication tools. Keeping to a structured schedule for mealtimes, playtime, and bedtime can also help keep unruly behavior at bay.

2. Talk to other autism families

You will need a support group, and where better to get it than from other people who are going through similar circumstances? You can bond with other parents or guardians at therapy, or go on social networking sites and forums online to discuss tips on how they deal with autism. While others have different methods and advice to give, you can still learn from their experience what will and won’t work for your own child. The bottom line is, there is no need to feel alone when you aren’t.

3. Become an expert on your child’s own special needs

You will have to prepare yourself for the fact that you can (and most probably will) make mistakes in your mission as part of an autism family – and that’s okay! Kids with autism aren’t created the same, after all. The important thing is to become an expert when it comes to your own child. Learning the words, tools, medication, situations, and other factors that he or she responds well to (or which triggers disorderly behavior) will put you on the road to a more manageable, healthier home environment.

4. Make your home accident-proof

All children thrive in safe, happy homes. Your child will need help with boundaries, so it’s your responsibility to provide verbal and visual cues to where they cannot go, or what they can’t play with. Create a zone that is accident-proof with tools like childproof locks, electrical outlet covers, safety latches, electric tape to cover exposed cords and outlets, locked drawers, light, padded furniture, and secured doors and windows. A room or area where you can keep constant supervision is a must.

5. Shop for a daycare facility that really cares

Your child needs needs a high quality, developmentally-appropriate programming for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with autism and related disorders. There are many daycare centers that promise a safe, supportive learning environment, yet fall short on many aspects including safety standards, child-to-caregiver ratio, and proper learning equipment. Do your research. Talk to parents of other kids with autism about the daycare facility they go to, and seek an honest assessment. Make a checklist of your must-haves, and don’t hesitate to ask the right questions to staff of potential facilities. It is your right as a parent or guardian to know who you will be entrusting your child to.

Along with patience and a lot of love, you can help build a thriving, supportive, and healthy environment for your child. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and learn some more. You have a whole lifetime of discovering together what can help them (and you!) become happier, healthier, and more responsive people.

Ricky Teichman is the Director at The Puzzle Place, a daycare and preschool in Freehold, NJ for children with Autism and related disorders. You can reach her at 732-994-PUZZ (7899) or at info@ThePuzzlePlace.org. Learn more at http://thepuzzleplace.org/.

Behavior Basics 39 and 40: End of Week Wrap-Up

May 9, 2014February 15, 2016 Martha Gabler

39. A conditioned reinforcer must be clear, precise and consistent.

In Behavior Basics 37 and 38, we discussed how a sharp, quick sound or flash of light is the best tool for “marking” a behavior. With the press of a finger, a TAGteach tagger can precisely mark even a split second of a desired behavior. But why is consistency important? Let’s remember that the “tag” (or click) sound is a conditioned reinforcer. The definition of the word “conditioned” states that the object is characterized by “predictable” or “consistent” patterns. There are two features of the tag that we want to be consistent for the learner: (1) the tag means success! The child did something right, and (2) the tag means a reinforcer (treat, reward) is coming. When a child knows that the tag always means these two things, she has a great strategy for learning: just listen, pay attention, try again, feel free to experiment, and enjoy all the reinforcements delivered during the process. The tag creates a path forward for the child because it always and only means those two things – success and reinforcement.

40. The best conditioned reinforcer for a child with autism is a click sound.

A click sound is an excellent conditioned reinforcer because of the features mentioned above in Behavior Basic 39: it is quick, precise and consistent. The click (or “tag”) predictably means two things: success and reinforcement. Another feature of the click is that because of its precision and speed, it can only mark one small behavior (physical movement of the body) at a time. This feature ensures that the child will not be asked to do something that is too complex for her. The tag can only mark one movement, not two or three, so the instructor or teacher has to think about a task carefully and break it down into small steps that the child can do. This protects the child from being overwhelmed with difficult demands. With time and experience, the child develops trust that she will only be presented with a task she can comfortably perform, and only for the length of time that she can comfortably perform it. The click sound is the best sound because it is quick, precise and targeted.

REMINDER: This concludes the wrap-up of Behavior Basics for the week. Please remember the schedule: On the release date of each module, the Behavior Basics for that module will be compiled into a PDF ebook available from our blog and Facebook page. Click on this link to download the entire series of 42 Behavior Basics for free: http://statictab.com/m7bizwt.

Behavior Basics 37 and 38: End of Week Wrap-up

May 2, 2014February 15, 2016 Martha Gabler

37. Good candidates for conditioned reinforcers are a short, sharp sound, flash of light, quick hand signal.

In Behavior Basic #30, we discussed how the TIMING of the reinforcer is information for the child. Specific, precise, timely reinforcement builds behaviors faster than slow, late reinforcement. How can you deliver split second reinforcement in a real-time setting? With a conditioned reinforcer that is short, sharp and fast. The best reinforcers are a short, sharp sound, a quick flash of light, or a quick hand signal. The TAGteach tagger is an ideal tool for several reasons. It can mark a split second of behavior the moment it occurs, and, it is light, portable and low cost. It is easy to use: with a quick press of the thumb, the metal tab makes a click sound: the child knows instantly that he has accomplished the tag point and will soon be getting a treat. It is simple, easy, and effective. Taggers are available from www.tagteach.com, and cost about $1.50.

38. Use a conditioned reinforcer immediately after the behavior – follow with the candy, stickers, etc.

Use the conditioned reinforcer, such as the TAGteach tagger (or clicker), and mark the behavior immediately after the child has achieved the tag point. The more closely the desired behavior and reinforcer are paired, the faster the child will learn. This simple, fast process of tag and treat, tag and treat, is a great way to build behaviors faster, plus, it is pleasant for the child.