Devise language interventions using naturalistic teaching for acquisition with progression to contrived approaches for generalization¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 4 claims (3 for, 1 against) · 2 studies (2 quant-synthesis), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article's future-directions recommendation inverts the common clinical sequence. Many interventions begin with contrived teaching during acquisition and move to naturalistic approaches for generalization, but the meta-analysis results suggest this method is not optimal. The authors instead propose that "it would be more effective to devise language interventions utilizing naturalistic teaching approaches for acquisition with a progression to more contrived approaches to train for generalization."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Interventions should include continuous assessment, empirically validated teaching methods, and data collection, with heavy emphasis on generalization and maintenance of skills learned.

Constraints¶

• The authors note outcomes can be idiosyncratic and each child benefits most from an individualized approach based on the principles of applied behavior analysis; further investigation is warranted.

Target Learners¶

• Children aged 2-13 diagnosed with autism, PDD, or PDD-NOS

Target Learning Goals¶

• Acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of spoken language skills

Claims¶

• Contrived approaches show greater generalization of spoken language skills than naturalistic approaches in children with autism [-W]
• Naturalistic approaches show higher mean PND than contrived approaches for maintenance of language skills [+W]
• Naturalistic language interventions produce higher mean PND than contrived interventions during intervention conditions for children with autism [+W]
• Conducting maintenance and generalization phases was significantly associated with higher PND scores than treatment-only cases [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Design comprehensive AAC intervention protocols that extend beyond requesting to maintenance, generalization, and naturalistic contexts

Examples¶

-

Key Sources¶

• Kane, M., Connell, J. E., & Pellecchia, M. (2008). A Quantitative Analysis of Language Interventions for Children with Autism. The Behavior Analyst Today, 11(2). https://eric.ed.gov/?q=A+Quantitative+Analysis+of+Language+Interventions+for+Children+with+Autism