Components of a Good Verbal Behavior (ABA) Program • Has good mix of NET and Direct Teaching.    - NET: Natural Environment Training is child led    - Direct Teaching: is instructor led • Mands (requesting) is the first skill taught • Pairing (therapist becomes conditioned reinforcer) is implemented first • Begin table acquisition skills with skills that the learner is already successful at • Sessions should be a mixture of verbal operants with the opportunity to mand as the main reinforcement for the target response • Playing equals learning • Learner is making constant requests for desired actions, items and activities • Words are taught through all functional categories of language (verbal operants) • Therapist keeps the learner on task • Therapist contrives situations to create motivational conditions • Errorless learning is implemented where prompts occur BEFORE an incorrect response is made, therefore making the child not frustrated • Encourages rapid responding (fluency) • Fast paced instruction keeps the learner on task • Skills are generalized immediately • Retention probes are conducted to make sure skills are acquired/maintained • Tasks are mixed and varied so learner is thinking on “their toes” • Difficult tasks are interspersed with easy tasks to keep level of reinforcement high (i.e., control for ratio strain) • Transfer procedures are used to make learning easier • Natural language is used, instructor does not use robotic language (i.e., put with same; quiet hands) • Negative reinforcement (e.g., “go play”) is never used during a session • Goals/Skills are established from a functional language curriculum (e.g., ABLLS-R, VB MAPP) • Program is consistently being supervised by a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) • Every moment is a teachable moment!