Don't forget about the Masters Series workshop - Monday, February 4, 2008 The Masters Series workshop is around the corner -- March 6-7. Dr. Vince Carbone will discuss exciting new developments in ABA-Verbal Behavior. Dr. Mark Sundberg will introduce a new VB assessment, curriculum, and tracking instrument. The instrument is called the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program. Those of you who work with children with developmental disabilities, including autism, will want to attend. PMcGPA Staff Speakers for Master's Series workshop - Monday, January 14, 2008 The speakers for the Master's Series workshop will be Drs. Mark Sundberg and Vince Carbone. The workshop will be held at the Rosen Centre in Orlando, FL on March 6-7. The titles of the presentations and the registration details will be announced in a few days. The workshop will again offer CEUs for behavior analysts and associate behavior analysts. For the first time, we will offer ASHA CEUs for speech-language pathologists. You will be able to register on our website. Resuming the blog after an absence - Shortly after I began this blog, I was given a deadline within which to submit a book chapter I was writing. As a result, most of my efforts were directed to that task (hence, the lack of posts to this blog). Well, the chapter has been submitted and posts will resume. First of all, anytime you would like to respond to a post with a question or comment, please send an e-mail to me . In one of my previous posts, I suggested, but did not discuss transferring from mands to intraverbals with the use of the question "what do you want". With known mands (hopefully, 'pure' mands), add "what do you want?" before the mand or just after it (as if you did not hear the mand). Later, add "what do you want to drink?", and later "what do you want to drink with ___?". Then, later when MOs have not occurred for awhile, change the verbal stimulus to "what do you like ___ ___ ___ ___ ___?" and "what's your favorite ___ ___ ___ ___?". The following advantages may result from this transfer: (1) these are questions other children and adults actually ask (most people don't ask "what do you write with?"); (2) the learner will be more likely to respond because the topic is more interesting (operationally defined as 'talking about reinforcers you would be inclined to mand for if MOs had occurred'). More on increasing intraverbal responding later. Make a Note on Your Calendar - Wednesday, November 21, 2007 The dates for our fourth annual Master's Series Workshop have been set -- March 6-7, 2008. The location will continue to be the Rosen Centre in Orlando, FL. Plan to come and stay extra days (before or after) at the conference rate -- bring your bathing suit and golf clubs...there is a large pool just outside and a golf course associated with the hotel. REMEMBER -- you can receive your entire annual requirement of BACB CEUs in two days. Our speakers will be announced soon. Check out the Master's Series section of the website. PMcGPA Staff A New Blog- Behavior Change Notes - Monday, November 19, 2007 We have initiated a new blog called BEHAVIOR CHANGE NOTES. I will post notes from time to time with regard to upcoming events, special issues, and teaching procedures. To begin with... Many people who use the ABLLS and teach mands are still using a "what do you want" prompt. The Revised ABLLS continues to endorse this prompt. We discontinued the use of this prompt several years ago for the following reasons: (1) it does not serve as as effective prompt (i.e., it does not evoke the desired mand), (2) it results in a multiply-controlled mand and must be faded to achieve a 'pure' or unprompted mand, (3) some learners wait for others to say 'what do you want' as if it's permission to mand, and, for these learners, it is difficult to fade, and (4) it can be inserted later with unprompted mands as a part of a series of transfer procedures from mands to intraverbals. I will speak more about reason (4) on a subsequent post. Patrick McGreevy   Previous Posts Don't forget about the Masters Series workshop Speakers for Master's Series workshop Resuming the blog after an absence Make a Note on Your Calendar A New Blog- Behavior Change Notes Archives November 2007 January 2008 February 2008