Increasing verbal behavior in an autistic child.

The article describes language development techniques used with a 5-year-old autistic boy to increase his verbal behavior. Intervention consisted of 1.5 hour sessions four times a week over an 8-month period. The intervention focused on increasing nonvocal imitation, vocal imitation, verbal labeling, and verbal discrimination. Development of nonvocal imitation required physical guidance and immediate rewards. Then vocal imitation of sounds in gradually increasing complexity was encouraged through shaping and immediate reinforcement. Verbal labeling began with responding to symbols and pictures progressing to labeling with a sound an object or person. The child learned to label about a dozen pictures and objects. Verbal discrimination was developed by having the child respond appropriately to a variety of commands differing in the object to be obtained or placed. After the intervention the child was able to imitate words with up to four phonemes, to copy letters and figures, and to follow more complex verbal commands. (DB) xxxxxxxxxx*xxx*xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx*xxxxx*xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made x X from the original document. x xxxxx*Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx*xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxx*xxxxxxxxxxxxxx U It DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Once of Educatronal Research and Improvement EDU ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC? Ms document has been reproduced as rece.ved from the person or organaatoon origmatong a C Minor changes have been made to improve reproduct.on wieldy I Ports of new or opinions stated in thisdOtu meet do not necessarily represent off rcial OEM posdron or oofrcy INCREASING VERBAL BEHAVIOR IN AN AUTISTIC CHILD