How To provide NET teaching at Home

Natural Environment Teaching, or NET, is a strategy used within ABA therapy that focuses on teaching skills in the natural context where they would typically be used.  As our world evolves, so do the implementation of ABA principles and teaching styles.

A common ABA Therapy misconception is that therapy takes place at a table using methods like Discrete Trial Training (DTT) in a very controlled, structured, distraction free environment. But how often is that what it looks like to parent any kiddo?

We are excited to help you bring the NET philosophy and tools to your home and into the natural envionment that exists there!

Where to Begin

Start off by picking out a toy or arts and crafts activity to play with your child. For example, use the Halloween arts and crafts project Epicenter provided to teach your child a new skill. It may not seem like you are teaching your child because you are having so much fun creating puppets with your child, it may not seem like you are teaching them anything, but YOU ARE! Learning and teaching can be fun with ABA!

1. Label items you see while you are playing.

In ABA we call this “Tacting”.

• • “I see an orange pumpkin!”
  • “I see a black cat!”

2. Expand by asking a question while labeling.

• • Show your child two pictures: a pumpkin and cat and add to your tacting, “Which is the orange pumpkin”?

3. Help your child pick the orange pumpkin.

Present less pictures or puppets in your child’s view. If a large field of items is too much, try this a couple times within play to help them understand which one is the pumpkin verses which are the other items in their Halloween play scenario. We call this “Prompting“.

4. If your child has more language have your child repeat

Prompt your child to repeat “boo” after you say “boo” while acting as a ghost. In ABA this is called an “Echoic“.