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Listen in to this conversation with Braxton Baker SLP, BCBA of Innovative Therapy Solutions. www.InnovativeTherapySoutions.net Braxton provides a definition of presymbolic communication and outlines the differences between presymbolic, prelinguistic and nonverbal communication with multiple real life, relatable examples. Braxton also provides concrete strategies and key takeaways for improving the, re ways we intervene in early communication and language development. Be sure to download this freebie: Presymbolic Skills ListPresymbolic Skills List from Innovative Therapy Solutions (iTS)

Need a more comprehensive and meaningful assessment too to assist you in the identification of the most social significant, relevant and meaningful social behavior goals. Listen in to learn about Mission Cognition's SS-GFA Assessment Package and how you can not only access it for use with your own clients or students, but also get extensive personalized training and become part of a community of like minded, passionate and collaborative professionals like yourself. The SS-GFA includes indirect assessment, structured observation and direct assessment components which all allow for flexibility and use of clinical judgement to slect the component options best suited to your population of early - advanced learners preschool - high school. Join the SS-GFA Club at https://www.mconlinelearning.com/courses/social-skills-global-focus-assessment-package-ss-gfa

This fun Friday episode focuses on the skills needed to work together successfully & joyfully as a team. Concrete tips for teaching those skills  using research backed strategies are provided all within the context of a fun teamwork activity. This episode isn't really about a snowman activity, or at least not JUST about a snowman activity. What it IS about is Social Skills & effective teaching methods. Download your fun Friday freebies at www.Mission-Cognition-Share.com

Love Bingo? So do we! Tune in this episode to learn how we have kicked it up a notch by making some changes to the way we structure game play in order to target complex but critical & foundational social skills including: orienting toward social partner, scanning the room and prioritizing, shifting attention. Conditioning the face & attention is paramount in building later social skills so you won't want to miss this!This game is appropriate for developmental ages 5-10 and can be played 1:1, in small groups or even as a whole class if you are super skilled. Listen in to learn how to play then be sure to download the lesson pan at www.Mission-Cognition-Share.com 

This episode highlights the importance and value of knowing your learners beyond checklists, goals & reports. How we view, interact with and talk about our learners matters regardless of what setting you work in, the population you serve, or your area of specialization. This episode provides a framework for that thought process and sets a foundation for later assessment & goal identification. Have a question/feedback or recommendation for future episodes?Drop it here: https://mission-cognition-share.com/podcasts/

This is our very first "Fun Friday!" episode where give you an example of a game or activity we did to target a variety of social skills.Today's episode is about snowball catapults and how we used this activity to target a wide range of executive functioning skills, requesting help/assistance & working together as a team, to name a few.You will be provided a framework for how to approach activity selection and lesson planning to account for individual goals & objectives as well as preferences, as well as hear a complete step by step description of how to implement he activity with your learner(s) from start to finish. Download the free resources to accompany the lesson at www.Mission-Cognition-Share.comhttps://mission-cognition-share.com/product/snowball-catapult/

This final part of the 3 part series on assessing play ties together what was discussed in prior episodes, emphasizes the need for assessment in order to develop appropriate goals, and outlines Dr. Parten's 6 stages of play. The 6 stages are briefly defined and suggestions for collecting data on social play engagement are provided. Mentions:Download MC Play Assessment Packet at www.Mission-Cognition-Share.com save 10% using coupon code playpod10

In this episode we continue the conversation on assessing play skills by introducing 2 additional resources to assist in understanding the developmental sequence and hierarchy of play skills development to better assess and identify goals related to early social responding, social communication & play.Mentioned:Advancing Social Communication and Play: An intervention for Preschoolers with Autism (ASAP) University of North Carolina: Chapel Hill (2011)Dr. Parten's 6 Stages of Play (USOPAC)Let's Play! E-course www.MCOnlineLearming.com

Assessment drives goal development. Many children with autism present with splintered skill sets. How can we determine what's most socially significant to target with a goal of increasing opportunities to socialize with others? Young children's most common & natural opportunities for socialization is through play. This episode presents some commercially available tools for assessing play as well as a framework for structured observation which provides loads of information to inform goal development. Mentioned:Play Skills Checklist: RedLeaf Press"The Play Ladder": Scheflen, Freedman & Paparella, UCLAwww.MissionCognition.comwww.Mission-Cognition-Share.com20% off code CYBERMON20 all e-courses at www.MCOnlineLearning.com/coursesValid 11/30/2020- 12/01/2020

In typically developing children, play emerges and develops without explicit, systematic instruction. In children with an autism diagnosis, play is often described as absent or restricted. Behavior analysts have the skill set to teach play, but a working definition of what play actually is, will be a critical first step. Play is not work. This episode defines pure play and outlines how that is different than just using/manipulating toys. Learn about the features of pure play and how to start recognizing those characteristics and observing them in your clients and learners, to progress toward the development of play skills that are maintained by automatic reinforcement and readily generalized to other settings with a goal of building higher level social skills in later development.www.MissionCognition.comwww.Mission-Cognition-Share.comwww.MCOnlineLearning.com https://mission-cognition-share.com/2018/03/20/get-to-work-on-play/https://mission-cognition-share.com/2020/10/30/usopac-usopac-usopac-chant-it-with-me/

What are social skills and why does establishing a working definition matter? Have you ever said, "they're not ready for social skills" or have had someone say that to you? Maybe there is just a miscommunication about exactly what you're talking about when you use the general term social skills. Social Skills are comprised of a multitude of complex skills, but we start interacting & engaging our first day in the world! Tune in to establish your own  conceptualization of social skills. www.MissionCognition.comwww.Mission-Cognition-Share.comwww.MCOnlineLearning.com

Assessing and teaching play & social skills in natural ways with an emphasis on generalization is tough! Listen in to get in on the ground floor and become part of this learning journey. The mission is to do better when it comes to assessing skills and selecting and implementing interventions to develop pure play & natural, fluid social interactions. What is pure play, really and what on earth is the difference between a social skills repertoire and being "skilled socially"?