Welcome to the Behavior Education Connection!
In this episode, we talk about social skills instruction and considerations for implementation in public school settings. We discuss how behavior analysts can support centering student voice and goals within the context of learning skills that are valuable within and beyond school settings.
Our guest for this episode is Amanda Cash, Project Coordinator with Radford University TTAC.
We'll discuss:
-Considerations for identifying social skills targets;
-The role of student goals and experiences in effective teaching and learning;
-Resources to support social skills instruction;
And more!
Articles discussed in this episode:
Stichter, J. P., Malugen, E. C., & Davenport, M. A. (2018). A Six-Step Decision-Making Process to Guide Social Skills Instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic, 54(3), 149-159. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053451218767901 (Original work published 2019)Walker, Jennifer & Barry, Colleen. (2018). Assessing and Supporting Social-Skill Needs for Students With High-Incidence Disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children. 51. 18-30. 10.1177/0040059918790219.
For more information, check out the Virginia Public Schools Behavior Analyst Website: https://sites.google.com/odu.edu/vapsban/home
Guest Speaker:
Amanda currently lives in Roanoke, VA where she works with the Department of Education's Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) at Radford University. She has a Ph.D. in applied behavior analysis from The Chicago School where her research focused on effective and efficientinstructional practices for children and adults. Previously, Amanda has served as a special education teacher, a school-based behavior analyst, and a behavior consultant in adult service settings. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys hiking with her husband and playing with her dog.
Host: Selena J. Layden, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Movement Studies and Special Education at Old Dominion University. Dr. Layden earned her doctorate degree from the College of William & Mary in Education Policy, Planning, and Leadership with an emphasis in Special Education Administration and her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Prior to joining the faculty at ODU, Dr. Layden worked in multiple school divisions focusing on challenging behavior and children with autism spectrum disorder. She was also the Assistant Director of Training at the Autism Center for Excellence at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Layden’s research interests focus on providing effective professional development for school personnel, improving the implementation of evidence-based practices in schools, particularly for students with autism spectrum disorder, and school-based behavior analysts.
Music: Finding Peace by Remember the Future, from Shutterstock Music
