RBT Task List – Skill Acquisition (C-05)

After our deep dive into the structured approach of Discrete-Trial Teaching (DTT – C-04), it’s time to explore a more client-led and environment-driven strategy that is crucial for making skills functional and meaningful:

Let’s do a comprehensive exploration of:

C-05: Using Naturalistic Teaching Procedures

Clear Explanation: What are Naturalistic Teaching Procedures?

Naturalistic Teaching Procedures (often abbreviated as NET – which can stand for Natural Environment Teaching or Training) are a collection of instructional strategies that are implemented within the client’s everyday routines, activities, and environments.

Think of teaching happening during playtime, mealtimes, community outings, or daily self-care routines. Unlike the instructor-led, highly structured format of Discrete-Trial Teaching (DTT), naturalistic approaches are often client-initiated or capitalize on naturally occurring moments of motivation.

The Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) uses these organic situations to teach specific, pre-identified target skills from the client’s skill acquisition plan.

Incidental Teaching is a prominent and widely used example of a naturalistic teaching procedure. It involves structuring and sequencing learning opportunities that occur “incidentally” within the environment, often sparked by the child’s interest in an object or activity.

The core focus is on making learning functional and meaningful by embedding it directly into the activities the client already enjoys or needs to participate in.

Key Goals of Naturalistic Teaching:

• Promote generalization of skills to various settings, people, and materials (so skills aren’t just used at the therapy table).
• Enhance spontaneity and client initiation of skills.
• Increase client motivation by leveraging their current interests and Establishing Operations (EOs) a type of Motivating Operation that increases the value of a particular reinforcer at that moment.
• Make learning more functional and contextually relevant to the client’s life.
• Teach skills in the very context where they will naturally be used.

RBTs need to be skilled at recognizing these often fleeting teaching opportunities, sometimes subtly structuring the environment to create them, and then implementing the teaching interaction in a way that feels natural and engaging to the client all while adhering to the behavioral principles outlined in the skill acquisition plan.

Core Characteristics of Naturalistic Teaching Procedures

While specific named naturalistic strategies can vary (e.g., Incidental Teaching, Pivotal Response Training – PRT, Early Start Denver Model – ESDM, Milieu Teaching RBTs generally focus on the overarching principles and specific incidental teaching techniques), they often share these common characteristics:

• Client-Initiated or Based on Client Interest: Teaching frequently begins when the client shows clear interest in an item, activity, or person, or makes an attempt to communicate.
  The RBT “captures” this moment of heightened motivation.
• Natural Environment: Teaching occurs in typical settings where the skill would naturally be used such as the playroom, kitchen, playground, classroom, or local store.
• Natural Reinforcers: The reinforcer used is often directly related to the activity or the client’s motivation. If a child mands (requests) for a “car,” the natural reinforcer is getting access to the car.
  This is a key distinction from DTT, where reinforcers might be arbitrary (e.g., an edible treat for correctly pointing to a picture).
• Looser Structure: While still systematic and based on ABA principles, the interaction typically feels more like play, natural conversation, or a collaborative activity rather than a formal “lesson.”
• Focus on Functionality: Skills are taught in a way that immediately demonstrates their usefulness and relevance to the client.
• Incorporates Choice: Clients often have more opportunities to make choices regarding the activities, materials, and even the sequence of events.
• Generalization is Built-In: Because teaching happens across various natural contexts, with different materials and people, generalization is inherently promoted from the start.

The Incidental Teaching Model (A Common Naturalistic Procedure RBTs Use)

Incidental teaching, a cornerstone of NET, typically follows these steps:

• Set Up/Create an Engaging Environment: The RBT arranges the environment with motivating items and activities.
  Some of these items might be slightly out of reach, or require assistance to use, to naturally encourage the client to initiate an interaction or request.
• Wait for Client Initiation: The RBT observes and waits for the client to show clear interest in an item or activity, or to make an attempt to communicate (e.g., reaching for something, pointing, vocalizing towards an item, looking intently at an item).
• Identify the Target & Request Elaboration (If Needed): Once the client initiates, the RBT identifies what the client wants or is interested in.
  If the client’s initiation is unclear, less sophisticated than their current target skill, or non-verbal when a verbal response is targeted, the RBT prompts for a more elaborate or accurate response.
  • For example, if the client points to a juice box, the RBT might look expectantly, tilt their head, or say, “What do you want?” to prompt a vocal mand like “juice” or “want juice.”
• Prompt if Necessary: If the client doesn’t respond with the target skill after the initial opportunity or elaboration prompt, the RBT provides an appropriate prompt (e.g., model, partial verbal, gestural) as specified in the skill acquisition plan.
  The least intrusive effective prompt is often preferred in NET to maintain the natural flow.
• Reinforce with Natural Consequence: If the client produces the target response (either independently or with a prompt), the RBT immediately provides access to the item or activity the client was interested in.
  This is the powerful natural reinforcer. Social praise and enthusiastic engagement are also often paired with the delivery of the natural reinforcer.
• Brief Data Collection: The RBT quickly and discreetly records data on the interaction (e.g., the skill targeted, the prompt level used, whether the response was correct/successful).

Detailed Examples of RBTs Using Naturalistic Teaching (Incidental Teaching)

Let’s see what this looks like in action:

• Manding (Requesting):
  • Scenario: RBT Sarah and her client, Leo, are playing with a train set. Sarah has control of a few “special” train cars that Leo really likes.
  • Client Initiation: Leo reaches eagerly for the red train car that Sarah is holding.
  • RBT Action (Request Elaboration/Prompt): Sarah holds the car, looks at Leo expectantly, and waits a few seconds. If Leo doesn’t vocalize (and the target is a vocal mand), Sarah might say, “What do you want?” or model “Car” or even “Red car” (depending on Leo’s current skill level and the specific target in his plan).
  • Client Response: Leo says, “Car.”
  • RBT Reinforcement: Sarah immediately gives Leo the red train car and says enthusiastically, “Great asking for the car, Leo! Here you go! Vroom vroom!”
  • Data: Sarah makes a quick mental note or a swift jot on her data sheet: “Mand – ‘car’ – independent.”
• Tacting (Labeling):
  • Scenario: RBT Ben and his client, Mia, are looking at a colorful picture book together.
  • Client Initiation: Mia points excitedly to a picture of a dog in the book.
  • RBT Action (Creating a Teaching Opportunity): Ben smiles, shares her enthusiasm, and asks, “Mia, what’s that?” (This S^D is embedded naturally in their shared activity).
  • Client Response: Mia says, “Doggie!”
  • RBT Reinforcement: Ben says, “You’re right, it is a doggie! Woof woof! He looks so friendly!” (The natural consequence here is continued engagement with the book, shared attention, and positive social interaction).
  • Data: Ben notes: “Tact – ‘doggie’ – book – independent.”
• Receptive Language (Following Directions):
  • Scenario: RBT Maria and her client, Sam, are about to go outside to play. Sam’s shoes are by the door.
  • Client Motivation: Sam is visibly excited and eager to go outside.
  • RBT Action (Embedding Instruction): Maria says casually, “Sam, let’s get your shoes on so we can go play!” (This is a more natural S^D). If Sam doesn’t move towards his shoes, Maria might then give a more direct S^D from his skill acquisition plan, such as, “Sam, get your shoes.”
  • Client Response: Sam goes and gets his shoes.
  • RBT Reinforcement: “Awesome, you got your shoes! Let’s put them on and go have some fun!” (The natural consequence is moving towards the highly desired activity of going outside).
  • Data: Maria notes: “Followed direction – ‘get shoes’ – independent.”
• Social Skills (Turn Taking):
  • Scenario: RBT Tom is facilitating play between his client, Ava, and a peer. They have a single, highly preferred toy (e.g., a bubble machine).
  • Client Motivation: Both children want a turn with the bubbles.
  • RBT Action (Structuring & Prompting): Tom says, “Ava, it’s [Peer’s Name]’s turn now.” If Ava tries to keep the bubbles, Tom might gently prompt her to hand it over (e.g., “Ava, give the bubbles to [Peer’s Name] please,” perhaps with a light gestural prompt towards the peer if needed, as per Ava’s plan).
  • Client Response: Ava gives the bubble machine to the peer.
  • RBT Reinforcement: “Nice sharing, Ava! That was very kind. Now it’s [Peer’s Name]’s turn, and then you can have another turn soon!” (Praise + the natural consequence of continued play and eventual re-access to the toy).
  • Data: Tom notes: “Turn taking – gave item to peer – gestural prompt.”

Key Differences and Synergies Between DTT and NET

It’s important to understand that DTT and NET are not opposing forces; they are complementary strategies often used in a comprehensive ABA program.

Feature	Discrete-Trial Teaching (DTT)	Naturalistic Teaching (NET) / Incidental Teaching
Initiation	Typically RBT/Instructor-led; RBT presents the SD.	Often Client-initiated or based on client’s current interest.
Setting	Often a structured, distraction-minimized environment (e.g., at a table).	Occurs in the natural environment (playroom, home, community).
Materials	Often pre-selected by the RBT/Instructor; may be academic or specific to the target.	Items and activities are naturally present or of high client interest.
Reinforcers	Can be arbitrary (e.g., an edible treat for correctly pointing to a picture).	Primarily natural reinforcers, functionally related to the response/activity.
SD Delivery	Clear, distinct, often repeated with specific wording.	Varied, conversational, embedded within the ongoing activity.
Generalization	Requires specific and systematic programming for generalization.	Inherently promotes generalization due to varied contexts.
Focus	Often on teaching new, discrete responses and building foundational skills.	Often on spontaneity, functionality, and generalization of learned skills.
Pacing	Can allow for many learning trials in a short period.	Pacing is determined by naturally occurring opportunities and the client’s EOs.

• Synergy: DTT and NET work best together. Skills initially learned in the structured format of DTT (e.g., learning to label “ball” with picture cards) can then be practiced, generalized, and made more spontaneous through NET opportunities (e.g., the RBT creating opportunities for the child to spontaneously say “ball” when they see a real ball during playtime or when one rolls under the couch).

RBT Skills Crucial for Effective NET/Incidental Teaching

To be effective at NET, RBTs need to cultivate several key skills:

• Keen Observation: Being able to identify the client’s subtle initiations, fleeting interests, and moments of heightened motivation (strong EOs).
• Flexibility and Quick Thinking: Adapting to the ever-changing natural environment and following the client’s lead while still looking for teaching moments.
• Creativity: Finding or contriving opportunities to embed teaching targets within ongoing activities in a way that feels natural.
• Knowing the Client’s Current Targets: RBTs must have the client’s current skill acquisition targets “at their fingertips” (or easily accessible) to recognize opportunities to teach them as they arise.
• Subtlety in Prompting: Delivering prompts in a way that doesn’t disrupt the natural flow of the interaction or make the teaching too obvious.
• Fading Prompts Effectively: Just as in DTT, prompts must be faded, but this can be more challenging in a dynamic, natural environment.
• Effective Use of Natural Reinforcers: Recognizing what the client is truly trying to get or do and ensuring that becomes the reinforcer for the target skill.
• Balancing Teaching with Play/Interaction: Not every single moment needs to be a formal “teaching trial.” Maintaining a positive, engaging, and reinforcing interaction is paramount.
• Discreet Data Collection: Learning to take quick, accurate data without interrupting the natural flow of the activity (e.g., using mental notes to record immediately after, very quick jots on a small notepad or wrist-mounted counter, voice recording on a phone if permitted by agency policy and privacy laws, or using specialized NET data collection apps).

Key Terms/Vocabulary (Specific to Naturalistic Teaching)

• Natural Environment Teaching (NET): The umbrella term for teaching skills in natural contexts, using client motivation.
• Incidental Teaching: A specific NET strategy that captures and uses client-initiated moments to teach.
• Client-Initiated/Child-Led: Learning opportunities that arise primarily from the client’s own interests, actions, or attempts to communicate.
• Establishing Operation (EO) / Motivating Operation (MO): An environmental event or condition that temporarily alters the value of a particular reinforcer and changes the likelihood of behavior that has previously produced that reinforcer.
  NET heavily relies on capturing these EOs (e.g., if a client hasn’t had a drink all morning, the EO for juice is likely high, making it a good time to work on manding for “juice”).
• Natural Reinforcer: A reinforcer that is functionally and logically related to the target behavior and the context in which it occurs (e.g., getting access to juice after appropriately asking for “juice”).
• Contriving Opportunities: The RBT subtly manipulating the environment or a situation to increase the likelihood that the client will need to use a target skill (e.g., putting a preferred toy in a clear container that the client can’t open independently, to prompt a mand for “help” or “open”).
• Embedding Trials: Incorporating specific teaching opportunities (trials) within ongoing, natural activities.
• Spontaneity: The client using a learned skill without direct prompting in a relevant situation.
• Generalization: (As defined in Task C-01) The ability to use a skill across different people, settings, materials, and times. NET is specifically designed to facilitate this.

Common Mistakes/Misunderstandings (Related to Implementing Naturalistic Teaching)

• Missing Teaching Opportunities: Not recognizing when a client’s initiation, a change in the environment, or a naturally occurring situation provides a perfect chance to target a skill from their plan.
• Turning NET into DTT in a Natural Setting: Becoming too directive, using overly formal S^Ds, relying on arbitrary reinforcers, or having too rigid a structure, thus losing the “natural” feel and its associated benefits.
• Failing to Use Natural Reinforcers: For example, if a child mands for a “block,” giving them praise and a goldfish cracker instead of giving them the actual block they asked for. The block itself should be the primary (natural) reinforcer.
• Prompting Too Much or Too Intrusively: Not allowing the client a sufficient chance to respond independently, or using prompts that are too obvious and disrupt the natural flow of the activity.
• Not Fading Prompts Systematically: Allowing the client to become dependent on prompts even in natural situations, because the fading process isn’t being carefully managed.
• Lack of Preparation (Mental and Environmental): While NET is flexible, RBTs still need to have the client’s target skills clearly in mind and might subtly “salt” or arrange the environment with items or situations that could naturally elicit those skills.
• Inconsistent or Insufficient Data Collection: Data collection in NET can be more challenging than in DTT due to the dynamic nature of the environment, leading some to neglect it or collect it poorly. Brief, accurate data on targeted skills is still crucial for monitoring progress.
• Focusing Only on Manding (Requesting): While manding is a huge and vital part of NET, many other skills (tacts/labels, intraverbals/conversation, social skills, motor skills, play skills, etc.) can also be effectively taught naturalistically.
• Not Varying Targets or Contexts Enough: Repeatedly targeting the exact same skill in the exact same way, even within a NET framework, can become predictable and less effective for generalization.
• “Following the Child” to the Extreme Without Embedding Targets: Letting the child simply play or move around without actively looking for or contriving opportunities to teach the pre-identified skills from their acquisition plan.
  There needs to be a skillful balance between following the child’s lead and intentionally embedding teaching.

Naturalistic teaching procedures, like incidental teaching, are vital for making learned skills functional, spontaneous, and generalized to the client’s everyday life.

They require the RBT to be a keen observer, flexible thinker, creative problem-solver, and adept at seamlessly integrating teaching into the client’s world in a positive and engaging way..

This provides a very comprehensive overview of C-05, highlighting the core principles of naturalistic teaching, detailing the incidental teaching model, contrasting it effectively with DTT, and outlining key RBT skills and common errors.

Next up in Section C is C-06: Use Task Analyzed Chaining Procedures. This is another fundamental teaching strategy, particularly useful for teaching complex, multi-step behaviors like handwashing or making a sandwich.