ThePyramidApproach

forParentsand
Professionals

LoriFrost,MS,CCCSLP
AndyBondy,PhD

Frost&Bondy
ThePyramidApproachforParentsandProfessionals

___________________________________
___________________________________

ThePyramidApproach
forParentsandProfessionals

___________________________________
___________________________________

AndyBondy,PhD
PyramidEducationalConsultants

___________________________________
___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________

ThePyramidApproachtoEducation
___________________________________
The how
of teaching

___________________________________
___________________________________
Functional Communication

The why of behavior:

The science of learning
Functional Activities

___________________________________
The what of
teaching

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________

Summary ofPresentation
___________________________________

Purpose:Designeffective
educationalenvironments

___________________________________

TheBase
Whylearn?
Whattoteach
TheBody
Howtoteach
CentralisCollectingandAnalyzingData
Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________
___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Copyright,2011,byPyramidEducationalConsultants

Page2of8

Frost&Bondy
ThePyramidApproachforParentsandProfessionals
___________________________________

FunctionalActivities

___________________________________

FunctionalOrientation
Whydowehaveschools?

___________________________________

Toteachskillstogetajobandmoveawayfromhome

Wheredoweteach?
SchoolBased
HomeRelated
Community(includingservicesandvocational)

___________________________________

Ifthechilddoesntfinishthetaskindependently,
whowill?
Functionalmaterials

___________________________________

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________

ReinforcementSystems
___________________________________

PowerfulReinforcers

Studentdefined
1/2secondrule
Grandmassecret(noncontingentR+)
DifferentialReinforcement
Letsmakeadealusingvisualsupport!
SettingtheminimumrateofR+viaARRT
(AudioReinforcerReminderTone)

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

FunctionalCommunication

___________________________________

Notallbehaviorsare
communicative

___________________________________

Mustoccurbetweentwo
people

Communicatordirects

___________________________________

behaviortocommunicative
partner
Communicativepartner
mediates accessto
reinforcer
Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Copyright,2011,byPyramidEducationalConsultants

Page3of8

Frost&Bondy
ThePyramidApproachforParentsandProfessionals

___________________________________

FunctionalCommunication
___________________________________

Wheredowestart?
Whatcommunicationskill?
Request direct/tangibleconsequences
Comment socialconsequences
Spontaneity?
Initiate
Respond
Imitate
Ismodalityimportanttodefining
communication? NO!
Speech,PECS,sign,SDGs,etc.

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

PictureExchange
CommunicationSystem(PECS)

___________________________________

Noprerequisitetraining
Firststep:teachspontaneousrequest

___________________________________

Impact:Learnerapproaches communicativepartner
toinitiatesocialinteraction

Gradualchangetosentencestructure
Functionsadded(comments,attributes,etc.)
Noevidenceofspeechinhibition
Greatlyreducespromptdependency
Evidencebasedpractice

___________________________________
___________________________________

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________

NineCriticalCommunicationSkills
___________________________________
Expressive
1. Requestreinforcers
2. Requestassistance
3. Requestabreak
4. Accept
5. Reject

Receptive

___________________________________

1. Respondtowaitor
no
2. Respondtodirections
3. Followaschedule
4. Transition

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

___________________________________

Copyright,2011,byPyramidEducationalConsultants

Page4of8

Frost&Bondy
ThePyramidApproachforParentsandProfessionals

___________________________________

ContextuallyInappropriateBehaviors
andAlternatives

___________________________________

Behavioral Function vs. Form

MajorFunctions
GainsometypeofR+
Concrete,activity,social,internal
Avoidance/Escape
Demand,activities,settings,pain
Elicited(minimallycontrolledbyconsequences)
Loss/delayofR+,scheduleinduced,pain
FEAB (FunctionallyEquivalentAlternativeBehavior)
DirectReactionstoCIB
Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
10

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

GeneralizationStrategies

___________________________________

Planfromthestart,notfrommastery
StimulusFactors
People,places,time,materials
Contextualissues:supervisorydistance,#of
learnersingroup
ResponseFactors
Rate,total#,duration,intensity
Complexity,accuracy,fluency

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

GRADUALISM!
Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

11

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

EffectiveLessons

___________________________________

LessonFormat
DiscreteTrialformat (DT)

___________________________________

Short,simple,distinct
Repeatable buthowmanyinarow?

Sequential tasks

___________________________________

Chains: Forwardvs.Backward

WhoInitiates

___________________________________

Teacherinitiation
Learnerinitiatedinterest
Oftenwithteacherexpansions
Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

12

___________________________________
___________________________________

Copyright,2011,byPyramidEducationalConsultants

Page5of8

Frost&Bondy
ThePyramidApproachforParentsandProfessionals

___________________________________

Promptingasa
TeachingTool

___________________________________

Promptsareateacherswaytohelp alearner
behaveinanewway
Manytypes

___________________________________

#1RuleofPrompting

___________________________________

Ifyouputitin,youtakeitout!
Teachingwithoutprompting?
Shaping

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

13

___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________

MinimizingandCorrectingErrors

___________________________________

ErrorCorrectionStrategies

___________________________________

Correctit,dontjustFIXit!!
4StepErrorCorrections
Withindiscretelesson reestablishstimulus
control

___________________________________

Backstep
Finderrorinsequence reestablishroutinewith
prompttopreventerror

___________________________________

AnticipatoryPrompt
Knownerrorpattern changepromptonnexttrial
Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

14

___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________

CollectingandAnalyzingData

___________________________________

Wetakedatatoanswer:
Isthisagoodlessonplan?

___________________________________

Takeaslittleasneededtoreliablyanswerquestion

Takelotsofdataearlyandthinslowly
Typesofdata
Behavior:Frequency,intensity,duration
Product:Outcomeofactions
Supportlevel:Prompttype,supervision

___________________________________

Summarizedatafortrends
Whenproblemsappear,gothroughthe
Pyramid!

___________________________________

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

15

___________________________________

___________________________________

Copyright,2011,byPyramidEducationalConsultants

Page6of8

Frost&Bondy
ThePyramidApproachforParentsandProfessionals

___________________________________

Whyusethe
PyramidApproachtoEducation?

___________________________________

Fitsbroadeducationalgoals
Itworksfor

___________________________________

Learners allages,alldisabilities
Staff lessturnover
Parents
Administrators costeffective!

___________________________________
___________________________________

16

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________

HowcanthePyramidApproachbe
implemented?

___________________________________

Trainingandworkshops
Consultation
Feedbackfromadministrators,colleagues
andparents

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

17

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

RatingsofPyramidPoweredClassroomElements

___________________________________

___________________________________

R atin g

___________________________________

___________________________________

0
8/1/1998

9\98

10\98

11\98

12\98

1/14/1999

2\99

4\99

6\99

3\00

Visit
Funct. Activ./obj.

Reinforcement

Funct. Commun.

Behav. Mgmt.

Prompt. Strat.

Lesson Frmt.

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

Error Cor.

Genlz/Maint.

Data col.

18

___________________________________

___________________________________

Copyright,2011,byPyramidEducationalConsultants

Page7of8

Frost&Bondy
ThePyramidApproachforParentsandProfessionals

___________________________________

PyramidWorkshops
___________________________________

PyramidApproachBasicTraining
2dayBasic(ortailoredtoaspecificprogram)

PyramidTopicsincluding

___________________________________

Criticalcommunicationskills,behaviorintervention,Asperger
syndrome,languageofemotions,parenttraining,analyzing
language(usingSkinnersVerbalBehavior),organizingand
managingclassrooms,andmore

___________________________________

PECSBasicTraining(2day)
PECSAdvancedTraining
PECSImplementerCertification

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

19

___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

Pleasevisithttp://www.pecs.com/Research.htm
forPECSrelatedresearchpublications

Copyright, 2011, Pyramid Educational Consultants

___________________________________

20

___________________________________

___________________________________

Copyright,2011,byPyramidEducationalConsultants

Page8of8