Step 2.1 Implement continuous reinforcement

When first learning a behavior (or skill), a toddler needs to know when she is doing the behavior and doing it correctly.

Reinforcement needs to occur, as possible, after every occurrence of the behavior.

  • Provide reinforcement immediately after the toddler performs the behavior (or skill). Ensuring immediacy helps the toddler to make the connection between their performance of the behavior and getting the reinforcer.
  • As the reinforcer is provided name the behavior. Example, after the toddler requests juice by pointing and saying “ju”, give the toddler the juice (reinforcer) while saying “You want juice!”
  • Only provide the reinforcer when the toddler is performing the behavior. For example, a dad uses goldfish crackers plus verbal praise to reinforce his son’s asking for “fish” during snack, but then leaves the goldfish out for the rest day for his son to access whenever he wants. His son may be less likely to use his new skill of requesting verbally or he may lose interest in the reinforcer all together.
  • Provide small amounts of the reinforcer to maintain the toddler’s interest in it. Again, if dad gives his son 2 goldfish over 20 goldfish crackers his son is less likely to lose interest and will have many more opportunities to learn to request.
  • When the use of primary reinforcers cannot be avoided, pair primary reinforcers  with secondary reinforcers (e.g., food, drink paired with an activity, or tangible/sensory reinforcers). When the toddler requests “juice” say “Juice! You want juice!” to help the toddler associate the specific behavior to reinforcer AND to support the toddler in understanding the value of secondary reinforcers.
  • Pair reinforcers with social reinforcement. Ensure that social reinforcement is specific to the behavior and is varied. Observe to make sure that the social praise is not aversive to the toddler (e.g., too loud, too big, too intense). Pairing other reinforcers with social reinforcers helps toddlers understand the value of social praise. Toddlers with ASD are less likely to appreciate the value of social praise as much as their typically developing peers. As the toddler becomes more motivated by the social reinforcer, begin to fade the reinforcer (activity, edible, sensory, tangible).