A is for Apple’s Learning Approach

Our Positive and Proactive Learning Approach

When your child needs to learn positive behaviors, a systematic approach that focuses on his/her comfort proves the most successful.

At A is for Apple, our approach helps the child learn functional skills, reduce maladaptive behaviors, promote creativity and grow more comfortable interacting with the world.  This therapy approach is proven in scientific study – and our own experience – as the most successful for helping children thrive.

Teaching the Child

Therapy is done both in our San Jose facility and in your home, where the child is most comfortable.

We use a wide variety of teaching strategies in our programs.  Each child’s program includes skills such as imitation and play.  Though this general structure remains the same throughout, we modify the plan during the course of treatment, dependent on your child’s progress and behaviors.

Since most therapy starts with young children (under the age of 3), prerequisites to language are heavily emphasized.  Things like paying attention, cooperating, and imitation.

This is a good example of how the steps must build from one another. If a therapist is not able to achieve the attention and cooperation of the child, it will be extremely difficult to teach language. Therefore, we emphasize development of appropriate attending behavior, speech and language, conceptual and academic skills, and social skills (including play).

Your child’s program will (overall) emphasize development in the following areas:

1. attending to elements in the environment, especially to other people;
2. imitating others including both verbal and motor imitation;
3. comprehending the use of language receptively (e.g. building on functional communication skills);
4. playing with toys appropriately to promote functional use of toys and symbolic play;
5. social interaction with others, especially peers;
6. making choices; and
7. following daily schedules and routines.

Helping the Parent

Our therapists also offer advice and training for parents too.  You will always be informed of the methods in use with your child.  You’ll also be shown techniques on relating to your child’s development, and methods of encouraging improved behavior when the therapist is not present.

Our Therapists’ Training

A is For Apple’s behavioral therapy team includes certified Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCABAs). These professionals follow guidelines set forth by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), and must maintain their certifications through education and field experience measurement.

Certified behavior analysts have met an independent standard of expertise, and possess in-depth knowledge on how to employ Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles in autism therapy programs.

A positive and systematic approach to teaching functional skills and reducing problem behaviors as well as creativity and flexibility, capitalizing on the resources available for each individual child, is strongly emphasized in each child’s individualized program. In the initial treatment phases, all members of our treatment team adhere consistently to the smallest details of the teaching plan.

Intervention consists of a combination of gentle activities designed to increase communication, play, social and self-help skills.

Our approach has helped parents of children within the autism spectrum see wonderful improvements, since 2000.  Join us.  Contact Us to get started.