May 6, 2024
Do you have a special child who has made tremendous improvements in their learning? Then your child needs reinforcement.
According to ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis), reinforcement is an action that follows a behavior and strengthens that behavior or increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.
Reinforcement is used to strengthen new skills. For a nonverbal child diagnosed with autism, if such a child is able to pronounce or repeat certain words that he/she has been taught, then there is a need for positive reinforcement.
Also, reinforcement helps children maintain or continue to use a skill in order for the child to behave appropriately outside their learning environment.
Positive reinforcement rewards children for their actions and encourages them to repeat them again. It aims to achieve a desirable behaviour by adding favourable stimuli after such behaviour occurs. Although favourable stimuli can differ based on each child’s preferences and needs,
Positive reinforcement is necessary for stimulating consistent behaviour and increasing social skills, self-esteem, learning, and focus.
Positive reinforcement strategies involve:
● Verbal Praise such as Good Job, Well done, Bravo
● Nonverbal cues such as clapping, thumbs up, high fives, a pat on the shoulder, and hugs
● Tangible rewards like Toys, snacks, and stickers
● Activity reward, e.g, free time for those who completes a tasks
Often, negative reinforcement has been deduced to mean the opposite of positive reinforcement. While positive means good, negative means bad, but that is not the case. Positive reinforcement involves adding or giving, for example, a child a golden sticker for when a task is completed. While negative reinforcement involves removal or taking away, for example, removing a screeching or annoying sound around the child, removing work when a child asks for a break, or reducing screen time when the child needs to focus.
ABA refers to both positive and negative reinforcement as suitable reinforcers that are beneficial for teaching special children. Both enforcers are needed to achieve desirable behaviours and responses.
Benefits of Reinforcement
● Reinforcement helps to build self esteem and confidence; when a child feels like his/her effort is appreciated and valued, the child is likely to repeat such stimuli in the future.
● It increases social skills; when a child receives positive reinforcement for their social interactions, they will be motivated to interact more with their peers.
● It improves focus and learning; the removal of negative stimuli such as noise around a child can help the child focus and learn better. Even limiting screen time can facilitate learning and increase focus.
● It enhances consistent desirable behaviours; when children receive positive reinforcement, they tend to always repeat such actions
To build consistent behaviour in your special child, reinforcement should be key in teaching and raising your child. Reinforcement will encourage desirable behaviours and stimuli that will enhance the social skills and confidence of the child.
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