In Session 69 of The Behavioral Observations Podcast, we are treated to a TAGteach primer from Martha Gabler. In this episode, Martha shares how she discovered TAGteach when she was searching for intervention strategies to help her son with Autism.
Martha also describes how she used this teaching strategy to reduce tantrums, bolting, and problematic sleep routines. In doing so, she provides us with a nice overview of the basics of TAGteach. If this is something you are interested in learning more about, we have links a-plenty below. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
- Main TAGteach website: www.tagteach.com
- Free Online TAGteach Fundamentals Course: https://tagteach.com/Free-TAGteach-course
- Introduction to TAGteach Course: https://tagteach.com/intro_to_TAGteach_online_course
- TAGteach Reference List: https://tagteach.com/TAGteach-Reference-List
- Precision Teaching + TAGteach blog article: https://tagteachblog.com/do-you-know-the-difference-between-a-tag-point-and-a-pinpoint/
- TAGteach blog article on why the tag is superior to verbal praise: https://tagteachblog.com/why-good-is-not-good-enough-for-your-learners/#more-5386
- TAGteach for teaching Orthopedic Surgeons: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/positive-reinforcement-helps-surgeons-learn/
- TAGteach YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tagteach
- Facebook Group TAGteach Forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TAGteachOfficialForum/
- Chaos to Calm website: http://autismchaostocalm.com/
- Free Video Series on TAGteach for Autism Parents: https://tagteachblog.com/martha-parent-video-series/
- Free Behavior Basics Ebook: http://autismchaostocalm.com/behavior-basics/
- Facebook Group TAGteach for Learning, Behavior, Autism, and Special Needs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TAGteachAutism/
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Very interesting podcast!
My only comments would be, is this considered an intrusive or restrictive procedure (Task List, Code 4), or no socially valid? I say this only because in public, it seems inappropriate to *click* for a behavior at a child instead of providing reinforcement through just a tangible like food or a toy. I collaborated with my supervising BCBA and she also finds this way to be inappropriate and intrusive for problem behaviors, however it could be used for teaching/reinforcing other behaviors such as learning to golf or dance or teaching to ride a bike.
Just food for thought for the other side!
For sure. The social validity is the biggest barrier I have to implementing this. I’ve often thought of an alternative tone or sound that would not occasion thoughts of dog training. I think it could be helpful beyond sports performance (i.e., in a clinical context) perhaps with teaching daily living skills through task analyses. One could tag performance of individual steps without interrupting the flow of the composite skill. In the context of managing problem behaviors, I do worry about going right to this type of intervention without doing a functional assessment, but in Martha’s case, the outcome was obviously socially valid. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!
My daughter has a fully funded TAGteach program . We won a legal battle to get this . It’s far less intrusive than prompts . There is a lot of science behind this especially Skinners acquisition of behaviour . Before all reinforcement there is a sensory reinforcement predictor and if you are not marking behaviour you can easily be reinforcing behaviour you don’t want or it would be very hard to reinforce some behaviour with out a marker which can result in therapists using far more intrusive things . For example you would not be allowed to use a physical prompt on my daughter because she suffers With bone pain .
It’s neither a intrusive or restrictive procedure like in the case of a prompt which has a heirarchy for that very reason . In regards to the question why can’t we just give the kid a reinforcer . Here’s an example of why that can be a problem as you give the child a reinforcement the child does something else just before you reinforce and you can then end up reinforcing the behaviour you didn’t actually want . On the point of social validity you answered you own question people regard it as socially valid because they are already using it in the their everyday life like your example of a gold swing . Social media works in this way mark behaviour with a like and reinforce with social reinforcement of a comment. In our own situation we won a legal case of a educational tribunal based on hard evidence . This is the first legal case TAGteach h has been involved with and the local authority conceded based on the strength of evidence . TAGteach uses behavioural principles and Skinners science that all too often is ignored in the field of ABA .
Hi Sean, thanks for sharing your story, and congratulations on getting your daughter’s program funded. I’m sure that involved a lot of blood, sweat, and tears as the saying goes! Martha’s story and message was very informative for me, and I’ve gotten a lot of feedback privately from several listeners already. All the best, Matt
Great program. I was first trained as a behavior analyst. While fostering a dog in my home, I learned about clicker training.
That led me to Tag teaching & I did receive my level 1 certification
I get the social validity concerns but I agree with Martha: you need to push thru it and demonstrate to parents or staff- how effective and fast Tag Teaching can be. They have some great videos on You Tube too. My favorite school application was tagging a student w ASD to walk down the hallway- carrying her lunch tray and not getting sidetracked. ?
Hey Sharen, it’s awesome to hear success stories like these!
Matt
I think the biggest social barrier is in the mind of the teacher. As an Occupational Therapist I have yet to get pushback from a parent when I offer Tagteach. What the parent seems to hear is ” I’ve found something that has really helped other students. Can we give it a try for this situation that your child is having?”