Yes and No Questions

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Yes and No Questions
8
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 10:08am

Ok, so at Bobby's private speech therapy they ahve been working on yes and no questions and have had no success.

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 10:39am

An old ABA tricks - errorless teaching and shaping. You give him the answers and reinforce the correct answers and then start to fade the answers until he gets it.

So say you hold up a picture of a pig and say "Is this a pig?". Then you model saying "yes" right away and he likely repeats because that is what he does right? Well then you reinforce him for saying "yes" something like "Nice Job saying "Yes" Bobby. Your right that is a pig!" then do it again and again. Make sure to mix up yes and no answers so he doesn't just learn to say "Yes" or learn the pattern (yes, no, yes, no or 2 yes, no, 2 yes, no)

Then when he has mastered repeating the model of "yes" or "no" you begin to fade the time between asking the question and giving the answer. Slowly adding more and more time until he begins to give the right answer himself. REally reinforce that.

If he starts giving the wrong answers then you go back to giving the right answer right away. By not letting him be wrong you are giving him a very concrete way of seeing what exactly it is you want him to do.

When he gets the pictures right, start using the same type of intervention for more natural things. You may want to start at the same type of situation but offer preferred and non preferred items. Saying "Bobby do you want...?" Make sure it is something you know he will either want or definitely not want. Then you can cue him the same way. When he has mastered it, then use it in more natural settings.

By that time he should be using "yes" and "no" more accurately.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 11:21am

I was going to suggest the exact same approach. We never did ABA with Sylvia, but we sort of picked up that technique through trial and error. It worked really well, and now we're doing the exact same thing with Sebastian, who's just starting to pick up on it. Also, when you are modeling "yes" and "no" overexaggerate nodding or shaking your head -- this seemed to help cue my kids, plus it helps teach them some body language that they might not otherwise pick up on.

Just to let you know, Bobby's difficulty with yes no questions is very common!!! Sylvia and Sebastian both did the exact same thing -- if I said, "Do you want a cookie?" they'd respond "Cookie," rather than saying "yes." Sebastian still does this sometimes. I'm not sure why your speech therapist is so perplexed...

Jennifer

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Registered: 01-19-2005
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 1:31pm

Renee and Jennifer both gave good suggestions. That's what we had to do with Eric too.

I just wanted you to know Eric did the same thing and I do think it is fairly common. Eric would say no and usually nod for yes. For awhile he said "yeh" and finally yes. Your little guy will learn, just keep at it.

I don't know why your ST is perplexed either!

Hope the day starts to get better!

Katherine

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2004
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 1:36pm

Tina,

We went thru this with Nathan too. We didn't do ABA exactly, but I applied the same process at home. It does take time and alot of consistancy and repetitiveness. I am surprised that your speech therapist was perplexed by this!!! lol

I still work with Nathan's speech EVERYDAY. Even though he gets therapy at school, I continue it at home. I talk to him all the time and ask him questions. I also help him how to answer questions, and how to say what he's thinking. He still tunes us out too....so I am constantly reminding him that he needs to answer or sometimes I will tell him that his brother has asked you a question...you need to answer him.

We're doing ok with the yes and no questions, but if he's really focused on something.....he tunes us out!!!

michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 2:21pm
Tina,
It took a long time for Jake to get yes and no questions. We used a similar approach as suggested by the other moms. Are you pleased with the ST? I only ask because our previous ST was not very good with Jake and had very little experience with kids on the spectrum. I later learned she mostly dealt with stroke patients. She was the only therapist I asked to be taken off his case and thank goodness I did because we finally got someone who understands Jake and how best to teach him. We are working on the "WH" questions now and have been for months, somedays he gets it and somedays he dosen't, it's frustrating but I know in time it will come.
Teresa
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 2:37pm
Thank you for for your help!

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 2:40pm

Teresa,


I sorta said this in my prior post, but that is what is so frustrating abotu this.

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Fri, 02-10-2006 - 3:12pm

To this day, if I am in a hurry or we are in sensory-loud surroundings, I use alot of coaching in Wh- and "yes/no" questions. One rule, thanks to reading Temple Grandin, is to paint a verbal picture, then ask the question. "Pizza or hot dog --- which one do you want to eat? you want pizza? Or Hot dog?" -- "The yellow shirt with the hockey player on it -- do you want to wear it, yes or no?"

And the big coaching. "I need a "yes" or a "no" here -- We're having fun here. Do you want to stay here longer (pointing to here) or go home now (pointing to exit)?" This may be followed by "Stay --- yes? or go now?" Etc. etc. etc.

Wh- questions are hard because they think in pictures. They don't remember the wh- part by the time you get the full picture of what you are asking about in their minds. So then they can't answer you.

I often say "I'm asking a question now. I need you to listen." before I start all this as well.

I have a little alien character I play to remind him he needs to answer me. In odd weird voice, I say tapping my forehead "I ... AM... NOT ... A ... MINDREADER..."

Works.

Sara
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