Verbal behavior is our ability to speak our needs and respond to others with easily understood language. For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), verbal behavior can be challenging. Some may struggle to articulate words, have underdeveloped muscles in the neck, throat, and mouth, or don’t verbally communicate at all. Symptoms of speech delays can present as early as the first six months of a child’s life. Children struggling with verbal behavior may have trouble making eye contact, pointing to objects, articulating their first words, or mirroring a parent’s behavior. Watching your child struggle with speech delays in the first few years of life can be incredibly stressful and frustrating for both you and your child. Luckily, autism speech therapy now includes tools like the Verbal Matrix for early intervention language skills development. Like all autism therapy, early intervention speech therapy can lead to a happier, more fulfilling, independent life for your child and a less stressful, more communicative home environment.
The Verbal Matrix®is the center of the aba|tools program and online source for ABA training at the convenience of your fingertips. Learn more here by contacting us online.
What Is the Verbal Matrix®
ABA applied behavioral analysis relies on learning images through language identification. Children are asked to identify pictures in order to pair words with objects and communicate their wants and needs at any language learning level. The Verbal Matrix®is an online database of images and videos for teaching verbal behavior at home. This portable library hosts hundreds of images on your phone or tablet to update the traditional ABA flashcard system. Using a digital library allows you to track your child’s learning as their verbal behavior develops. The system uses an intraverbal response or one’s verbal response to another. This might be responding to the question, “what animal says moo?” or the order of tasks when your child gets ready for bed. The Verbal Matrix® provides tools for parents, teachers, and therapists to support, track, and adapt to a child’s speech development.
Why Use the Verbal Matrix® to Teach Verbal Behavior?
There are countless tools and therapies to help you teach verbal behavior. The Verbal Matrix®is an adaptable and convenient ABA tool for in-home speech therapy. Here are reasons why the Verbal Matrix® might be right for your child’s speech therapy:
- The library stays current, relevant, and is frequently updated.
- Children see interactive images to practice their listener responding skills.
- More than 10,000 relational questions keep learners from memorizing answers.
- Families can watch, track, and engage with the app anywhere with internet access.
The Verbal Matrix® is a tool for teaching receptive language and verbal behavior at home. Through this and other practices, you can support your child’s speech therapy journey with confidence.
Other Tips for In-Home Speech Therapy
A child’s language learning starts at home. Here are some keys to fostering verbal behavior at home.
- Teaching verbal behavior begins with teaching children to make a request. Practice repeating words as your child asks for things by pointing.
- Practice words to engage your child by pointing and naming objects, people, and events that occur around you.
- Improve intraverbal skills by modeling and practicing conversations that involve questions and responses.
- Repeat and echo words to enforce correct words and foster skill development through mirroring your child’s speech.
Teaching verbal behavior can feel overwhelming to families raising a child with autism. For children in school, speech pathologists can also offer a wealth of daily support and resources to help. At home, tools like the Verbal Matrix®can help parents and their children learn and grow.
Register for aba|tools for More Information
When it comes to teaching verbal behavior, consistency and comfort are key. Convenient autism language learning tools like the aba|tools app can help children of all ages practice and develop verbal skills on a daily basis. Our Verbal Matrix® library is accessible from your phone or tablet, so you can direct, track, and improve your child’s language skills from anywhere with a wifi connection. To begin applied behavioral analysis therapy and find other helpful language tools for children with Autism spectrum disorder, register for aba|tools today.