ED 225 Field Placement

By: Jenna Vanderstelt

What is the Shoreline Center?

Located in Grand Haven, MI

A center providing behavioral therapy to children with Autism Spectrum

Disorders
This therapy is called Applied Behavior Analysis

The Shoreline Center offers mental health, applied behavior analysis and related services to the
lakeshore and surrounding communities. Our goal is to bring convenient, affordable and excellent
quality services to the people in our community.
What is Applied Behavior Analysis?

a scientifically validated approach to understanding behavior and how it is

affected by the environment (Autism Speaks Website)
ABA brings out positive change in behavior
Very effective for children with ASD
Often uses positive reinforcement
Can aid with many different behaviors including; communication, play,
academics, behavioral problems etc.
What I did at the Shoreline Center

Supervised by the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) named Kaarin

Sat in on therapy sessions at first with many different therapists

Later on I participated in the sessions

Participated in a social skills group with older children with ASD

Responsibilities

1. Helping older children with Autism with social skills, playing games with
them and helping them learn how to deal with everyday things in their lives.
2. Sitting in on therapy sessions, and helping with the therapy at times.

3. Learning from the many different therapists that I worked with.

Staff Interactions

Interacted with 4 different therapists, all with different skills and levels of
education
Supervised by the Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Supervised by a clinical psychologist for the social skills group for older
children
Technology

Ipads/phones for videos or games for reinforcement

Token Board

Computer for photobooth.

Text Connections

Witnessed the characteristics of Autism from the text

Difficulty with communication, difficulty with social skills, and repetitive or stereotypic
behaviors.

Text defines ABA as: An approach to improving behavioral outcomes for students by focusing on
positive reinforcement.
Targeted behaviors may be academic, communication based, or related to social skills. ABA can also be
used to reduce or eliminate injurious or stereotypic behaviors
Professional Journal

The Deep Impact of Applied Behavior Analysis for Children with Autism
Spectrum Disorder
By: Beth Rosenwasser and Saul Axelrod; Temple University

Good to know where the therapy originates because it gives a background.

PECS system is a form of ABA
Training that I will someday have in order to advance in this field.
Shoreline Centers Website

the Shoreline Centers Website

Strengths

Knowledge of ABA and the desire to make it my career

Passion for learning more about ABA
Passion for children with special needs, specifically children with Autism
Goals for Next Placement

Try to participate more and interact with the children

Ask more questions!
Document things I learn to prevent me from forgetting what I have learned
 Children with
Autism are not
learning disabled,
but rather
teaching
impaired.
Professional Journal Article

Rosenwasser, B., & Axelrod, S. (2001). The Contributions of Applied Behavior

Analysis to the Education of People with Autism. Behavior Modification, 25(5),
671-677. doi:10.1177/0145445501255001