Designing Teaching Strategies: An Applied Behav... -

Next came . Initially, Maya used "hand-over-hand" guidance to help Leo scrub. But she knew that for Leo to be truly independent, she had to disappear. Slowly, she moved her hands to his wrists, then his elbows, then to a simple gestural point toward the soap. She was carefully shaping his behavior, replacing her support with his own autonomy.

When Leo began to pace—a sign of rising overstimulation—Maya prompted him to touch the card. The moment he did, she immediately cleared the table. "You asked for a break. Let's go," she said calmly. Designing Teaching Strategies: An Applied Behav...

The breakthrough didn't happen during the hand-washing, though. It happened during a session. Leo usually grabbed items he wanted, leading to frustration for everyone. Maya had designed a strategy using a "Break" card. Next came

Maya wasn't just teaching; she was . She wasn't looking for a "one size fits all" lesson plan. She was practicing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in its most artful form. Slowly, she moved her hands to his wrists,