BEH 0018 - Pairing: A Process to Build Rapport, Strengthen Engagement, and Support Learning

Course Description

Pairing is the process in which an educator associates themselves with reinforcement. An important first step in working with students with autism spectrum disorder, pairing helps build and maintain rapport and occurs when the educator engages the student in fun ways while providing items and activities the student likes. Sometimes overlooked or dismissed, pairing is a critical component for engagement and learning, as it helps build a positive working relationship that supports cooperation with demands, reduces the likelihood of challenging behaviour, and sets the stage for better learning outcomes.

This presentation will provide an overview of the research that supports the rationale for pairing as a means for improving engagement and cooperation during instruction; recommendations for how individuals can pair themselves and learning environments with reinforcement; and suggestions for determining how often and how long to engage in pairing to meet individual students’ needs.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define pairing and describe the importance of pairing to instruction and learning.
• Describe and apply the steps for pairing one's self and learning environments with reinforcement.
• Describe how to use assessment to determine optimal duration and frequency of pairing sessions to meet individual students' needs.

Price: $24.95 (+HST)