Compassionate child-led learning through play
OUR APPROACH
There's a lot of information for you on this page! So grab a cup of tea and read on...
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We believe that everyone has the right to evidence-based effective support to help them with the things they find challenging. Every child has different needs and this means they will benefit from a whole host of different strategies to help them learn. We firmly believe that "if children can't learn the way we teach, we need to teach in the way they learn" Ignacio Estrada.
This is why we use a range of individualised, child-centred and evidence-based techniques at Cornerstone.
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Our practitioners are experienced and passionate about evidence-based practice and have a wealth of experience with children with a range of diagnoses and special educational needs. But more importantly than any label, it is the child themselves and their community which is at the heart of everything we do.
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Our primary approach is derived from the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). ABA looks at learning from an individual perspecitive. It takes into account that persons experiences, strengths and needs in order to understand how they learn best. We use the principles of this learning concept, such as positive reinforcement, to break down key skills that children need in order to lead a happier, more fulfilled life.
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You can find out more information about Applied Behaviour Analysis through our regulatory authority the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (UKSBA) website: https://uk-sba.org/about-behaviour-analysis/
Our approach uses a particular branch of ABA - Naturalistic Developmental Behavioural Interventions (NDBI).
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NDBI is a combination of behavioural and developmental approaches to early intervention. NDBI's are research-based interventions derived from the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Developmental Psychology.
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Examples of behavioural components found in NDBI include:
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Environmental arrangement
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Direct Teaching
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Prompting
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Reinforcement
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Shaping​
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Joint Activity Routines (JARs)
Developmental components found in NDBI include:
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Following the developmental sequence
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Utilising a child’s natural environment
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Following the child’s lead
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Joint engagement
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Relationship building
While NDBI are considered a newer class of interventions for young children, there are several established and evidence-based NDBI including:
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Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
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Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT)
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Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation (JASPER)
For more information:
https://youtu.be/K62E4K9B6cs?si=ZRh7XvEJg4SnMr_q
Journal article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4513196/
We incorporate these strategies into our sessions. For example we use:
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Naturalistic teaching
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Environmental adaptations
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Positive reinforcement
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Visual supports
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Alternative communication
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Functional behaviour assessment (ABCs of behaviour)
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Predictability and routines
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Prompting and prompt fading​​
Our Ethos
As part of our credentials we must adhere to a strict ethical code.
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​We involve children and families in the process of intervention and work with their preferences, helping children gain important life skills and ultimately be able to advocate for themselves.​
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We do not believe in changing someones identity to help them fit in with society
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We do not support or align ourselves with organisations that use aversive procedures
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We believe in listening to autistic voices and being sensitive to the populations we serve
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We respect cultural, neurological and ethnic diversity
Our Stance on the 'controversy' surrounding ABA
​As NDBI incorporates aspects of Applied Behaviour Analysis, it is only fair for us to address some of the concerns around this science and it's history with autism.
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Myths and Misunderstandings About ABA
As with every science, ABA has evolved. As our understanding of neurodiversity has improved, so has the practice of behavioural interventions. The majority of people who use ABA acknowledge and wish to learn from the mistakes of the past. Here we explain and counter some of the common misconceptions about behavioural interventions:​
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1. ABA is a treatment for autism
ABA is not a therapy or treatment for autism. It is a science - the science of how we learn.
Our practice at Cornerstone Learning CIC uses science to support our learners.
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2. ABA only teaches rote learning
Although there are aspects of rote learning in all our lives, ABA is much more than this! ABA practitioners understand how people learn and can use this knowledge to teach anything, including how to problem solve, understand emotions and express individuality. We program for generalisation, so that we can ensure that any new skills can be used functionally within a child’s everyday life
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3. ABA tries to normalise people
This is a big fat NO from us! Whilst historically scientists in the 60s and 70s used behaviour modification to change people, we now have a very strict ethical code which prevents us from doing anything that is not in the individuals best interest. Here is a link to our ethical codes of conduct if you would like to learn more:
BCBA
https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ethics-Code-for-Behavior-Analysts-210902.pdf​
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UKSBA
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4. ABA uses bribes
ABA uses positive reinforcement to increase every-day skills which is not the same as a bribe.
Reinforcement is the concept that actions are more likely to be repeated in future if something preferred happens afterwards.
​Bribery happens when someone is already doing something undesired and you offer them something in order to make them stop. This is also not the same as distraction.
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If you would like to understand more, please see the link below for more on what ABA is and what it is not:
https://uk-sba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Behaviour-Analysis-Fact-or-Fiction.pdf
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