This engaging course provides behavior analysts and educators with practical, evidence-based strategies to teach and strengthen joint attention skills in children, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants explore the developmental foundations of joint attention and its role in communication and social cognition. In addition, the course highlights its connection to language, learning, and perspective taking.
Through naturalistic, play-based approaches, Dr. Georgio demonstrates how to support both Responding to Joint Attention (RJA) and Initiating Joint Attention (IJA). She uses motivating, child-led strategies that are easy to apply. Moreover, the course integrates the four-term contingency and motivation-based teaching. It also emphasizes ethical practices such as assent-based learning and avoiding forced eye contact.
In this course, learners will:
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Understand the developmental role of joint attention
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Teach RJA and IJA using play-based strategies
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Apply motivation-based and ethical teaching practices
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Create shared experiences that promote engagement and social connection
Course access is provided for three (3) years from the date of purchase.
Publication Date: May 2025
Author/Speaker
Trudy Georgio is an Assistant Professor of Applied Behavior Analysis at Bay Path University. She began her career in ABA in 2010 and has held every role within the service delivery system, from Behavior Technician to Board Certified Behavior Analyst Supervisor, across various settings, including home, school, clinic, and community. Trudy is committed to disseminating the science of behavior to the next generation of behavior analysts, drawing on her extensive clinical experience to enhance student learning. She earned her doctorate from Texas A&M University, where her work focused on teaching language to students with autism spectrum disorder. Her research interests include behavior-analytic strategies for complex verbal behavior, assent-based instruction, and joint attention training.
Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Define and differentiate between responding to and initiating joint attention.
- Describe the relationship between joint attention, communication, and social development.
- Identify early indicators of impaired joint attention in autism spectrum disorder.
- Apply naturalistic and behavioral teaching strategies to strengthen joint attention skills.
- Integrate motivating operations, social reinforcement, and assent-based learning into intervention design.
