Getting Started with ABA Home Instruction

If home instruction is the path you are choosing, there are some essentials you will need to consider in order to set up an effective teaching space in your home.

Your space:

Choose a location in your home that provides a certain level of privacy. This can be a spare bedroom, den or secluded area of your basement. It should be an area that is well lit b ut not visually distracting to the child.

Furniture and storage:

• a small table with chairs. Ideally the chair should be low enough that the child’s feet can touch the ground with flat feet and the table should be at a height that the child can comfortably complete activities on.
• clear bins with lids of varying sizes that can be labeled. These will be used to contain learning materials and reinforcers.
• Card file box with dividers that can be labeled
• A book shelf or closet with shelves where bins and other learning materials can be stored
• A garbage can

Office Supplies:

• Clip board
• Pencils
• Erasers
• Pencil case
• Post it note pads
• Ruler
• calculator
• 3-hole punch
• Plastic sheet protectors
• Index cards
• 2” or 3” binder
• Tissues
• Hand wipes or sanitizer

Reinforcers:

• Small wind-up toys
• Bubbles
• Stickers
• Music
• Books
• Cause and effect toys (e.g., jack in the box, musical toys, pop up toys, spinners)
• Any toy the child enjoys looking at or playing with
• electronics can be used but should be used sparingly and reserved for higher level motivation
• preferred snack items that are stored in air tight containers

Educational Materials:

• variety of age appropriate fine motor activities
  • some examples for young learners include: puzzles, shape sorters, lacing cards, stacking blocks, ring stackers, pop beads, interactive books, pattern and logic activities, figurines, stacking cups

• variety of age appropriate pretend play items
  • Little People playsets (garage, farm, playhouse), cars, dolls, doctor kit, pretend food, animal figurines, blocks (smaller wooden set for imitation or larger cardboard set for pretend play), Play doh, pretend cooking items, dress up items.
• Teaching materials
  • Language builder picture cards
  • Alphabet flashcards
  • Number flashcards
  • Community helper flashcards
  • Photos of family member and familiar people
  • Opposites flashcards
  • Sequencing picture cards (sets of 3, 4, 5+ sequences)