Northstar Continuing Education

Classes on your time, at your convenience, when you want to study!

Additional Courses

The Teacher's Guide to Student Mental Health Organizational Skills Training for Students with ADHD Multi-Sensory Learning: Becoming A Creative And Reflective Thinker Using Augmentative/ Alternative Communication to Build Academic Skills Growing Up With Autism Boys and Girls Learn Differently: Gender and Learning Styles in the Classroom Asperger's Syndrome: Foundations for Intervention Bullying Prevention School Success for ADHD & LD Students Teaching Social Skills to Students with Autism Teaching Students How to Think Critically Teaching Children with Challenging Behavior Using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Best Practices in English Language Learning Instruction Best Practices In Writing Instruction Comprehension Going Forward: Best Practices in Reading Comprehension Instruction Culture and Special Education How Children Succeed The Mind, Brain, and Education The Science of Making Friends

The cost of the 3 credit course which includes the text book is $385 dollars, and is payable by credit card, just click on the credit card icon. After payment we will send by email, a payment acknowledgment, registration information and the syllabus. The textbook will also be shipped at this time.

All of our continuing education and professional development classes can be completed on your time, at your convenience, whenever you want to study!

Contact us at

Phone: 763-219-8483

Email: jmkalina@msn.com

Using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)to Enrich the Social Lives of Persons with Autism.

Course Description:

Acquisition of social skills for students with autism is as equally important as learning the core curriculum in educational settings. The application of applied behavior analysis to teach these skills results in students being able to develop authentic social competence and genuine friendships with peers and adults. Having the ability to form these relationships prevents students with autism from developing depression, loneliness and isolation. Educators taking this class will learn how to teach their students important skills in social awareness, communication, interaction, social learning and social relatedness. Some of the specific skills taught will include perspective taking, asking for help and soliciting favors, initiating appropriate social contact, responding to teasing and bullying, group affiliation and social influence, tolerating the proximity and presence of others, developing empathy, deciding which peers to choose to develop friendships with and how to be a good friend.

Goals and Objectives

As a result of participation in this course, students should

Learn how to plan and implement social skills groups for students with autism.
Teach students appropriate social interactions, how to develop friendships and interact with peers and adults appropriately.
Create an appropriate social skills curriculum that is specific to each student’s needs as determined through social skills assessment.
Prevent loneliness and depression of students with autism by teaching them how to advocate for themselves and pursue social interests without fear of rejection from peers.
Learn the most efficient and effective ways to teach social skills to students with autism so that they are able to use their social skills on demand in a variety of environments and situations.

Texts/Readings

The required text is:

Taubman, M., Leaf, R., & McEachin, J. (2011). Crafting Connections: Contemporary Applied Behavior Analysis for Enriching the Social Lives of Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorder. New York, NY: DRL Books.