Phone Video Reinforcers

Most current cell phones allow you to record short videos, which make great quick reinforcers. Record yourself singing a song, falling down, playing a musical instrument, etc. Also, try clips of parents and old tutors doing any of the above. Some children are fascinated by video tours of tutors' homes, or meeting tutors' pets and family members. You'd be surprised how much kids enjoy a 40-second documentary on your trip to the grocery store last night (and you can also work in community location info).

Some children will like seeing the same clips over and over, while for others, the big appeal is getting to see new videos each time a tutor visits.

The video quality will not be great, but you can also record YouTube videos right off the computer screen.

Reinforce individual responses with short clips (3-5 seconds). Save longer clips as back-up reinforcers for whole sittings or programs that involve time-consuming responses (e.g., independent academic tasks like worksheets and art projects, advanced trips).

M.I.N.D. Institute Lectures Available Online

Many people in the Sacramento area are aware of the monthly Distinguished Lecturers series at the U.C. Davis M.I.N.D. Institute. However, fewer people know that full length video recordings of these presentations, going back to 2005, are available for free online:

http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/events/dls_recorded_events.html