A Behaviorists' Bookshelf (Ongoing)

     I have decided to keep an ongoing list of books related to education, behavior analysis, and other randomness that I think are useful or want to buy. I will add brief recommendations & reservations as time permits. Not to say that These lists are in no particular order. And, obviously, not APA citations (Author/Editor - Title - Edition if applicable). While I value all of my purchases, and would return a title if it were outright awful, books with a + after denote highly recommend, books with a - after means the title is owned but with "reservations," and  books with nothing after mean they're good enough to warrant a purchase but are in my opinion a low priority.

     This list is obviously not exhaustive, and will be an ongoing project to update.

     Feel free to post any recommendations at the bottom! I'd love to know what reader's are finding useful!

(Updated 04.12.2014)

Own:

Behavior Analysis/Behaviorism/Positive Behavior Supports:

• B.F. Skinner - The Behavior of Organisms +
• B.F. Skinner - Walden Two
• B.F. Skinner - Science and Human Behavior +
• B.F. Skinner - Schedules of Reinforcement
• B.F. Skinner - Verbal Behavior
• B.F. Skinner - About Behaviorism +
• B.F. Skinner - Beyond Freedom & Dignity
• B.F. Skinner - Upon Further Reflection
• B.F. Skinner - Cumulative Record
• John O. Cooper, Timothy E. Heron, & William L. Heward - Applied Behavior Analysis (2nd Ed.) +
• Mary Lynch Barbera - The Verbal Behavior Approach +
• Susan M. Schneider - The Science of Consequences +
• Michael M. Mueller & Ajamu Nkosi - Behavior Analytic Consultation to Schools
• Heward et. al. (Eds.) - Focus on Behavior Analysis in Education: Achievements, Challenges, and Opportunities
•  John Bailey & Mary Burch - 25 Essential Skills & Strategies for the Professional Behavior Analyst
• John Bailey & Mary Burch - How To Think Like a Behavior Analyst +
• Mark L. Sundberg - Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (Assessment & Guide) +
• Mark L. Sundberg & James W. Partington - Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities +
• Richard M. Foxx - Increasing Behaviors of Severely Retarded and Autistic Persons
• Richard M. Foxx - Decreasing Behaviors of Persons With Severe Retardation and Autism
• Murray Sidman - Tactics of Scientific Research
• Derek D. Reed, Florence D. DiGennaro Reed, & James K. Luiselli (Eds.) - Handbook of Crisis Intervention and Developmental Disabilities
• Mark R. Dixon - PEAK: Relational Training System - Direct Training Module 
• Catherine Maurice, Gina Green, & Stephen C. Luce (Eds.) - Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals +
• James M. Johnston - Radical Behaviorism for ABA Practitioners +
• Susan M. Sheridan & Thomas R. Krawochwill - Conjoint Behavioral Consultation
• Robert L. Koegel & Lynn R. Koegel - Pivotal Response Treatments for Autism
• Glen Dunlap, Rose Iovannone, Donald Kincaid, Kelly Wilson, Kathy Christiansen, Phillip Strain, & Carie English - Prevent-Teach-Reinforce +

Education (General, Teaching, and Teacher Preparation):

• Carl E. Kaestle - Pillars of the Republic: Common Schools and American Society, 1780-1860
• Ron Ritchhart - Intellectual Character- What It Is, Why It Matters, and How To Get It
• Howard Gardner - 5 Minds For The Future 
• Natalie Ravthon - Effective School Interventions +
• Edward S. Shapiro - Academic Skills Problems
• Jay McTighe & Grant Woods - Understanding By Design: Professional Development Workbook
• David L. Westling & Lise Fox - Teaching Students with Severe Disabilities (4th Ed.)
• Daniel P. Hallahan, James M. Kauffman, & Paige C. Pullen - Exceptional Learners: An Introduction to Special Education (12th Ed.)
• Daniel P. Hallahan & James M. Kauffman - Cases for Reflection and Analysis for Exceptional Learners: Introduction to Special Education (Supplement to Exceptional Learners above)
• James M. Kauffman & Daniel P. Hallahan - Special Education: What It Is and Why We Need It
• Victor Nolet & Margaret J. McLaughlin - Accessing the General Curriculum (2nd Ed.) -
• Gordon S. Gibb & Tina Taylor Dyches - Guide to Writing Quality Individualized Education Programs +
• James S. Cangelosi - Classroom Management Strategies: Gaining and Maintaining Student's' Cooperation (6th Ed.) 
• Spencer J. Saland - Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Effective and Reflective Practices (7th Ed.)
• Gail E. Tompkins - Literacy for the 21st Century: A Balanced Approach (5th Ed.) +
• John Settlage & Sherry A. Southerland - Teaching Science to Every Child: Using Culture as a Starting Point

Other Disability/Good Reads/Useful/Of Interest:

•  Catherine Maurice - Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family's Triumph Over Autism +
• Murray Sidman - Coercion and Its Fallout +
• John W. Norlin - What Do I Do When - The Answer Book on Special Education Law (5th ed.)
• Ken Siri & Tony Lyons (Eds.) - Cutting Edge Therapies for Autism, 2010-2011-
• Daniel Tammet - Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant +
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) +
• Temple Grandin - Animals in Translation
• Julie Holland - Weekends at Bellevue+
• Bernard Wood - Human Evolution: A Very Short Introduction
• Michael O'Shea - The Brain: A Very Short Introduction
• Eleanor W. Lynch & Marci J. Hanson - Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A Guide for Working With Children and Their Families (4th Ed.) +
•  Edward H. Levi - An Introduction to Legal Reasoning
• Thomas J. Bernard - The Cycle of Juvenile Justice
• Earl Babbie - The Practice of Social Research
• George Orwell - 1984 +
• Friedrich Nietzsche - Beyond Good and Evil +

Journals/Newsletters/LISTSERVs:

• Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior)
• Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior)
• The Behavior Analyst (Association for Behavior Analysis International)
•  The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (Association for Behavior Analysis International)
• Behavior Analysis in Practice (Association for Behavior Analysis International)
• APBA Reporter (Association for Professional Behavior Analysis)
• Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (Association for Positive Behavior Support)
• Exceptional Children (Council for Exceptional Children)
• What Work's Clearing House (Institute for Educational Science)
• Best Practice in Brief (Michigan State University)
• Harvard Education Letter (Harvard Education Publishing Group)
• Special Ed Advocate (Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy)
• Spotlight on Disability Newsletter (American Psychological Association)
• Research Alert: Autism (American Psychological Association)
•  The Educator (American Psychological Association)
• Association for Behavior Analysis International

What Is Task Analysis?

     Task analysis is the process of breaking down a particular skill into a specific set of behaviors that lead to execution and completion of a task or skill. Task analysis is very helpful for inductively teaching skills because it helps to increase fluency while moving through the necessary steps.

     The first step to successful task analysis is to identify the target skill. The next step is to write out all of the necessary behaviors that need to occur to execute the target skill. So, for example, if the target skill is making a turkey sandwich, the behavioral steps may be: Step 1 --Take out a plate; Step 2 – Go to the refrigerator; Step 3 – Take out turkey; so on and so forth until there is a sandwich sitting on a plate ready to eat. The amount of specificity required for each behavioral step is going to depend on the current skill level of the learner. Therefore, while the behavioral steps may be objective, the task analysis is going to be subjective and suited towards the particular learner.

     The typical applications of task analysis for teaching a skill are either through forward-, backward-, or total task-chaining.

     Backward chaining is where the learner goes through all of the steps to complete a task with appropriate prompting on each step until the last step, where they are then given the opportunity to complete the step independently. Once the final step is mastered, the instructor then fades out the prompt on the last two steps, then the last three, so on and so forth until all of the behaviors required to execute the target skill are mastered. So, for example, in making a turkey sandwich, the instructor would assist or prompt with all of the steps up to the last one, which may be cutting the sandwich in half before eating it.

     Forward chaining allows the learner to complete the initial step independently followed by appropriate prompts for the remaining steps. Once the learner has mastered the initial step, then they are given the opportunity to complete the first two steps, then the first three, so on and so forth until all of the behaviors required to execute the target skill are mastered. So, for example, in making a turkey sandwich, the instructor would allow the learner to take out the plate, and then would assist or prompt with the remaining steps.

     Total task chaining is where the learner is given the opportunity to complete each behavior relating to the target skill with independence at each step, with the instructor providing prompts as necessary throughout the execution of the skill. So, for example, in making a turkey sandwich, the instructor may allow the learner to perform all of the steps independently, and when they get stuck, go in and prompt the target behavior, and then allow them to continue independently.

     In summary, task analysis is a way of breaking down components of a skill into specific behaviors required to execute a skill or complete a task.

Sensitivity, Understanding, and Practice

     I worked in the schools for 3 years. This makes me no special education expert.

     I am not a parent. This means I am not a parenting expert. And as far as not being a parent, let's also note that I do not have a child with a developmental delay.

     I am currently a behavior therapist at a private, pediatric clinic. This does not mean I am a behavior expert.

    I know what I know. I take what I have learned and experienced, and think about it.

_________________________________________________________________

     The disparity between what we do in practice and want parents to translate into their daily dealings with their children is large.

     So, when a client of mine with autism becomes sick, and the reason is because they are on a gluten-free/dairy-free diet, and they tell me that their child "really wanted" the M & Ms and popcorn ball they trick or treated for, thus causing their illness, I am a tad bit torn.

     Firstly, because being able to tell with certain learners that they "really want" something sounds like farce. Secondly, because I can't imagine what it is like to be a parent of a child with barriers, desperately wanting some normalcy with their child -- some semblance of typical development paired with typical interactions. (It is actually interesting to think that a tantrum over candy brings more relief than their constant scripting and pica). And thirdly, because if the way you judge that your child "really wants" something is by the fact that they are tantruming (or other maladaptive methods), then you are invalidating their behavior therapy.

     Being able to relate is impossible. I don't want or care to try. But the professional and ethical side of this is something I am curious about.

     Is it more important to, at all times, be implementing the strands of therapies that we train parents to use outside the clinic than for the parent to, every now and then, build their children up in their minds that they are typical?

     This seems to be parent specific. At once, the parent always wants what's best for their child (their treatment) and to give themselves some mental respite by thinking that their child is defying a barrier; in this case, communicating something aside from their basic human needs. Let's now bear in mind that in regard to some learners, for a parent to feel that things beyond the basic human needs are being communicated to them is a drastic event.

     So, the point. Or, question, rather. Where is the line where we either A) let the parent have their moment, even if disillusioned and, B) telling the parent they are being unrealistic.


     To stray from my previous example, I had a student that would not comprehend addition without expensive, time consuming, and intensive interventions. They were highly maladaptive behaviorally. The parent wanted 90 minutes per day of at-table academics. This learner could not sit at a table for more than 3 minutes without becoming aggressive, tantruming, or eloping -- they were able to sit, let alone engage in academics, for less than 1% of their day.

     When do we say, this is unrealistic and possibly detrimental to your child, even though you think and want them to do it? It's a tough question with an answer that really cannot be standardized; however, we can operate with some basic rules of thumb.

1) If the professional consensus is that what is being done is detrimental to the child, then the parent needs to be educated;

2) If we professionally make our priority list of goals, and the parent wants a C-level goal to be enacted more frequently than an A-level goal, then the parent needs to be educated;

3) If the parent needs a little bit of faith in their child, then we should make concessions to try and accommodate that without disrupting their education or therapy;

4) As it is said in the medical profession, Primum non nocere -- "First. Do no harm." This counts for the learner as well as their parent.