FREE Study Calendar
FREE BCBA®/BCaBA® Study Calendar:
We hope to provide some relief by offering free resources during this pandemic for those studying for BCBA®/BCaBA®. Stay inside and healthy everyone.
Check back for more resources soon.
Katherine
Finding Quality Supervision for BCBA BCBA
How to Find the Supervisor that is Right for You:
Finding a supervisor that is the right fit for you can be challenging. You may have questions such as, “How will supervision be structured? Does my job offer supervision? How long will it take? Will this supervision prepare me for the test and the ABA world?”
There are a few questions to ask yourself when searching for the right supervisor.
Does my current job offer supervision?
- If you are working in an ABA clinic, your job might include supervision as a part of your benefits. If they do, make sure you ask the right questions about supervision to ensure you are getting quality supervision.
- If you are working for the school system, you may not have access to a supervisor. In this case, you may need to search for a local or remote supervisor.
Remote or in person-supervision?
- Remote supervision is a convenient way to obtain supervision hours while working in your current job.
- Remote supervision includes videos, weekly video calls, and sharing documents.
- In-person supervision can be great if you can find a local supervision near you. Here is where to search for local supervision: BACB Supervision Search
- Check out this link if you are interested in remote supervision to see if I have openings and to see if we are a good match: Remote Supervision
How will supervision be structured?
- The supervision structure is determined by your supervisor. Ultimately, they can choose how to set up meetings and work through concepts. I recommend establishing goals each month to stay on track and ensure you are getting the most out of your supervision.
- Here is a sample of goals you and your supervisor could write together:
| Month | Topic | Goal | Met | Theory | Practice |
| 1 | ABA overview; 7 dimensions; 6 attitudes of science; ABC data
Assignments: ABC data collection, pairing protocol, preference assessment
|
The Student will understand the foundational knowledge of ABA to begin to apply these concepts to the clinic/school setting. | |||
| 2 | Functions of behavior: Assignments: FBA, ABC data continued, QAFB, measurement, data recording, what problem behaviors to consider?
|
The student will identify the functions of behavior based on ABC data collection and determine which plans would be appropriate to track in a behavior intervention plan.
|
Now, let’s talk about quality supervision
Here are a few things that define quality supervision:
- Quality supervision should incorporate applied experiences, task list examples, and ethical considerations that prepare you to pass the test and prepare for the field.
- This supervision should include goals, expectations, and clear guidelines
- You should have the opportunity to practice behavior analytic procedures
- Your supervisor should provide you with unrestricted tasks that fill your unrestricted hour requirement. These include podcasts, assignments, research articles, etc.
- I highly recommend study prep included in your supervision so you don’t have to cram!
- Here are some topics that are not limited to but should absolutely be included in supervision:
- BIP writing
- VBMAPP assessment
- Graphing
- Writing evaluations
- FBA practice (ABC data collection, QAFB, FAST etc.)
- Parent training information
- Writing reauthorization reports
- Protocols (potty training, token economy system etc)
- Intake process
- Ethics
- Test prep!!!
I wrote this blog to help others find the applied experience they need in order to be successful BCBA/BCaBA’s in the future and pass the test in order to get there! I wish someone would have guided me through the process. Email me with questions!
Katherine Kellogg, M.Ed., BCBA
Katherine@ReadySetABA.com
Dive Into ABA Terminology With These Free Downloadable Flashcards
While studying for the BCBA exam, I found it extremely helpful to write my own flashcards. I thought to myself, “if only I had pre-made cards that had the term I needed to know, I could still get the practice of reading and writing my own definitions.” So, here you go! I want to go over how to get the most out of these flashcards by considering fluency and terminology grouping.
Fluency
As you know, the BCBA exam is timed, so the faster you are able to identify the ABA terminology, the more likely you are to get the question correct. Moving quickly through the flashcards, and increasing your response time will increase your pace. After you write all of the terms and feel confident in their definitions, you should mix them up. Running through the cards mixed will give you a shorter latency, and build fluency!
Terminology Grouping
One benefit to these flashcards is that all of the terms are categorized by related concepts, specifically by Cooper chapters. Studying the terms grouped by chapter will allow your brain to make the connection between concepts. Also, writing down the definitions in this order (rather than alphabetical) will keep you organized as you continue on your studying journey.
I found it extremely helpful to conceptually group the terms I was studying. After you finish writing all of the cards, then you can mix them up for a bigger challenge. Remember, the test is not categorized by terminology or chapter. The test will randomize all concepts, so to get the most out of these flashcards make sure you mix up all concepts so your brain gets used to switching around!
Study Tip
One study tip I like to share: Instead of focusing on how the terms are different from one another, try to discover their relationship. I realized ABA terms are all related in a giant web. Yes, some terms are different from one another, but conceptually they have more relations. Once I realized this the second time studying, concepts began to stick and I was able to apply the terms fluently.
How to use
- Print out the flashcards.
- Use a paper cutter (or scissors) to cut the flashcards. Keep them grouped by page! I recommend cutting them out as you go to help stay organized.
- Start at the beginning, which will start you on Cooper chapter 1.
- After you complete the flashcards, run through them in order several times.
- Once you feel comfortable with all of the concepts, mix and shuffle them to build fluency.
- Carry the flashcards with you and run through the flashcards any chance you get!
I hope you find this free tool useful in your studies! I recommend pairing these flashcards with Cooper readings when finding the definitions. I also recommend utilizing these flashcards with our course and 30 or 60-day study plan. In this study plan, you are given the Cooper page numbers that are associated with each task list and a clear study guide to follow.
All of the terms you need to study for the exam are downloadable here.
Reach out if you have any questions!
-Katherine
Supervision Hours: Whats the Difference Between Unrestricted & Restricted Activities
What’s the difference between unrestricted and restricted experience hours for BCBA and BCaBA supervision?
Before beginning supervision, it is important to understand the nature of supervision including the difference between unrestricted, and restricted experience hours. It can be tricky to understand until you relate it to your applied setting. This post will give you an overview of experience hours and provide examples of unrestricted and restricted activities. I wish I had this type of breakdown when I began! I hope this helps.
What are unrestricted activities?
Unrestricted activities are those that resemble what a BCBA does on a day to day basis. These unrestricted activities include a variety of tasks such as observation and data collection, training staff and caregivers on behavior-analytic programs or content, conducting assessments such as the VB-MAPP, FA, preference assessments, meeting with clients and families about behavior-analytic progress, graphing, and researching the literature relevant to a current client’s programming. See the BACB 2022 Eligibility Requirements for the most current guidelines.
You cannot count school assignments, conferences, university courses, meetings, or any other workshops unrelated to ABA.
What are restricted activities?
Restricted hours are the delivery of direct therapy and instruction procedures with clients. Basically, anytime you are with your client directly and are not participating in unrestricted activities like analyzing data or researching literature.
How much of each do I need?
If you are applying to test under the 4th edition task list (Before December 31st, 2021), at least 50% of total supervision experience hours must be unrestricted activities. If you are applying for the exam under the 5th edition task list (After January 1st, 2022) you must acquire at least 60% unrestricted hours of your total supervision. There is no limit to unrestricted activities, technically, you could have all more if you wanted to but typically students find it easier to work in an ABA agency to balance both restricted and unrestricted. There are no minimum restricted hours, however, no more than 50% (4th) and 40% (5th) can be restricted or direct therapy hours.
Click here for our quick guide to supervision.
What are the acceptable activities for experience standards?
Unrestricted activities:
For the 4th edition exam, at least 50% of total experience hours must be composed of the following unrestricted activities. For the 5th edition exam, at least 60% of your hours must be unrestricted. There is no limit to unrestricted activities.
- Conducting assessments related to ABA (preference, FA)
- Design, implement, systematically monitor skill-acquisition and behavior reduction programs
- Writing behavior treatment plans, progress summaries, clinical notes, transition summaries
- Oversee the implementation of behavior-analytic programs by others
- Training others
- Communicating with caregivers and other professionals
- Attending planning meetings, researching literature that is relevant to current client’s programs
Restricted activities:
No more than 50% (4th) 40% (5th) of total experience hours can be restricted
- Direct therapy/working directly with clients
How does this apply to my current setting?
School:
In the school setting, there are many opportunities to gain unrestricted hours under the direction of your BCBA supervisor. Here are a few ideas for gaining unrestricted hours in the classroom setting:
- Observation and data collection on problem behavior
- Composing a behavior intervention plan with ABA principles for a specific student
- Conduct a preference assessment for a student and take data, graph and analyze
- Graph behavior data and analyze
- Research literature for problem behaviors you are seeing from students in your classroom
- Train paraprofessionals on ABA strategies, treatment plans, and oversee these programs being implemented
- Write transition summaries related to ABA
- Meet with parents and train on specific ABA topics
Home:
If you work in an in-home setting as an ABA therapist, here is a list of unrestricted activities that you could participate in to gain the indirect hours all under the direction of your BCBA supervisor.
- Train parents and caregivers on specific ABA intervention
- Conduct FBA or parent and caregiver interviews to evaluate the function
- Observe the caregiver implementing a strategy and record data, graph and analyze
- Write clinical notes, treatment plans, or progress summaries
- Research literature related to home-based services specific to your client’s behaviors
- Graph behavior data, and analyze trends
- Compose and/or edit behavior intervention plans with your BCBA
Clinic:
There are numerous ways to gain unrestricted hours if you work in a clinic setting. From my experience, the clinical setting provided me with the most options for unrestricted activities. Here is a list of unrestricted activities to do in the clinical setting:
- Create task analyses, preference assessments, behavior tracking sheets, or other data collection sheets for acquisition targets
- Conduct a preference assessment
- Assist in the implementation of the VB-MAPP
- Conduct an FBA with caregivers, other therapists, and analyze the hypothesized function
- Train new hires on ABA principles
- Research literature related to specific clients
- Meet with parents, caregivers, and teachers and train on behavior-analytic programs
- Assist with progress reports, reauthorization reports, and treatment plans
- Observe other staff members implementing specific ABA interventions and provide feedback
How do I track supervision?
The BACB provides an excel experience tracking form that you will utilize to help track unrestricted/restricted activities. I would also recommend watching the 30-minute video on how to track supervision before beginning.
Here is another resource from the board answering frequently asked questions on the monthly tracking system.
Feel free to reach out with any questions!
katherine@readysetaba.com
-Katherine
Let’s Learn Together!
Fill out the form below to get more details about getting supervision or tutoring with ReadySetABA.
The 3 Types of Supervision: What Type is Right For You?
Deciding which type of supervision can be puzzling, until you learn what the difference between the three is. I decided to give a short description of each type of supervision, as well as the pros and cons so you can do your own evaluation by the end of this blog post. Hope this helps you narrow down the type of supervision that is right for you!
What are the types of supervision?
There are three options of supervision for pursuing your BCBA or BCaBA:
- Supervised Independent Fieldwork
- Practicum
- Intensive Practicum.
1. What is Supervised Independent Fieldwork?
Supervised Independent fieldwork is the most common supervision that requires 1500 experience hours required to qualify for applying for the BCBA exam, and 1000 hours to qualify for the BCaBA exam. This type of supervision is done with an experience setting and is the most common. One benefit to supervised independent fieldwork is you often can find a work placement that offers supervision, so you can get paid for restricted hours. The only downside to this type of supervision is it takes the longest. Sometimes, taking longer can work out better if it corresponds with your school program. You can also take this time to study for the exam!
What are some experience settings?
Well, if you have a BCBA available in your area, you may be looking at a clinic or home setting for ABA. If you are a behavioral aid in the school system, you may have a BCBA in your district that is willing to meet with you for supervision. All of these experience settings would allow you to successfully complete your supervision, with an available BCBA who is willing to supervise you.
If you are working in a school district, or at a clinic that has limited supervisor availability, it might be beneficial to contract a BCBA in your area, look at remote supervision, or look at practicum options.
2. What is Practicum?
The second type of fieldwork is Practicum which requires 1000 experience hours and requires more supervision (7.5% of all hours supervised instead of 5%) along with more contacts. Practicum is always through an accredited university approved by the BACB. Practicum has benefits, as it allows you to move quickly through supervision, although it requires a more intensive approach. Depending on availability, it can be difficult to find practicum placements. Benefits to practicum include being able to finish your hours sooner, and guaranteed hours.
I had experience teaching practicum and found the supervision to be very effective. All of the supervisee’s hours were remote. Our practicum was structured to include an hour of group sessions per week, which was a great way to collaborate on task list concepts and experience setting scenarios.
3. What is Intensive Practicum?
Lastly, the third option is intensive practicum which is similar to regular practicum but requires 8 contacts per supervisory period, 750 hours, and 10% of all hours must be supervised. This is the most intensive and is offered through universities approved by the BACB. Though a benefit can be finishing hours sooner, the intensive practicum may be difficult to juggle if you are also working on your coursework simultaneously.
What is available?
Depending on what is available to you in your current area, depends on the type of supervision to select. If you do not have a supervisor in your area and are looking for remote supervision, we provide online supervision.
Our online supervision encompasses an individualized track that will give you the opportunity to develop the skills required to become a BCBA/BCaBA. This includes detailed concept reviews, practice with designing and implementing behavior analysis programs for clients, in-depth discussion about current ethical considerations. Including test preparation in our supervision sets us apart from others. If you are looking for in-person supervision, you can search qualified supervisors on the BACB website.
Conclusion
Overall, I successfully completed my supervised independent fieldwork and felt that the 1500 hours gave me the time I needed to fully complete my Master’s program, along with gain the clinical experience needed. Taking the full two years to finish my independent fieldwork also gave me plenty of time to study and prepare for the exam. It worked for me!
Feel free to comment below your input, and email me with questions!
Katherine@readysetaba.com
Quick Start Guide to BCBA/BCaBA Supervision
What’s the point of supervision?
Whether you are just investigating this whole ABA track, or just beginning your supervision journey, this information will help you understand the nature of supervision. Before I started supervision, I was overwhelmed by the number of options and didn’t know where to start. I created this quick start guide to help pave the way for an easy understanding of the purpose of supervision for BCBA/BCaBA certification.
The purpose of BCBA/BCaBA supervision is to gain personalized experience with a BCBA and apply behavior-analytic concepts include in the BACB task list, and other applied behavior analysis principles in order to prepare to enter the workforce as a BCBA.
How much supervision do I need according to the BACB?
For the 4th Edition task list, individualized supervision for BCBA requires 1500 total experience hours, 5% of which are supervised by a BCBA. This equates to approximately 75 hours by the end of your supervision. If you are planning to apply for the exam under the 4th edition, you need to submit your application prior to December 31st, 2021.
For the 5th edition task list, the BACB is updating the requirements for supervision starting in 2022 requiring 2000 hours of supervision with 5% of those being supervised. There is also a concentrated fieldwork option that requires candidates to obtain 10% supervised hours. Click here for more information.
Individualized supervision for BCaBA requires 1000 total hours, 5% are supervised which equates to approximately 50 hours of supervision.
For the 5th edition task list, the BACB is updating the requirements for BCaBA supervision starting in 2022 requiring 1300 hours of supervision for BCaBA’s with 5% of those being supervised. Click here for more information.
How long does BCBA/BCaBA supervision take in total?
Supervision for your BCBA takes on average 1.5 – 2 years if you stay on track, a little less for your BCaBA. Students seeking certification can accrue up to 130 experience hours each month, and 6.5 hours of supervision, or time with a supervisor (5%).
When can I start accruing hours?
According to the BACB, you can start supervision as soon as you start your ABA coursework through your accredited program and sign a contract with your supervisor.
What are acceptable activities for supervision according to the BACB experience standards?
Unrestricted:
At least 50% of total experience hours must be composed of the following unrestricted activities. There is no limit to unrestricted activities.
- Conducting assessments related to ABA (preference, FA)
- Design, implement, systematically monitor skill-acquisition and behavior reduction programs
- Writing behavior treatment plans, progress summaries, clinical notes, transition summaries
- Oversee the implementation of behavior-analytic programs by others
- Training others on task list items and ABA principles
- Communicating with caregivers and other professionals
- Attending planning meetings, researching literature that is relevant to current client’s programs
Restricted:
No more than 50% of total experience hours can be restricted.
- Direct therapy/working directly with clients
What does meeting with my BCBA look like?
Supervision meetings can be in person, or remote. Online supervision can be live video or recorded videos combined with live video meetings.
These meetings will consist of a combination of observation review, and behavior analytic discussion of problem behaviors, skill acquisition related to specific clients, task analysis review, literature and research review, as well as and current ABA interventions specific to clients.
Your BCBA supervisor will:
- Monitor skills of the supervisee
- Give feedback on performance
- Observe supervisee performance with clients
- Problem solve, guide development of behavioral case conceptualization
- Review supervisee written materials (data sheets, BIP, reports)
- Oversee behavior-analytic service delivery
- Review task list items
- Evaluate the effects of supervision throughout
Now that you have a basic understanding of what supervision is like, you can search for a local supervisor in your area by looking at the board website. You can also ask your current job if there is a BCBA on staff willing to supervise you. If you do not work in a setting where ABA is an option, look into remote supervision.
As always, reach out via email if you have any questions!
katherine@readysetaba.com
cammie@readysetaba.com
-Katherine & Cammie
Preparing for the Next BCBA/BCaBA Cycle: Solidify a Study Plan
February is right around the corner- don’t wait to set up your BCBA/BCaBA study plan!
The biggest challenge for me while studying was navigating all of the information that was thrown my way. I was left with many materials and no structure. For example, you have Cooper, flashcards, the task list, practice tests, and other notes, but where do you start? All of the information can be a bit overwhelming.
Just like working out, set yourself goals for each day in small steps. Just like you set up goals for your clients, you want to make sure we are writing the appropriate, attainable goals for yourself. Of course, you should still add in a little reinforcement for the full effect.
Solidifying a study plan is key to a successful studying adventure. Don’t just start reading Cooper, because you may read too much for the day, or not enough. If you break down the material in smaller units and set yourself reading goals, this will help you review and feel like you have studying under control.
Here are 3 tips when creating a study plan:
1. Allow yourself “catch up” days.
Writing in catch up days will set yourself up for success and prevent you from getting behind. It also may just give you the break you need if you are caught up.
2. Do not cram the week before the test.
Do leave yourself 1 full week before your test to create your whiteboard, and review key concepts. I would recommend even 2 full weeks. If you start studying soon enough (at least 90-60 days before the test) you will retain the information. I have heard some people worry about losing the information they have learned. This is not the case if you start early enough. You will maintain the content if you pace yourself!
3. Group concepts together.
Group concepts together that are related. Check out our study plan included in our full course that breaks down exactly which tasks to study, which slides to review, and correspond with exact Cooper readings.
We took care of the hard part for you and put together a study calendar along with our 90 Complete ABA Prep course. You can check the course out here.
After you establish a study plan, set up reinforcement after each week. This will keep you encouraged and keep your momentum flowing.
Feel free to contact me for any further study tips!
You can read me at katherine@readysetaba.com
Failing the Test: 4 Playlists to Drown Your Sorrows
Well, here we are. You know why we are here. You failed. Maybe for the first time, struck down in the prime of your optimism. Or maybe you have been here before and you know these walls all too well. Go ahead, let’s cry it out.
Here are some playlists so you can drive around the city by yourself and ugly cry at stop lights. That cute dog in the car next to you is does nothing to cure the emptiness inside.
Not a car crier? Then pop one of these bad boys on and cry it out in the shower. Or lay on the bedroom floor and cry even harder when you realize how bad you need to vacuum.
Here are some playlists that can meet you where you are so you can wallow in self-pity.
1. Life Sucks:
2. Sad Indie:
3. Sad Vibe:
4. Down in the Dumps:
Get it all out, take the whole day if you need to. Then tomorrow is a new day. Wake up, brush your self off and get back at it. You’ve got this.
Another Test Cycle Has Come & Gone
Today, some of you got your results… Whether they are what you wanted, or not, remember we are all in this together. We all want to make a positive influence on individuals lives using ABA. Luckily, most of you can continue to do that either way!
If you didn’t pass, keep practicing. This test is known for being a beast. It may have been 50 points, it may have been 5, either way you know what to study from here. Study like a first time test taker, and take this failed attempt as fuel for the next time. You WILL pass.
If you did pass, congratulations. You are on the other side. You will never have to test again! Now that you are a BCBA, you get to learn the clinical challenges and responsibilities associated with your certificate. Be proud, and support your fellow ABA buds!
Either way, you deserve to relax, unwind and treat yo’ self.
August is Right Around the Corner
August is right around the corner, time to start making those study plans!
How are you preparing to study for the August BCBA/BCaBA tests? Are you navigating the overload of info related to the task list? Our comprehensive study plan combines easy to navigate slides with visual charts, examples, practice questions, and Cooper readings throughout.
If you like individualized instruction, this course is perfect for you. I am available by email so I am always glad to answer any study questions you have along the way. Additionally, if you sign up for the Complete Plus course, you get an hour of individualized tutoring. That tutoring hour is a great time to dive into your most challenging topics. I will create an individualized study session including practice questions and examples.
If you’re like me, you like the concepts broken down. We all know Cooper can be a little dry to read through. That is why I find the slides extremely helpful to break down the concepts in a way that makes sense. I am also a visual learner, so the pictures and visual charts are a useful way to filter out the noise.