Teaching Behavior Analysis to Pre-service Teachers in their Nonnative Language: Does Method Matter?

Expanding the field of behavior analysis allows empirically validated practices to be more accessible for children impacted by autism, developmental disabilities, and behavioral challenges. However, even with the global advancement of applied behavior analysis (ABA) getting the science into the area where children spend most of their time, schools, can be a challenge. Professional development for teachers in the area of ABA has been previously investigated. However, incorporating ABA coursework into pre-service teacher training does not have a strong research base. Looking specifically at teaching ABA coursework in English to a group of speakers of English as a second language is even more novel. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to use an alternating treatments design in an undergraduate pre-service teacher ABA elective course to evaluate the effectiveness and social validity of information delivery in two different formats: in-person lecture and online recorded lecture. The findings of the study did not show a difference in student course performance based on delivery method, but did show variations in preferences. Overall, the blended model of instruction proved effective in disseminating ABA to pre-service teachers in their nonnative language with promising reports for future usage.