What is Natural Environment Training (NET)?

Natural Environment Training (NET) is a component of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) that prioritizes teaching skills in natural settings through playful and meaningful interactions. Unlike more structured methods like Discrete Trial Training (DTT), which often take place in a controlled environment, NET integrates learning into the child’s everyday activities and surroundings. This approach leverages naturally occurring situations to teach and reinforce skills, making the learning process feel seamless and enjoyable for the child. The focus is on using intrinsically motivating items and activities to encourage participation and engagement, ensuring that reinforcement is directly related to the task at hand.

Let's look at an example:

Setting: Park

Activity: The therapist and the child are spending time at the park, where various play structures and natural elements provide opportunities for learning and interaction.

Scenario:

1. Identifying Colors:

   • The child is playing on different pieces of playground equipment.
   • The therapist asks the child to identify the colors of the equipment, "Can you find something that is red?"
   • The child points to the red slide and says, "Red."
   • Reinforcement: The therapist praises the child and lets them go down the slide as a reward.

2. Requesting to Swing:

   • The child looks at the swing set and shows interest.
   • The child says, "Swing."
   • Reinforcement: The therapist immediately takes the child to the swing and starts pushing them, providing praise and encouragement.

Common types of NET:

 

• Incidental Teaching: This method involves creating or capitalizing on naturally occurring opportunities to teach specific skills. When a child shows interest in something, the therapist uses that moment to prompt and reinforce the desired behavior or language.

• Pivotal Response Training (PRT): 

  This method targets four key areas of a child's development, known as "pivotal" areas. These pivotal areas in PRT are:

  • Motivation
  • Child self-initiation
  • Self-management
  • Responsiveness to multiple cues.

 

Benefits of NET:

Child-Led Activities: NET sessions are driven by the child's daily routines, skills, and interests. The child selects and leads the activities while the therapist guides the play. 

Intrinsic Motivation: Children are naturally motivated in therapy because they are doing activities they already enjoy. This naturalistic method is more engaging and less monotonous than repetitive techniques like DTT.  Participating in chosen activities reduces disruptive behaviors such as irritability or aggression. Children are intrinsically motivated to engage in activities they find enjoyable, leading to fewer behavioral issues.

Generalization of Skills: NET encourages learning in real-life environments where skills will be used. This approach helps children apply new skills in various situations, increasing the likelihood they will continue to use these skills outside of structured settings.

Broader Therapy Exposure: NET can be conducted by any family member, including parents, grandparents, caregivers, siblings, and teachers. This allows for continuous learning throughout the day, promoting skill generalization and reinforcing learning beyond formal therapy sessions.

Tips for Effective Natural Environment Teaching (NET)

1. Leverage the Child's Interests

   • Observation and Engagement: Spend time observing the child's natural preferences and interests. Engage with them in activities they find enjoyable. This creates a foundation for identifying opportunities to teach new skills in a way that feels natural and engaging for the child.
   • Interest-Based Learning: Use the child's favorite toys, games, or activities to introduce new concepts. For instance, if a child loves playing with cars, incorporate counting, colors, or turn-taking into car play.

2. Incorporate Functional and Natural Reinforcers

   • Real-Life Consequences: Use reinforcers that naturally occur in the environment. For example, if a child asks for a snack and receives it, the snack serves as a natural reinforcer for the request. This approach helps the child understand the direct connection between their behavior and the outcome.
   • Immediate and Relevant Rewards: Ensure that the reinforcers are immediate and directly related to the child's actions. This increases the likelihood of the behavior being repeated. If a child correctly labels an item during play, provide immediate access to that item as a reward.