Be Wise When Teaching Size: Musings on Teaching Learners "Big" and "Little"
One of the tougher teaching areas that you might find yourself tackling has to do with comparative or relative concepts like hot and cold, big and little, long and short, cold and warm, etc.
I’ll get into why these concepts are harder in a minute. Today, however, we’ll concentrate on some ideas related to teaching size—specifically “Big” and “Little”.
Where do you start?
As you may already know, when teaching a concept, it’s essential to start by breaking it down to its most fundamental form. Our goal is to ensure the learner is paying attention to the specific attribute we are targeting. For example, if we want to teach the difference between big and little, we need to make size the most salient feature that catches their attention.
Salient. Remember that word? When something stands out to the observer, it is salient. If we want to teach the concept of “big” for example, we may present a picture of a “big” object. We want that object’s “bigness” to be the most salient, prominent, and noticeable thing in that picture.
Additionally, we don't want the learner to be distracted by the color, shape, or class of the objects we are using…because we’re teaching size here.
To illustrate, let’s consider teaching the difference between a bear and an elephant. Key features like tusks, trunks, and big ears make elephants easily distinguishable, while fur, sharp teeth, and claws define a bear. These distinct features are more naturally salient and help the learner correctly identify the animals. But, in the grand scheme of things, teaching the difference between an elephant and a bear is much easier. Why? Because there are so many salient features that differentiate the two animals.
On the other hand, teaching size is trickier because it lacks multiple unique features. In fact, there aren’t many clues as to whether something is big or small…unless…you put it next to something smaller or bigger.
One effective strategy for teaching big and little is to create a simple, contrasting array of identical objects. For instance, using a dry erase board, you can draw ten small squares and one large square. Ask the learner to identify the big square. This straightforward approach, devoid of colors or distractions, makes the size difference clear.
Similarly, you can use index cards with pictures of simple, identical forms (shapes, stick figures, emoticons) in an array with the only differing feature being their size. This method ensures that size becomes the controlling, salient stimulus, making it easier for the learner to grasp the concept.
While it’s hard to resist the urge, it's crucial to avoid overcomplicating things with colorful cartoon characters or creative designs. At least at the start! While these can be engaging, they often introduce unnecessary complexity with new concepts. Don’t print off a bunch of big pictures of Paw Patrol characters. Start with basic forms. Meet your kiddo right where they are at.
Additionally, ensure that the contrast is very different. Meaning, the big square should be unmistakably huge compared to the small squares. Likewise, the small square should be tiny compared to the big ones. As the learner gets the hang of things, you can introduce more reasonably sized stimuli that challenges them to scan and look a little bit closer for that big or little square. For example, your largest square in the array might not be as huge and your smallest square might not be as tiny.
And—before you get started—it's also important to ensure the learner has a solid foundation in tacting and/or receptive identification of the forms that you’re using before introducing concepts like big and little. For our purposes, we would want our learner fluent in identifying what a square is. Starting with too many novel stimuli might make things confusing. For example, if they aren’t fluent in identifying what a square is, then they may begin to label all squares as simply “big” or “little” and not "square”.
In summary, simplicity is key when teaching these comparative concepts like big and little. Use basic, uniform shapes and focus on making the size difference the most salient feature. In the beginning, avoid overcomplicating the teaching environment with creative but distracting elements.
I hope this guide helps you in your teaching endeavors. Feel free to share your thoughts, experiences, and questions. Let’s continue to learn and grow together as BCBAs. Don’t forget to check out BxMastery.com for more skill targets and teaching sequences. Thanks for reading, and happy Friday!
Martin Myers is a BCBA with a passion for helping improve the field of ABA. He is the creator of BxMastery, with over 4,000 goal ideas, sequenced, to inspire your programming. With 10+ years of experience in the field, he’s dedicated to empowering others and fostering positive change through effective leadership and communication. Connect with Martin on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more insights and updates.