A key element of most ABA programs is taking objective and precise data to identify needs and to measure progress as each drill and lesson is repeated. This data is used to judge mastery of the lessons, to document progress over time, and to modify the teaching plans when a particular lesson or drill is not effective for teaching the child. These desirable behaviors are then used to replace the undesirable behaviors. One sign of a good program is that a strong bond develops between the child and the people who teach him. Many children ask to do more ABA therapy because they enjoy the positive reinforcement.
ABA normally teaches acceptable behavior, academic skills, self-help skills and more.
In most cases, when undesirable behaviors are not reinforced and rewarded, the child loses interest in perpetuating them. For more difficult behaviors, the child is redirected from the problem behavior to an alternative that is socially acceptable. While the initial teaching is often repetitive and involves a large amount of structure and imitation, significant efforts go into teaching the child how to learn and into making sure that the lessons are fun for the child. If the program is done well, children often enjoy the lessons enough to request them. Also, as the child advances, the highly structured program becomes more flexible.