The History of Verbal Behavior

The Verbal Behavior (VB) methodology addresses the language deficits of learners while utilizing the science of Applied Behavior Analysis.  VB programs draw from B.F. Skinner's book titled Verbal Behavior written in 1957. In this work he explains that language itself is a behavior: which is therefore able to be shaped by the principles of Operant Conditioning.  B.F. Skinner analyzed the functional units of language which are also referred to as the verbal operants.  There are nine of these verbal operants or units of language.  The general public rejected Skinner's work at that time while it was written in the "pure" science of behavior analysis.  An applied application of Skinner's work was published in 1998 and this time the general public accepted it and found it to be user friendly as we call it in the 20th century.  In 1998, James Partington Ph.D., BCBA and Mark Sundberg Ph.D., BCBA published the first edition of the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS).   It was though this publication that Skinner's work on Verbal Behavior was able to be appreciated and understood by the general public.  In May 2006, James Partington revised the ABLLS-R.  Then in 2008, Mark Sundberg published the VB-MAPP which further advanced the technologies available for Verbal Behavior programs.  Love 2 Learn Consulting uses both the VB-MAPP and the ABLLS-R.

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