NET is not confined to specific rote programs sitting at a table; the entire session becomes an opportunity to learn. Children are more likely to remain engaged because the session is based on preferred play activities. The more engaged, the more likelihood that positive interaction between the trainer and child will occur. The session may look like play, but many trials occur and are recorded for analysis. Further, because teaching starts off in the natural environment, those skills are already generalized. The child will not need to first learn the skill in a structured environment, only to have to learn it again in the natural environment.
Goals for NET are based results of standardized assessment deficits, our curriculum, clinical input as well as parent request. We prefer to use NET when a child has already acquired basic learning skills such as sitting and attending and basic compliance. When basic learning skills haven’t been acquired or the child has difficulties learning in a natural environment due to distractions, we may use a more structured approach, such as Discrete Trial Training (DTT).
