ABA Tutor: Best route towards Qualification

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Good afternoon fellow Psychology forum users!

I'm a 2nd year Psychology student in one of the NUI's in Ireland and am extremely interested in possibly completing some ABA Tutoring on a part-time basis following completion of my degree (particularly over the Summer months after I have completed my degree).

I am just wondering what is the best route towards becoming suitably qualified to be able to tutor? Is there additional part-time courses I can complete in conjuction with my Undergraduate studies or is it necessary to complete Postgraduate training to be enabled to give any form of ABA tutoring? Or would simply an interest in this area, plus a B.A degree in Psychology and some relevant work experience suffice?

Any information would be greatly appreciated, I will be 21 years old completing my degree and I am a male (i'm sure this has no relevance but I said i'd include some additional information anyway)

chrisipoo8

When I finished my psychology degree I went straight on and became an ABA tutor. I had no previous experience working with ASD or ABA and was offered the role based on my psychology degree. Do you want to be a private home tutor or work within an organisation? You will need a teaching council number to be a private home tutor (If funded by dept of ed) and most organisations require a teaching council number too. Your psychology degree will suffice to be able to get a teaching council number once you have graduated. Its worth noting that a teaching council number given to those who do not have a recognized teaching qualification (Primary or Montessori) is only temporary (Approx 3 years). This can limit work opportunities as an ABA tutor if you dont have a teaching council number. However if you go on to do an ABA Msc this can open more opportunities for you depending on what route you are interested in going down.

Private mail me if you want more information and id be happy to help as best as I can.

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chrisipoo8 wrote: »

When I finished my psychology degree I went straight on and became an ABA tutor. I had no previous experience working with ASD or ABA and was offered the role based on my psychology degree. Do you want to be a private home tutor or work within an organisation? You will need a teaching council number to be a private home tutor (If funded by dept of ed) and most organisations require a teaching council number too. Your psychology degree will suffice to be able to get a teaching council number once you have graduated. Its worth noting that a teaching council number given to those who do not have a recognized teaching qualification (Primary or Montessori) is only temporary (Approx 3 years). This can limit work opportunities as an ABA tutor if you dont have a teaching council number. However if you go on to do an ABA Msc this can open more opportunities for you depending on what route you are interested in going down.

Private mail me if you want more information and id be happy to help as best as I can.

That's a great help thank you! I would probably be interested in doing private home tutoring on a part time basis so I would be able to continue my studies. Just as a matter of interest would there be much work available for a newly accredited ABA tutor? And also what is the rate of pay per tuition?

fiinch

i'm currently a 2nd year psyh student as well and i worked as an ABA tutor with absolutely no qualification before i started college, learn-as-you-go sort of thing. i worked 1 to 1 with a young boy with autism for a full school year. you can message me as well if you would like more info about where and what it was like

AnaMil

Hi

I have BA Hons in Psychology and I am looking towards career in ABA. Anyway, because I don't have any experience in ABA tutoring so far, I wonder what would be the smartest thing to do at the moment?

Any advice and/or your experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
A

amz5

I have just finished a degree in psychology & would feel completely unprepared for tutoring using ABA methods. Surely some training would be necessary?

AnaMil

Does anyone, among psychologist, have experience in getting Teaching Council number? I cant get anyone from teaching council to answer that question for me. I have been asked if I have teaching council number in order to start working as ABA tutor, so I guess it's possible to get it although I don't have teaching qualifications. Also, I have been told that graduate psychologist cant register...So what is true?

Please if anyone went through this, advice would be much appreciated.

amz5

Not sure if this is helpful, but some ABA tutors have teaching qualifications & maybe this position requires a teaching qualification? I know that the Dept of Ed want people who provide July Provision to have a teaching qualification. Not saying that's the best idea, but could that be the reason. I don't think people can get a Teaching Council Number without a teaching qualification, but I could be wrong.

amz5

Not sure if this is helpful, but some ABA tutors have teaching qualifications & maybe this position requires a teaching qualification? I know that the Dept of Ed want people who provide July Provision to have a teaching qualification. Not saying that's the best idea, but could that be the reason. I don't think people can get a Teaching Council Number without a teaching qualification, but I could be wrong.

AnaMil

Thanks amz5,

there is something that they are calling conditional membership (it lasts 3 years or so) that's what montessori teachers can get and I think ABA tutors...

It's all so confusing and so far no one from teaching council couldn't give me full answer...

amz5

Sorry, hope they get back to you. It can be very difficult to get answers from the Dept of Education & Teaching Council. Montessori teachers are qualified to teach in special schools and as Resource Teachers in mainstream schools so they can definitely get TC membership (didn't know it was limited to 3 years though...some Montessori teachers have permanent jobs). Best of luck!

trace51

The ABA Ireland Facebook page has a lot of people who have applied for a Teaching council number, you would get answers there about how to go about it. Amz5, training is definitely necessary, you should be looking for a programme that is supervised by a BCBA, they will provide training and supervise your work. I know some schools used to take volunteers so that might be a good place to start if you have no experience

trace51

This might be of interest:

http://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/page/get_involved/jobs/current_vacancies/trainee_aba_tutor.cfm