Many children of all ages enjoy watching videos of themselves and other people. Just as many people learn to cook by watching a television show, or learn to assemble a piece of furniture by watching a YouTube clip, some students find it a good way to learn to observe people performing different skills, this relates to the modeling video.

Video modeling is a visual teaching method that takes place by watching a video of someone modeling a specific behavior or skill and then the observer imitates the observed behavior/skill.

It is a simple and effective teaching tool that motivates children to learn through a fun and engaging visual medium. «Children with ASD learn best through visual means» , it is a highly effective means of teaching, especially to children with autism. ( Mesibov and Shea, 2008; Simpson et al., 2008; Mesibov, Shea and Schopler, 2004; Quill, 1997; Hodgdon, 1995)

"In a meta-analysis of 23 studies published between 1987 and 2005, Bellini and Akullian (2007) concluded that" video modeling is an effective intervention strategy to address skills important for self-determination in students with ASD, including behavioral functioning . , social and social . It directly influenced communication skills and functional skills . As would be expected according to Bandura's modeling theory, the students obtained better results, being very motivated and attentive because they enjoyed watching the videos » (Bellini, S. and Akullian, J. Exceptional Children, 73, 261-284, 2007)

"Given the opportunity to observe videos of social interactions in the context ofplay , these children engaged in reciprocal play interactions with developing peers " ( MacDonald, R., Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 2009 Spring; 42 (1): 43 -55)

Video modeling is applied as a learning tool directly associated with mirror neurons , that ability to reproduce what other people do, say and feel. Directly linked to empathy , communicative intention and socialization . This projection is associated with the process directly responsible for learning: Imitation . Without imitation, this ability to repeat does not occur and it diagnoses the lack of attention and the inability to learn autonomously and in a meaningful way for a full, rich and, above all, social life.

Albert Bandura developed social learning theory which recognized that people can learn new information and behaviors by observing other people. This is known as observational learning or modeling. In his famous Bobo doll experiment , Bandura demonstrated that children learn and imitate behaviors they have observed in other people. He identified models of learning through observation, including a symbolic model, involving real or fictional characters displaying behaviors in books, movies, television shows, or online media ( Bandura, A. (1965) Influence of learning contingencies. reinforcement of models in the acquisition of imitative responses, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1, 589-595) Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory_ New York: General Learning Press.

In VICON Method we have two types of videos that fulfill very specific functions.

1. El Cantajuego: a video that is made up of the songs of the method, guided by skills and gradually introducing the future concepts that will be learned in the other type of videos. It may seem like a simple stimulation but it is not at all simple, it is what allows the non-verbal child or child with great language difficulties to understand and delve deeper into non-musical videos . Its function is the door to language, the introduction of concepts, the enhancement of imitation and, all of this, from a playful, rich prism and from a modality that allows us to reach the language area through another cerebral pathway, from another hemisphere, from Music . Musical stimulation involves practically all the areas necessary for learning.
2. The Method videos: the other typology are the videos that represent each of the previously stimulated songs. In them, after “their song”, the concept, its articulation, some examples and a discreet essay that graphically shows the functionality of that concept to achieve maximum exploration in the minimum time are represented.

Video modeling also has the ability to recreate realistic environments and bring situations to the child that make them better understand and orient themselves in the task, reflection, understanding and planning in action. The video format allows us to have intensive language training , which is the only way to learn a language. Many will have heard of the concept "linguistic immersion" , a child needs to learn a language (in our case a language) to be exposed to said language with attention and motivation 20 hours a week. The current therapeutic world cannot support, due to the great family expense, this intensive stimulation, so generating a method in video format is the only way to be able to offer the child truly effective stimulation, and from home at an affordable price for Every family.

Cristina Oroz Bajo