A BCBA’s Perspective on Bilingual Learning

Why a Board Certified Behavior Analyst Recommends the Ahvian The Creative™ Bilingual Learning Series

Parents, educators, and therapists are always searching for meaningful ways to help children communicate, express emotions, and build confidence.

To better understand how educational resources can support these goals, we spoke with Karelia Carralero Corella, M.Sc., BCBA, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with more than 30 years of experience working with children, families, educators, and multidisciplinary teams.

In this interview, Karelia shares how she incorporates the Ahvian The Creative™ Bilingual Learning Series into evidence-based practices to strengthen communication, social-emotional learning, and family engagement.

Q: As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, what first caught your attention about the Ahvian The Creative™ Bilingual Learning Series?

Karelia:

“What immediately stood out to me was that these materials were created with children’s real developmental needs in mind. As a BCBA, I constantly look for resources that are visual, engaging, motivating, and adaptable to different learning styles. I found that the Ahvian The Creative™ materials naturally support communication while encouraging meaningful interaction between children, families, educators, and therapists.”

Q: How do you incorporate the Ahvian The Creative™ resources into your work?

Karelia:

“I use the bilingual books, emotion resources, finger puppets, visual supports, and interactive activities to promote communication, emotional recognition, social interaction, and learning through play.

Many of these materials fit naturally into social skills instruction, functional communication training, emotional regulation activities, and natural environment teaching.

I also encourage families to use the same resources at home because consistency across environments helps children generalize the skills they are learning.”

Q: Why is play so important during ABA intervention?

Karelia:

“Children learn best when they are engaged. Play creates natural opportunities to practice communication, solve problems, interact with others, and develop emotional awareness without feeling like they are simply completing tasks.

When learning is enjoyable, children become more motivated to participate, and that leads to more meaningful progress.”

Q: How does the bilingual aspect benefit children and families?

Karelia:

“Many families want to preserve their home language while supporting their child’s communication development.

Having bilingual resources allows parents to continue teaching, playing, and connecting with their children in the language that is most meaningful to their family.

This strengthens communication while honoring each family’s culture and identity.”

Q: Which Ahvian The Creative™ resource do you recommend most?

Karelia:

“The Emotions Collection. Many children, particularly those with communication challenges, experience emotions they cannot easily express.

The emotion cards, cushions, finger puppets, and interactive activities provide multiple ways for children to recognize, identify, and communicate their feelings.

These resources reduce frustration while creating opportunities for communication, emotional regulation, and stronger social connections.”

Q: What benefits have you observed when using these materials?

Karelia:

“I’ve seen increased motivation, stronger participation, improved communication, and more meaningful interactions.

The resources support vocabulary development, emotional identification, conversation skills, and family involvement while creating enjoyable learning experiences that children look forward to.”

Q: Why is it important for therapists, educators, and families to use the same resources?

Karelia:

“When everyone uses similar visual supports, language, and learning materials, children receive consistent opportunities to practice their skills.

That consistency increases confidence, improves generalization, and helps children apply what they’ve learned across therapy sessions, classrooms, and everyday family life.”

Q: What message would you like to leave for families?

Karelia:

“Never underestimate your child’s potential. Progress is built one small step at a time. Every new word, every shared smile, every successful interaction, and every emotion expressed is a meaningful achievement.

With patience, evidence-based support, collaboration, and the right educational tools, children can develop the confidence, communication, and life skills they need to thrive.”

Learn More About Karelia

Karelia Carralero Corella, M.Sc., BCBA, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, educator, researcher, and author with more than 30 years of experience supporting children with autism, their families, and educators. Her work focuses on communication, social-emotional development, family coaching, and evidence-based practices that help children reach their fullest potential.

She is also the author of Más Allá del Silencio en el Autismo, a book that offers practical guidance, hope, and evidence-based strategies for families and professionals supporting children with autism.

Find Karelia on Facebook and Instagram for valuable resources and engaging lessons!