Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners mand for what they want while specifying additional conditions.
Taking manding beyond mere people, places, and things allows learners to specify the conditions in which they'd like activities to occur. This approach may be terrific for promoting language development. By enabling learners to highlight their preferences more specifically, it could pave the way for more meaningful conversations. However, it's important to note that fluency in manding for escape, as well as for people, places, and things, is likely a necessary foundation.
How this skill area relates to your assessments!
This skill area aligns with various assessments and their respective domains, with milestone and domain codes provided for reference. Additionally, DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Autism are included to help clinicians identify how this skill area potentially supports medical necessity in relation to the diagnosis.
VB-MAPP (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program)
Mand, M 7-M, Mands for 5 actions
Mand, M 9-M, Spontaneously emits 15 different mands in 30 minutes (at least 2 MOs involved)
Mand, M 10-M, Emits 10 new mands without specific training (can be for items trained as tacts or LD but not as mands)
Mand, M 12-M, Politely mands for removal of aversive/stop an activity for 5 different circumstances
Social Behavior and Social Play, S 7-M, Spontaneously mands to peers 5 times (e.g., My
turn, Push me, Look! Come On.).
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
Basic Communication, BC4, Spontaneous requests for items and activities
Basic Communication, BC5, Requests missing items needed for a task
DSM-V Diagnostic Criteria for Autism
A1, Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
CDC’s Developmental Milestones
30 months, Language/Communication Milestones, Says two or more words together, with one action word, like “Doggie run”
4 years, Social/Emotional Milestones, Asks to go play with children if none are around, like
“Can I play with Alex?”
Treatment Plan Goal Ideas
This is a list of treatment plan goals. These are different from the goals you will find in the skill sequence below. Your treatment plan goals encompass any number of goals from the skill sequence. Sometime they will include multiple goals from the sequence (”Learner will label 5 toys”) and sometimes the treatment plan goal will be simply consist of a really important goal from the skill sequence (”Will label caregiver”). An analogy I like to use goes as follows: Each skill sequence goal (commonly known as a “target”) represent each stair in a flight of stairs. The treatment plan goal is the flight itself.
Treatment plan goal ideas for this particular skill area are as follows:
Learner will mand for a preferred item or activity and the preferred location, people, and/or additional necessary items across one preferred item or activity.
Learner will mand for a preferred item or activity and the preferred location, people, and/or additional necessary items across ten preferred items or activities.
Learner will mand for a preferred item or activity and the preferred location, people, and/or additional necessary items across 25 preferred items or activities.
Component Skills
Your learner may need to be fluent in these component skills first before introducing this goal/skill area. Component skills for this skill sequence may include skill areas that are fundamental to other areas. Fluency in the skill areas listed below may increase the likelihood that your learner will succeed in this skill sequence and those afterward.
Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to engage in compound mands. Note that every learner is different and that you likely will need to tweak and vary some programming to their needs. Click the triangle icon to view the full description for each skill in the sequence/area.
‣
Mands for “(item/action) and (item/action)”
How to Run
Gain access to several preferred items that you know the learner is motivated for.
Learner should mand for these items using “and” or similar. Ex: “Can I have iPad AND Goldfish?” OR “I want paper AND pencils?” OR “Can I want cars AND trains?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
Materials
Research/Resources
‣
Mands to “play (X) alone/by myself”
How to Run
Gain access or note items/activities that the learner is motivated for.
Learner should mand for preferred item/activity and include that they want to engage in the activity by themselves (or with others if motivated to do so—reinforce this if you can). Ex: “Can I play iPad alone?” OR “I want to read book by myself?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
You may need to repeatedly (but gently and respectfully) remove the preferred item/activity during engagement to contrive mands and increase trials.
You may need to strategically prompts both parts of the compound mand. For example, you verbally prompt the learner to mand for the book (“Read a book…”) and then prompt them to highlight that they want to do it by themselves (”Read a book alone.”)
Remaining “overly involved” in the experience may increase the learner’s motivation to ask for escape and use the compound mand. For example, you give them the book when they mand for it, but you keep your hands on it while they read it until they mand that they want to do it by themselves (Ex: “Read the book….alone.”). At that point you would remove your hands and allow access to the book (and escape from you).
Materials
Research/Resources
‣
Mands to “play (X) in/at (location)”
How to Run
Gain access to (or note) preferred items/activities that you know the learner is motivated for.
Ensure that these activities are in an alternate location that you and the learner can easily access (playroom, kitchen, bedroom, outside, etc.)
Learner should mand for these items/activities and include the location with the mand. Ex: “Can I have iPad in playroom?” OR “I want book in my bedroom?” OR “Can I play cars outside?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
You may need to repeatedly (but gently and respectfully) remove the preferred item/activity during engagement to contrive mands and increase trials.
You may need to strategically prompts both parts of the compound mand. For example, you verbally prompt the learner to mand for the book “Read a book…” and then prompt them to name where they’d like to read the book “…in my bedroom.”
Withhold transitioning to the location may increase the learner’s ability to use the compound mand. For example, we leave the trucks in the sandbox, the learner mands for the trucks (Ex: “Can I have trucks?”), we say “Sure!” but we don’t transition to the sand box until the learner mands with the location (Ex: “Can I have trucks IN THE SANDBOX?”)
Materials
Research/Resources
‣
Mands to “go to kitchen and get (edible/drinkable)”
How to Run
Gain access to (or note) preferred edible/drinkable items that you know the learner is motivated for.
Ensure that these edibles/drinkables are in the kitchen.
Learner should mand for these edibles/drinkables and include the location with the mand. Ex: “Go to kitchen and get Goldfish?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
You may need to repeatedly (but gently and respectfully) remove the preferred item/activity during engagement to contrive mands and increase trials.
You may need to strategically prompts both parts of the compound mand. For example, you verbally prompt the learner to mand for the location: “Go to kitchen…”. Then, prompt them to name what they want to do: “…get Goldfish.”
Withhold allowing access to the item once the learner reaches the location may increase the learner’s motivation to use the compound mand. For example, we may stop at the doorway leading to the kitchen so the learner mands with the complete mand again. “Into kitchen, get milk.”
Materials
Research/Resources
‣
Mands to “go to (location) and play/get/find (item/activity)”
How to Run
Gain access to (or note) preferred items/activities that you know the learner is motivated for.
Ensure that these activities are in an alternate location that you and the learner can easily access (playroom, kitchen, bedroom, outside, etc.)
Learner should mand for these items/activities and include the location with the mand…starting with the location Ex: “Go to playroom and get iPad?” OR “Go to bedroom and read book?” OR “Go sandbox and play trucks?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
You may need to repeatedly (but gently and respectfully) remove the preferred item/activity during engagement to contrive mands and increase trials.
You may need to strategically prompts both parts of the compound mand. For example, you verbally prompt the learner to mand for the location: “Go to bedroom…”. Then, prompt them to name what they want to do: “…and read book.”
Withhold allowing access to the item once the learner reaches the location may increase the learner’s motivation to use the compound mand. For example, we leave the trucks in the sandbox, the learner mands for the sandbox (Ex: “Go to sandbox?”), we say “Sure!” we transition to the sand box, but wait until the learner mands for the item activity (Ex: “Go to sandbox, play trucks?”).
Materials
Research/Resources
‣
Mands to “go to refrigerator and get (edible/drinkable)”
How to Run
Gain access to (or note) preferred edible/drinkable items that you know the learner is motivated for.
Ensure that these edibles/drinkables are in the refridgerator.
Learner should mand for these edibles/drinkables and include the location with the mand. Ex: “Go to fridge and get chocolate milk?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
You may need to repeatedly (but gently and respectfully) remove the preferred item/activity during engagement to contrive mands and increase trials.
You may need to strategically prompts both parts of the compound mand. For example, you verbally prompt the learner to mand for the location: “Go to fridge…”. Then, prompt them to name what they want to do: “…drink milk.”
Withhold allowing access to the item once the learner reaches the location may increase the learner’s motivation to use the compound mand. For example, we may leave the milk in the fridge with the door closed so the learner mands to open it and mands for the item as well. “Open fridge, get milk.”
Materials
Research/Resources
‣
Mands to “go to microwave and cook (edible/drinkable)”
How to Run
Gain access to (or note) preferred edible/drinkable items that you know the learner is motivated for.
Ensure that these edibles/drinkables are in microwave (or at least need a microwave to eat).
Learner should mand for these edibles/drinkables and include the location with the mand. Ex: “Go to microwave and cook pizza rolls?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
You may need to repeatedly (but gently and respectfully) remove the preferred item/activity during engagement to contrive mands and increase trials.
You may need to strategically prompts both parts of the compound mand. For example, you verbally prompt the learner to mand for the location: “Go to microwave…”. Then, prompt them to name what they want to do: “…cook oatmeal.”
Withhold the full transition once the learner reaches the location may increase the learner’s motivation to use the compound mand. For example, we may stop a few feet away from the microwave and wait for the full mand. “Go to microwave, cook oatmeal.”
Materials
Research/Resources
‣
Mands to “play (X) with (person)”
How to Run
Gain access to several preferred items that you know the learner is motivated for.
Also ensure that a highly motivating individual is also available to engage with these items with the learner as well.
Learner should mand for preferred item and include the person they want to do it with. Ex: “Can I do tickles with Ashley?” OR “I want book with Mom?” OR “Can I play cars with Braden?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
You may need to repeatedly (but gently and respectfully) remove the preferred item/activity during engagement to contrive mands and increase trials.
You may need to strategically prompts both parts of the compound mand. For example, you verbally prompt the learner to mand for the book “Read a book…” and then prompt them to name with whom they’d like to read the book “…with Sylvia.”
Withhold the “person” have of the experience may increase the learners ability to use the compound mand. For example, Ashley tickles the learner, the learner mands for tickles again. Ashley gets ready to tickle the learner, but holds off until learner says “…with Ashley”.
Materials
Research/Resources
‣
Mands to “go to/find (person) and play/get/ask for (item/activity)”
How to Run
Gain access to (or note) preferred items/activities that you know the learner is motivated for.
Put these items/activities in the possession of another person so that only they can allow access to them. (The learner should be aware of this)
Ensure that this person is in a location separate from where you and the learner are.
Learner should mand for these items/activities and include the person with whom the items/activities are with Ex: “Go to Kara and get iPad?” OR “Find Ashley and read book?” OR “Go to Martin and ask for painting?”
Model the mand first and gradually fade the model as the learner gains fluency for this skill.
Immediately grant access to these items once the compound mand is exhibited.
Additional Notes
You may need to repeatedly (but gently and respectfully) remove the preferred item/activity during engagement to contrive mands and increase trials.
You may need to strategically prompts both parts of the compound mand. For example, you verbally prompt the learner to mand for the person: “Find Kara…”. Then, prompt them to name what they want to do: “…and play iPad.”
To increase motivation to mand for the person, you may need to withhold transitioning for the item/activity until they’ve highlighted who they need to go see. For example, the learner mands for the sandbox (Ex: “Go to sandbox?”), we say “Sure!” but we wait until the learner mands for the person. (Ex: “Go to Martin ask for sandbox?”).
Materials
Research/Resources
Concurrent Skills
Working on these skills at the same time could help with goal mastery. Maybe your learner has mastered these skills already. Perhaps they are already listed as component skills above. That’s okay! Targeting other learning channels might help your learner.
These are the possible next steps for learners who have mastered, or are mastering, the skills listed above. Note that new skill areas may require fluency in other component skills not listed above. Also, you can introduce composite skill sequences prematurely to keep your learner progressing, as generativity may occur earlier than expected.
Manding with Prepositions (Coming Soon!)
Follow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
‣
Research and Resources
‣
Disclaimer
Consistent with ethical obligations outlined by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB), users acknowledge that goal selection/direction is the responsibility of the BCBA. Users understand that goals should be tailored to the learner while ultimately involving the input of clients/stakeholders. Users understand their ethical obligations to the client/stakeholder concerning the selection, implementation, design, and minimization of risk regarding behavior change interventions as outlined in BACB Code. As such, this skill sequence serves as a general framework for generating ideas around this particular skill area and not as an assessment or curriculum.
Problem? Question? Suggestion? We want to hear from you!
Email us at bxmastery@flatrockadvice.com
We’ll try to get back with you as soon as we can!
Intro to Manding
Manding for Actions 
Manding for Attention
Mands for Escape
Manding for Locations
Mands for Missing Items
2-3 Word Mands 
4-5 Word Mands 
Labels Alone/with Others
Labels Familiar Locations 
Manding with “What”