Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners mand for preferred stimuli with structured echoic prompting.
In instances where learners do not have a manding repertoire but seem to be verbal or echoic prompting, echoic-to-mand transfer procedures can become enormously helpful. This particular skill area takes the therapist through the stepf for effectively prompting a learner to independence using echoic modeling. As the learner gains fluency here, the echoic model can be faded (for preferred stimuli that the learner knows how to say) and more traditional independent mand training can occur.
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 1-M, Emits 2 mands with echoic or imitative prompt (no physical prompts)
Mand, M 2-M, Emits 4 mands w/o prompts except item and/or “What do you want?
Spontaneous Vocal Behavior, SVB 4-M, Spontaneously emits 5 different whole word
approximations
Echoic, E 5-M, Scores at least 25 on the EESA subtest (at least 20 from group I)
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
Basic Communication, BC4, Spontaneous requests for items and activities
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
15 months, Language/Communication Milestones, Tries to say one or two words besides “mama” or “dada,” like “ba” for ball or “da” for dog
18 months, Language/Communication Milestones, Tries to say three or more words besides “mama” or “dada”
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 echo the name of five highly preferred stimuli in order to gain access to it.
Learner will vocalize the name of five highly preferred stimuli in order to gain access to it when asked what they want with only verbal prompts.
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 mand with the help of echoic prompting. 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.
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Echoes Name of Reinforcing Item
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated for a particular item.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that item.
Ask them what they want and immediately follow it up with and instruction to echo the name of the item.
Ex: “What do you want? Say ‘iPad!’”
Learner should echo the name of the item. “iPad!”
Allow the learner to immediately access the item contingent on their echoing the name of the item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated for the item.
Materials
Highly preferred item.
Research/Resources
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Echoes Name of Reinforcing Activity
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated for a particular activity.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that activity.
Ask them what they want to do and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the activity.
Ex: "What do you want to do? Say 'play outside!'"
Learner should echo the name of the activity. "Play outside!"
Allow the learner to immediately engage in the activity contingent on their echoing the name of the activity.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated for the activity.
Materials
Highly preferred activity.
Research/Resources
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Echoes Name of Reinforcing Edible
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated for a particular edible item.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that edible.
Ask them what they want and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the edible.
Ex: “What do you want? Say ‘cookie!’”
Learner should echo the name of the edible. “Cookie!”
Allow the learner to immediately access the edible contingent on their echoing the name of the edible.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated for the edible item.
Materials
Highly preferred edible item.
Research/Resources
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Echoes Name of Reinforcing Drink
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated for a particular drink.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that drink.
Ask them what they want and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the drink.
Ex: "What do you want? Say 'juice!'"
Learner should echo the name of the drink. "Juice!"
Allow the learner to immediately access the drink contingent on their echoing the name of the drink.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated for the drink.
Materials
Highly preferred drink.
Research/Resources
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Echoes Name of Reinforcing Person
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated to interact with a specific person.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that person.
Ask them who they want to interact with and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the person.
Ex: "Who do you want to interact with? Say 'mommy!'"
Learner should echo the name of the person. "Mommy!"
Allow the learner to immediately interact with the person contingent on their echoing the name of the person.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated to interact with the person.
Materials
Highly preferred person.
Research/Resources
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Echoes Name of Reinforcing Location
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated to go to a specific location.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that location.
Ask them where they want to go and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the location.
Ex: "Where do you want to go? Say 'park!'"
Learner should echo the name of the location. "Park!"
Allow the learner to immediately go to the location contingent on their echoing the name of the location.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated to go to the location.
Materials
Highly preferred location.
Research/Resources
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Echoes "No" to Escape Non-Preferred Situation
How to Run
Note when a learner wants to escape or avoid a non-preferred situation.
Position yourself as a gateway for them to escape the situation.
Ask them if they want to continue the non-preferred situation and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the word "no".
Ex: "Do you want to eat your broccoli? Say 'no'."
Learner should echo the word "no".
Allow the learner to immediately escape the non-preferred situation contingent on their echoing "no".
Additional Notes
Materials
Non-preferred situation.
Research/Resources
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Mands with Name of Reinforcing Item (after Transfer Trial)
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated for a particular item.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that item.
Ask them what they want and immediately follow it up with and instruction to echo the name of the item.
Ex: “What do you want? Say ‘iPad!’”
Learner should echo the name of the item. “iPad!”
Immediately follow their echo by asking them what they want. This time don’t give them the instruction to echo you.
Ex: “What do you want?”
Learner should name the item that they want. “iPad!”
Allow the learner to immediately access the item contingent on their naming the item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated for the item.
Run step four two or three times if necessary to help the learner understand the pattern.
Materials
Highly preferred item.
Research/Resources
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Requests with Name of Reinforcing Activity (after Transfer Trial)
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated for a particular activity.
Position yourself as a gateway for their engaging in that activity.
Ask them what they want to do and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the activity.
Ex: "What do you want to do? Say 'play outside!'"
Learner should echo the name of the activity. "Play outside!"
Immediately follow their echo by asking them what they want to do. This time don't give them the instruction to echo you.
Ex: "What do you want to do?"
Learner should name the activity that they want to do. "Play outside!"
Allow the learner to immediately engage in the activity contingent on their naming the activity.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated for the activity.
Run step four two or three times if necessary to help the learner understand the pattern.
Materials
Highly preferred activity.
Research/Resources
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Requests with Name of Reinforcing Edible (after Transfer Trial)
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated for a particular edible item.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that edible.
Ask them what they want and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the edible.
Ex: "What do you want? Say 'cookie!'"
Learner should echo the name of the edible. "Cookie!"
Immediately follow their echo by asking them what they want. This time don't give them the instruction to echo you.
Ex: "What do you want?"
Learner should name the edible item that they want. "Cookie!"
Allow the learner to immediately access the edible contingent on their naming the edible item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated for the edible item.
Run step four two or three times if necessary to help the learner understand the pattern.
Materials
Highly preferred edible item.
Research/Resources
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Requests with Name of Reinforcing Drink (after Transfer Trial)
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated for a particular drink.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that drink.
Ask them what they want and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the drink.
Ex: "What do you want? Say 'juice!'"
Learner should echo the name of the drink. "Juice!"
Immediately follow their echo by asking them what they want. This time don't give them the instruction to echo you.
Ex: "What do you want?"
Learner should name the drink that they want. "Juice!"
Allow the learner to immediately access the drink contingent on their naming the drink.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated for the drink.
Run step four two or three times if necessary to help the learner understand the pattern.
Materials
Highly preferred drink.
Research/Resources
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Requests with Name of Highly Preferred Person (after Transfer Trial)
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated to interact with a specific person.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that person.
Ask them who they want to interact with and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the person.
Ex: "Who do you want to interact with? Say 'mommy!'"
Learner should echo the name of the person. "Mommy!"
Immediately follow their echo by asking them what they want to do with the person. This time don't give them the instruction to echo you.
Ex: "What do you want to do with mommy?"
Learner should state what they want to do with the person. "Mommy!"
Allow the learner to immediately interact with the person contingent on their stating what they want to do with the person.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated to interact with the person.
Run step four two or three times if necessary to help the learner understand the pattern.
Materials
Highly preferred person.
Research/Resources
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Requests with Name of Highly Preferred Location (after Transfer Trial)
How to Run
Note when a learner is highly motivated to go to a specific location.
Position yourself as a gateway for their accessing that location.
Ask them where they want to go and immediately follow it up with an instruction to echo the name of the location.
Ex: "Where do you want to go? Say 'park!'"
Learner should echo the name of the location. "Park!"
Immediately follow their echo by asking them where they want to go. This time don't give them the instruction to echo you.
Ex: "Where do you want to go?"
Learner should state the location that they want to go to. "Park!"
Allow the learner to immediately go to the location contingent on their stating the location they want to go to.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the learner is highly motivated to go to the location.
Run step four two or three times if necessary to help the learner understand the pattern.
Materials
Highly preferred location.
Research/Resources
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Requests "No" to Escape Non-Preferred Situation (after Transfer Trial)
How to Run
Note when a learner wants to escape or avoid a non-preferred situation.
Position yourself as a gateway for them to escape the situation.
Ask them if they want to continue the non-preferred situation and immediately follow it up with an instruction to say "no".
Ex: "Do you want to eat your broccoli? Say 'no'."
Learner should say "no".
Immediately follow their echo by asking them if they want to continue the non-preferred situation (again). This time don't give them the instruction to echo you.
Ex: "Do you want to eat your broccoli?"
Learner should state their desire for escape. "No!"
Allow the learner to immediately escape the non-preferred situation contingent on them saying "no".
Additional Notes
Materials
Non-preferred situation.
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.
Follow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
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Research and Resources
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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!
Intro to Manding
Manding for Attention
Manding for Actions 
Manding for Locations
Intro to Echoics
1 Syllable Echoics
2-Syllable Echoics
2-3 Word Mands