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/Filling In Common Phrases
Filling In Common Phrases
Filling In Common Phrases
Filling In Common Phrases

Filling In Common Phrases

Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners fill in common phrases.

Targeting the ability to fill in common phrases is an enriching and crucial advancement in a learner's development. This skill transcends mere repetition; it serves as a stepping stone towards more intricate language abilities such as answering WH questions, engaging in basic conversations, and recognizing intraverbal patterns.

To equip a learner with the proficiency to fill in common phrases, a strong foundation in several interconnected abilities likely will need to be established. Recognizing simple visual patterns lays the groundwork for understanding the structure and sequence of phrases. Mastery in echoics may provide a bridge.. The experience of filling in familiar children's songs reinforces contextual comprehension and the application of learned patterns. Engaging in basic imitation tasks could further bolster the ability to replicate and internalize spoken phrases.

The alignment of these foundational skills forms a well-rounded approach to prepare the learner for the rewarding task of filling in common phrases. This process not only establishes a pivotal linguistic competency but also opens exciting doors to broader communication skills. The success in this area serves as a catalyst for more complex language development, fostering the capacity for meaningful interactions and paving the way for higher-order thinking and communication. It marks a significant milestone in the learner's journey towards academic growth and social engagement, laying the groundwork for a rich and fulfilling educational experience.

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)

  • Echoic, E 1-M, Scores at least 2 on the EESA subtest
  • Intraverbal, IV 7-M, Provides first name when asked, What is your name?
  • Intraverbal, IV 8-M, Completes 25 different fill-inblank phrases (not including songs) (e.g., You eat…You sleep in a …Shoes and…)

AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)

  • Community Knowledge, CK11, States name
  • Phone, PH3, Returns greetings over phone
  • Social Awareness & Manners, SA1, Returns appropriate greetings
  • Interview, IN14, Answers interview questions
  • Restaurant Skill, RS31, Responds to customers' requests

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

  • 18 months, Language/Communication Milestones, Tries to say three or more words besides “mama” or “dada”
  • 3 years, Language/Communication Milestones, Says first name, when asked

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:

  • When the therapist gives/says first words of a familiar phrase, Learner will fill in the remaining word for one familiar phrase.
  • When the therapist gives/says first words of a familiar phrase, Learner will fill in the remaining word for five familiar phrases.
  • When the therapist gives/says first words of a familiar phrase, Learner will fill in the remaining word for ten familiar phrases.

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.

Intro to Reinforcer/Preference ExpansionIntro to Reinforcer/Preference ExpansionImitates Actions with Preferred ItemsImitates Actions with Preferred ItemsImitates Actions During Familiar RoutinesImitates Actions During Familiar RoutinesImitates Gross Motor ActionsImitates Gross Motor ActionsImitates Fine Motor ActionsImitates Fine Motor ActionsIntro to EchoicsIntro to Echoics

Intro to Simple Patterns (Coming Soon!)

Filling In Common SongsFilling In Common Songs

Skill Possibilities

Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to fill in common phrases. 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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#1 Fills in “Go” for “Ready, set, ____” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Say “Ready, set, ____”
  3. Prompt an echoic for “Go” : "Say ‘Go’".
  4. Learner should say echo the word.
  5. Say “Ready, set, ____” again.
  6. Learner should say “Go”
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#2 Fills in “Go” for “Ready, set, ____”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Say “Ready, set, ____”
  3. Learner should say “Go”
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#3 Fills in “Three” for “One, two, ____” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Say “One, two, ____”
  3. Prompt an echoic for “three” : "Say ‘three’".
  4. Learner should say echo the word.
  5. Say “One, two, ____” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with “three”.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#4 Fills in “Three” for “One, two, ____”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Say “One, two, ____”
  3. Learner should fill in with “three”.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#5 Fills in “C” for “A, B, ____” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “A, B, ____”
  3. Therapist immediately prompt an echoic for “C” as the fill in : "Say ‘C’".
  4. Learner should say/echo “C”.
  5. Therapist says “A, B, ____” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with “C”.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#6 Fills in “C” for “A, B, ____”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “A, B, ____”
  3. Learner should fill in with “C”.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#7 Fills in “Light” for “Red light, Green ____” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “Red light, Green____”
  3. Therapist immediately prompt an echoic for “light” as the fill in : "Say ‘light’".
  4. Learner should echo “light”.
  5. Therapist says “Red light, green ____” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with “light”.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

‣
#8 Fills in “Light” for “Red light, Green ____”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “Red light, Green____”
  3. Learner should fill in with “light”.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#9 Fills in “Oh” for “Hi Ho, Cheery- ____” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “Hi Ho, Cheery-____”
  3. Therapist immediately prompt an echoic for “oh” as the fill in : "Say ‘oh’".
  4. Learner should echo “oh”.
  5. Therapist says “Hi Ho, Cheery ____” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with “oh”.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#10 Fills in “Oh” for “Hi Ho, Cheery- ____”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “Hi Ho, Cheery-____”
  3. Learner should fill in with “oh”.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#11 Fills in “Seek” for “Hide and ____” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “Hide and ____”
  3. Therapist immediately prompt an echoic for “seek” as the fill in : "Say ‘seek’".
  4. Learner should echo “seek”.
  5. Therapist says “Hide and ____” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with “seek”.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

‣
#12 Fills in “Seek” for “Hide and ____”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “Hide and ____”
  3. Learner should fill in with “seek”.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

‣
#13 Fills in “much” for “Thank you very ____” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “Thank you very ____”
  3. Therapist immediately prompt an echoic for “much” as the fill in : "Say ‘much’".
  4. Learner should echo “much”.
  5. Therapist says “Thank you very ___” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with “much”.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

‣
#14 Fills in “much” for “Thank you very ____”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “Thank you very ____”
  3. Learner should fill in with “much”.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#15 Fills in “you” for “How are ____?” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “How are ____?”
  3. Therapist immediately prompt an echoic for “you” as the fill in : "Say ‘you’".
  4. Learner should echo “you”.
  5. Therapist says “How are ____?” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with “you”.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

‣
#16 Fills in “you” for “How are ____?”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says “How are ____?”
  3. Learner should fill in with “you”.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#17 Fills in name of common object “This is a ____!” (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist holds up a common item (ex: ball) and says “This is a ____.”
  3. Therapist immediately prompt an echoic of their name as the fill in : "Say ‘ball’".
  4. Learner should echo the name of the item.
  5. Therapist should hold it up and say “This is a ____” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with the name of the object.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

‣
#18 Fills in name of common object “This is a ____!”

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist holds up a common item (ex: ball) and says “This is a ____.”
  3. Learner should fill in with the name of the object.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#19 Fills in Last Name when given first and middle name (with model)

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says child’s first and middle name “(First) (Middle) ____”
  3. Therapist immediately prompt an echoic for their last name as the fill in : "Say (Last Name)".
  4. Learner should echo their last name.
  5. Therapist says “(First) (Middle) ____” again.
  6. Learner should fill in with their last name.
  7. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

Materials

Research/Resources

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#20 Fills in Last Name when given first and middle name

How to Run

  1. Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
  2. Therapist says child’s first and middle name “(First) (Middle) ____”
  3. Learner should fill in with their last name.
  4. Therapist should reinforce accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Make sure to say the phrase frequently throughout the session with the learner so that they gain familiarity!

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.

1 Syllable Echoics1 Syllable Echoics2-Syllable Echoics2-Syllable Echoics

Intro to Simple Patterns (Coming Soon!)

Filling In Common SongsFilling In Common SongsGreetings (Verbal)Greetings (Verbal)Providing Personal Information w/ Safety Badge Providing Personal Information w/ Safety Badge Filling In “Itsy Bitsy Spider”Filling In “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

Composite Skills

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.

Greetings (Verbal)Greetings (Verbal)Filling In Personal InformationFilling In Personal InformationFilling in Familiar People Filling in Familiar People

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.

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