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)
Motor Imitation, MI 5-M, Imitates 20 motor movements of any type (e.g., fine motor, gross motor, imitation with objects)
Motor Imitation, MI 6-M, Imitates 10 actions that require selecting a specific object from an array (e.g., selects a drumstick from an array also containing a horn and a bell, and imitates an adult’s drumming
Independent Play, IP 2-M, Shows variation in play by independently interacting with 5
different items (e.g., plays with rings, then a ball, then a block) (timed observation 30 minutes)
A2, Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
CDC’s Developmental Milestones
18 months, Cognitive Milestones, Copies you doing chores, like sweeping with a broom
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 imitate an action with a familiar toy or object where the toy/object typically performs only one action (i.e. ring on a ring-stacker).
Learner will imitate 5 different actions with 5 familiar toys or objects where the toy/object typically paired with only one action (i.e. ring on a ring-stacker).
Learner will imitate 10 different actions with 10 familiar toys or objects where the toy/object typically paired with only one action (i.e. ring on a ring-stacker).
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 imitate with uni-functional toys . 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 Imitates stacking ring on ring-stacker (Ao1)
How to Run
Present a ring and a ring-stacker in an array of 1 (no other toys or stimuli present).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Put a ring on a ring-stacker and instruct the learner to perform the task. “Do this!”
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Present a pop-up toy in an array of 3 toys (the other toys being a ring-stacker and a shape-sorter).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Engage in a pop-up action with the pop-up toy (Cranking a Jack-in-the-box, pushing a button, etc.) and instruct the learner to perform the task. “Do this!”
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Present a fidget spinner in an array of 4 (with the other stimuli being a ring-stacker, shape-sorter, and pop-up toy).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Perform the spinning action with the fidget spinner while instructing the learner to perform the task. “Do this!” Immediately put the item back in the array.
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
#5 Imitates placing large inset puzzle piece (Ao5)
How to Run
Present an inset puzzle with large puzzle pieces in an array of 5 (with the other stimuli being a ring-stacker, shape-sorter, fidget spinner, and pop-up toy).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Put a large puzzle piece into an open spot in the inset puzzle while instructing the learner to perform the task. “Do this!” Immediately put the item back in the array.
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Present an open book to the learner in an array of 6 (other stimuli can be ring-stacker, shape-sorter, pop-up toy, fidget spinner, and inset puzzle).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Perform the action of closing the book while instructing the learner to perform the task. “Do this!” Immediately put the item back in the array (but open it back up).
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Present two blocks to the learner in an array of 7 (other stimuli can be ring-stacker, shape-sorter, pop-up toy, fidget spinner, a book, and an inset puzzle).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Perform the action of stacking one block on the other while instructing the learner to perform the task. “Do this!” Immediately put the item back in the array (but put the blocks next to each-other).
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Present a rattle or maraca to the learner in an array of 8 (other stimuli can be blocks, ring-stacker, shape-sorter, pop-up toy, fidget spinner, a book, and an inset puzzle).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Perform the action of shaking the rattle/maraca while instructing the learner to perform the task. “Do this!” Immediately put the item back in the array.
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Present toy binoculars, a kaleidoscope, or a magnifying glass in an array of 9 (other stimuli can be rattle, blocks, ring-stacker, shape-sorter, pop-up toy, fidget spinner, a book, and an inset puzzle).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Perform the action of looking into the binoculars (or similar) while instructing the learner to perform the task. “Do this!” Immediately put the item back in the array.
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Present a toy cup in an array of 10 toys (other stimuli can be binoculars, rattle, blocks, ring-stacker, shape-sorter, pop-up toy, fidget spinner, a book, and an inset puzzle).
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Perform the action of sipping out of the cup (pretend) while instructing the learner to perform the task. “Do this!” Immediately put the item back in the array.
Learner should perform the action without prompting.
Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
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.
Elizabeth R. Lorah, Shawn P. Gilroy, Philip N. Hineline,
Acquisition of peer manding and listener responding in young children with autism,
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Volume 8, Issue 2, 2014, Pages 61-67,
ISSN 1750-9467,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2013.10.009.
Ingersoll, Brooke PhD. The Social Role of Imitation in Autism: Implications for the Treatment of Imitation Deficits. Infants & Young Children 21(2):p 107-119, April 2008. | DOI: 10.1097/01.IYC.0000314482.24087.14
Kaitlin G. Causin, Kristin M. Albert, Vincent J. Carbone, Emily J. Sweeney-Kerwin,
The role of joint control in teaching listener responding to children with autism and other developmental disabilities, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Volume 7, Issue 9, 2013, Pages 997-1011, ISSN 1750-9467,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2013.04.011.
Rogers, S. J., Cook, I., & Meryl, A. (2005). Imitation and Play in Autism. In F. R. Volkmar, R. Paul, A. Klin, & D. Cohen (Eds.), Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders: Diagnosis, development, neurobiology, and behavior
 (pp. 382–405). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Stone, W.L., Ousley, O.Y. & Littleford, C.D. Motor Imitation in Young Children with Autism: What's the Object?. J Abnorm Child Psychol 25, 475–485 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022685731726
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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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Intro to Reinforcer/Preference Expansion
Imitates Actions with Preferred Items
Imitates Actions During Familiar Routines
Performs Actions with Uni-Functional Toys (LR)
Imitation with Multi-Functional Toys
Imitates Gross Motor Actions
