Below is a general skill sequence for improving your learner’s scanning ability.
Scanning is a fundamental skill to nearly every behavior we perform. Skills that serve as the basis for other skills are sometimes referred to as tool skills. As such, it’s important to ensure that our learner’s are incredibly fluent in tool skills before we introduce other more complex skill sequences. The article below provides a more readable synthesis of why scanning is important!
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)
Listener Responding, LR 3-M, Looks at, touches, or points to the correct family member, pet, or other reinforcer when presented in an array of 2, for 5 different reinforcers (e.g., Where’s Elmo? Where’s Mommy?)
Visual Perceptual/Match to Sample, VP-MTS 1-M, Visually tracks moving stimuli for 2 seconds, 5 times
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
Self Management, SM9, Remains calm when items are moved from a specific position
Clothing and Laundry, CL22, Match/connect socks
Basic Mobility, MB1, Watches where walking
DSM-V Diagnostic Criteria for Autism
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
9 months, Cognitive Milestones, Looks for objects when dropped out of sight (like his spoon or toy)
12 months, Cognitive Milestones, Looks for things he sees you hide, like a toy under a blanket
Treatment Plan Goal Ideas
Treatment plan goal ideas for this particular skill area are as follows:
Learner will reach to grab a preferred item where the item is placed directly in front of them on a table.
Learner will remove a hard surface covering (such as a box) or a soft surface covering (such as a towel) when they cover a preferred item the learner is highly motivated for and where the covering is placed somewhere in the natural environment for three different natural environments (toy box, toy room, etc.).
Learner will upend a cup to gain access to a highly preferred edible (or item) when the item is covered by the cup in an array of one and the cup is moved six to twelve inches, three times.
Learner will upend a cup to gain access to a highly preferred edible (or item) when the item is covered by the cup in an array of ten cups and the cup is moved six to twelve inches, three times.
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.
Want further info about what “component skills” are and how to find them? Click below.
Skill Possibilities
Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to scan . 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 Grabs item in front of them
How to Run
Gain the motivation and attention of the learner.
Place a preferred item/activity on a table in front of learner (can be standing).
Learner should reach for the preferred item/activity.
Score correctly if the learner reaches for the item/activity.
Additional Notes
Learner can be standing (but sitting is ideal if it is a possibility).
Materials
Preferred item
Research/Resources
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#2 Reaches across body to grab item
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Place a preferred item/activity on a table in front of learner (can be standing).
Learner should reach across body for the preferred item/activity.
Score correctly if the learner reaches for the item/activity.
Additional Notes
Learner can be standing (but sitting is ideal if it is a possibility).
Materials
Preferred item
Research/Resources
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#3 Stands up and reaches for something outside of reach
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Place a preferred item/activity on a table in front of learner (can be standing).
Learner should lean and reach for the preferred item/activity.
Score correctly if the learner reaches for the item/activity.
Additional Notes
Learner can be standing (but sitting is ideal if it is a possibility).
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#4 Removes towel to get to preferred item
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Place a preferred item/activity under a large towel or cloth and at varying positions in front of learner (can be standing).
Learner should remove towel and retrieve item/activity.
Score correctly if the learner removes towel and retrieves for the item/activity.
Additional Notes
Learner can be standing (but sitting is ideal if it is a possibility).
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#5 Removes box to get to preferred item
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Place a preferred item/activity under or behind a box or similar hard-covering surface.
Learner should remove the box and retrieve item/activity.
Score correctly if the learner removes box and retrieves for the item/activity.
Additional Notes
Learner can be standing (but sitting is ideal if it is a possibility).
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#6 Scans and finds toy in natural environment
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Place a preferred item or activity that the learner is motivated for somewhere in the natural environment where it isn't immediately seen.
Learner should scan ("look for" the item) and retrieve it.
Additional Notes
Learner can be standing (but sitting is ideal if it is a possibility).
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#7 Removes stationary cup to get edible/item
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that you have a preferred edible/small item that the learner is highly motivated for.
With their attention, put the preferred edible/small item under a cup in front of the learner and ask them "Where is it?"/"Find the___".
The learner should upend the cup to gain access to the preferred item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the motivator that you are using is one that the learner is highly motivated for.
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#8 Removes cup to get edible/item after 1 move
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that you have a preferred edible/small item that the learner is highly motivated for.
With their attention, put the preferred edible/small item under a cup in front of the learner and ask them.
Therapist should slide the cup 1-2 feet (so that it takes the small edible/item with it as it slides).
Therapist should then ask learner: "Where is it?"/"Find the___"
The learner should upend the cup to gain access to the preferred item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the motivator that you are using is one that the learner is highly motivated for.
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#9 Removes cup to get edible/item after 2 moves
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that you have a preferred edible/small item that the learner is highly motivated for.
With their attention, put the preferred edible/small item under a cup in front of the learner and ask them.
Therapist should slide the cup 1-2 feet (so that it takes the small edible/item with it as it slides) and then slide the cup another 12 inches or so.
Therapist should then ask learner: "Where is it?"/"Find the___"
The learner should upend the cup to gain access to the preferred item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the motivator that you are using is one that the learner is highly motivated for.
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#10 Removes cup to get edible/item after 3 moves
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that you have a preferred edible/small item that the learner is highly motivated for.
With their attention, put the preferred edible/small item under a cup in front of the learner.
Therapist should slide the cup 1-2 feet (so that it takes the small edible/item with it as it slides), slide the cup a second time for another 6-12 inches, and then a third time for same amount of distance.
Therapist should then ask learner: "Where is it?"/"Find the___"
The learner should upend the cup to gain access to the preferred item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the motivator that you are using is one that the learner is highly motivated for.
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#11 Removes cup to get edible/item in array of 2 after 3 moves
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that you have a preferred edible/small item that the learner is highly motivated for.
With their attention, put 2 cups in front of the learner and a preferred edible/small item under one of the cups.
Therapist should slide the cup with the edible/small item 1-2 feet (so that it takes the small edible/item with it as it slides), slide the same cup a second time for another 6-12 inches, and then a third time for same amount of distance.
Therapist should then ask learner: "Where is it?"/"Find the___"
The learner should upend the cup to gain access to the preferred item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the motivator that you are using is one that the learner is highly motivated for.
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#12 Removes cup to get edible/item in array of 3 after 3 moves
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that you have a preferred edible/small item that the learner is highly motivated for.
With their attention, put 3 cups in front of the learner and a preferred edible/small item under one of the cups.
Therapist should slide the cup with the edible/small item 1-2 feet (so that it takes the small edible/item with it as it slides), slide the same cup a second time for another 6-12 inches, and then a third time for same amount of distance.
Therapist should then ask learner: "Where is it?"/"Find the___"
The learner should upend the cup to gain access to the preferred item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the motivator that you are using is one that the learner is highly motivated for.
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Research/Resources
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#13 Removes cup to get edible/item in array of 5 after 3 moves
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that you have a preferred edible/small item that the learner is highly motivated for.
With their attention, put 5 cups in front of the learner and a preferred edible/small item under one of the cups.
Therapist should slide the cup with the edible/small item 1-2 feet (so that it takes the small edible/item with it as it slides), slide the same cup a second time for another 6-12 inches, and then a third time for same amount of distance.
Therapist should then ask learner: "Where is it?"/"Find the___"
The learner should upend the cup to gain access to the preferred item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the motivator that you are using is one that the learner is highly motivated for.
Materials
Preferred item(s) and/or edibles.
Research/Resources
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#14 Removes cup to get edible/item in array of 10 after 3 moves
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ensure that you have a preferred edible/small item that the learner is highly motivated for.
With their attention, put 10 cups in front of the learner and a preferred edible/small item under one of the cups.
Therapist should slide the cup with the edible/small item 1-2 feet (so that it takes the small edible/item with it as it slides), slide the same cup a second time for another 6-12 inches, and then a third time for same amount of distance.
Therapist should then ask learner: "Where is it?"/"Find the___"
The learner should upend the cup to gain access to the preferred item.
Additional Notes
Ensure that the motivator that you are using is one that the learner is highly motivated for.
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.
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.
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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
Intro to Manding
Intro to Scanning 
Following Gestures
Intro to Matching (Visual Perception) 
