Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners sort common stimuli.

As learners get the hang of matching multiple stimuli, it may be time to consider teaching them basic sorting behaviors. This can come in incredibly handy on a functional level and may increase a general conceptualization for classes and categories down the road. This skill area seeks to teach the basics of sorting multiple matching stimuli to set the tone for sorting non-identical stimuli.

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)

Visual Perception/Match to Sample, VP-MTS 7-M, Sorts similar colors and shapes for 10 different colors or shapes given models (e.g., given red, blue, and green bowls and a pile of red, blue, and green bears the child sorts the items by color)
Visual Perception/Match to Sample, VP-MTS 14-M, Sorts 5 items from 5 different categories without a model (e.g., star, triangle, heart, star, triangle….)

AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)

Money, MO1, Sorts money
Restaurant Skills, RS10, Sorts silverware
Fixed Activity Skills, FA1, Sorts items
Custodial and Cleaning, CS27, Sorts recycling vs. trash
Laundry, LY1, Sorts laundry by color

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, Cognitive Milestones, Shows simple problem-solving skills, like standing on a small stool to reach something

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 sort five sets of five identical pictures into piles from a pile of 30 pictures.
Learner will ten sets of five identical pictures into piles from a pile of 50 pictures.

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 Scanning

Intro to Matching (Visual Perception)

Following Gestures

Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Identical)

Skill Possibilities

Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to sort identical pictures. 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 Sorts identical pics of a dog (Ao3)

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#2 Sorts identical pics dog & ball (Ao3)

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#3 Sorts identical pics of dog, ball, & book (Ao3)

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#4 Sorts identical pics of dog, ball, book, & “eating” (Ao4)

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#5 Sorts identical pics of dog, ball, book, “eating” & caregiver (Ao5)

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#6 Sorts identical pics of dog, ball, book, “eating”, caregiver, and “blue” (Ao6)

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#7 Sorts identical pics of dog, ball, book, “eating”, caregiver, “blue”, and triangle (Ao7)

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#8 Sorts identical pics of dog, ball, book, “eating”, caregiver, “blue”, triangle, and “A” (Ao8)

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#9 Sorts identical pics of dog, ball, book, “eating”, caregiver, “blue”, triangle, “A”, and “STOP” sign (Ao9)

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.

Matches Common Items in 2D Array 2.0 (Identical)

Matches Common Actions in 2D Array 1.0 (Identical)

Matches Familiar People in 2D Array (Identical)

Matches Colors in 2D Array

Matches Basic Shapes in 2D Array (Identical)

Matches Uppercase Letters in 2D Array (Identical)

Matches Safety Signs in 2D Array (Coming Soon!)

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.

Sorts Non-Identical Pictures in 2D (Coming Soon!)

Follow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.

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Research and Resources

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Disclaimer

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Email us at bxmastery@flatrockadvice.com

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Intro to Sorting