Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners trace simple arrangements.
Handwriting happens to be that exciting transition into writing and composition for most learners. And, most learners usually follow an advanced tracing repertoire. However, even tracing has it’s basics. The following skill area looks to get your learner started in the basics of following simple stimuli with a pencil. As the learner progresses, you can begin the process of introducing smaller letters, numbers, and even words.
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, VPMS 2-M, Grasps small objects with thumb, index finger, and middle finger (pincer grasp) 5 times.
- Writing, W 11-M, Imitates 5 different writing actions modeled by an adult using a writing instrument and a writing surface.
- Writing, W 12-M, Independently traces within ¼ of the lines of 5 different geometrical shapes (e.g., circle, square, triangle, rectangle, star).
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
- Basic Communication, BC21, Writes or types own name
- Office Skills, OF27, Signs for packages
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
- 5 years, Cognitive Milestones, Writes some letters in her name
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 connect two dots in any capacity across 5 different arrangements.
- Learner will trace 5 different arrangements of 3-dot lines.
- Learner will trace 5 different arrangements of 5 dot lines when the lines are less than a quart-page in size.
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 Expansion
Imitates Actions with Preferred Items
Performs Preferred Action with Preferred Item (LR)
Imitates Actions During Familiar Routines
Performs Action During Familiar Routines (LR)
Imitation with Uni-Functional Toys
Imitation with Multi-Functional Toys
Intro to Sitting 
Intro to Writing/DrawingSkill Possibilities
Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to trace simple arrangements. 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.
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.
Imitation with Multi-Functional ToysIntro to Writing Utensils (Coming Soon!)
Following Instructions at a Distance
Intro to Circle TimeIntro to Table Time (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.
Follow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
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