Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners label their personal preferences.
Self advocacy can drastically improve a learner’s quality of life. Manding for what one doesn’t want or does want is a great way to get the ball rolling in this area. Additionally, helping learners conceptualize what they “like” or “don’t like” is important as well. This accentuates their ability to communicate their wants and needs. It also provides material for future conversation development. Finally, improves self awareness and opens the door—as they identify the likes/dislikes of others—for them to be aware of the needs and wants of others.
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)
Tact, T 6-M, Tacts 25 items when asked “what’s that?”
Intraverbal, IV 9-M, Answers 25 different what questions (e.g., What do you like to eat?)
Intraverbal, IV 10-M, Answers 25 different who or where questions (e.g., Whose your friend? Where is your pillow?)
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
Basic Communication, BC10, Labels common people (actual individuals, not professionals)
Basic Communication, BC12, Labels locations (locations in home, community, school)
Basic Communication, BC16, Answers "Where" questions regarding home, school and community (e.g. where items are found within the home, activities done in home, etc.)
Basic Communication, BC17, Answers "What" questions regarding home, school and community (e.g. "what" questions regarding items found in the home, school and community)
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, Language/Communication Milestones, Names things in a book when you point and ask, “What is this?”
4 years, Language/Communication Milestones, Answers simple questions like “What is a coat for?” or “What is a crayon for?”
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 label five preferred items, activities, people, or places prior to receiving access to them.
Learner will label 10 preferred items, activities, people, or places prior to receiving access to them.
Learner will label five preferred items, activities, people, or places when asked to do so while engaging with them.
Learner will label 10 preferred items, activities, people, or places when asked to do so while engaging with them.
Learner will label five preferred items, activities, people, or places when asked what they like to do.
Learner will label 10 preferred items, activities, people, or places when asked what they like to do.
Learner will label five non-preferred items, activities, people, or places when asked what they don’t like to do.
Learner will label 10 non-preferred items, activities, people, or places when asked what they don’t like to do.
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 follow instructions and communicate likes and dislikes. 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 Labels Preference for High Value Activity (when manding)
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner. (The learner may be manding for a specific item or activity).
Before honoring the mand, ask the learner what they like to do. “What do you like to do?”
Learner should label what they like to do—it may be the thing that they manded for. “I like to play video games.”
Ask them if they want to engage in that thing (given that it’s available). “Do you want to play video games?”
Once they answer, allow access to the preferred activity and thank them for telling you about what they like to do.
Additional Notes
Materials
Research/Resources
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#1 Labels Preference for Non-Preferred Activity (when manding)
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner. (The learner may be manding for a specific item or activity).
Before honoring the mand, ask the learner if they like doing something that you know they don’t prefer. “Do you like eating broccoli?”
Learner should let you know that they don’t like doing that activity. “I don’t like broccoli.”
IMPORTANT: If the learner answers this incorrectly—they say that they do like the item/activity even though you know they don’t—offer the item/activity to them. “Do you want the broccoli?”. Prompt them to then say that they don’t like the item/activity and proceed to step 4.
Ask the learner what they do like. “What do you like, then?”
Learner should label preferred activity. “I like the iPad.”
Offer that activity. “Do you want the iPad?”
Grant access to the preferred item once the learner answers.
Additional Notes
Materials
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Activity (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged in their most preferred activity.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they are doing. “What are you doing?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “I’m playing iPad.”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like playing iPad?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I like playing iPad.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this item.
Materials
Learner’s favorite item.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for Low Value Activity (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged in activity that is of low value.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they are doing. “What are you doing?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “I’m tracing my letters”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like tracing your letters?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I don’t like tracing my letters.”
Reinforce accordingly. Consider offering escape or giving a preferred item/edible ifthe task must be completed.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner does not prefer this activity.
Materials
A low value activity.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Edible (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged in eating a preferred edible.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they are doing. “What are you doing?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “I’m eating Pizza”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like eating Pizza?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I like eating pizza?.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this item.
Materials
A preferred food.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Drink (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged in eating a preferred edible.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they are doing. “What are you doing?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “I’m playing drinking Milk”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like drinking milk?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I like drinking milk?”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this item.
Materials
A preferred drink..
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Toy (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged in with a value toy.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they are doing. “What are you doing?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “I’m playing with a puzzle”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like playing with a puzzle?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I like playing with a puzzle?”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this item.
Materials
A favorite toy.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Family Member (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged with their most preferred person.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they are doing. “What are you doing?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “I’m playing with Mom”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like/love Mom?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I love Mom.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this person.
Note that every family relationship is different.
Materials
A preferred family member.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Movie (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged with a preferred movie.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they are doing. “What are you doing?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “I’m watching Toy Story”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like watching Toy Story?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I like watching Toy Story.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this person.
Note that every family relationship is different.
Materials
Preferred movie.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Video Game (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged with their most preferred video game.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they are doing. “What are you doing?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “I’m playing Mariokart”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like playing Mariokart?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I like playing Mariokart.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this activity.
Materials
A preferred video game.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Location (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged with a preferred activity in a particular environment.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify where they are at. “Where are we right now?”
Learner should label what they are doing. “We’re at the playground”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like going to the playground?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I like going to the playground.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this activity and location
Materials
A preferred location.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Preference for High Value Peer (during activity)
How to Run
Note when a learner is engaged with a preferred activity with a preferred peer.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify who they are playing with. “Who are you playing with?”
Learner should label who they are playing with. “I’m playing with Paul”
Ask the learner if they like engaging with that activity. “Do you like playing with Paul?”
Learner should respond correctly. “I like playing with Paul.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner prefers this peer.
Materials
A preferred peer.
Research/Resources
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#3 Labels Preference for High Value Item/Activity/Person/Location (outside of activity)
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they like to do/who they like to play with/what they like to eat/where they like to go.
Learner should label at least one thing that they like to do. “I like playing video games.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner’s responses are accurate.
Materials
Research/Resources
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#3 Labels Preference for Non-Preferred Item/Activity/Person/Location (outside of activity)
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask the learner to identify what they don’t like to do.
Learner should label at least one thing that they like to do. “I don’t like eating broccoli.”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure that you’ve conducted a thorough preference assessment—or are at least confident—that the learner’s responses are accurate.
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.
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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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.
Problem? Question? Suggestion? We want to hear from you!
Labels Own Behavior
Greetings (Verbal)
Responding to “What” Greetings
Labels Likes/Dislikes of Others
Labels Favorite People, Places, & Things