Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners label noun verb combinations.
As learners develop a fluency in labeling actions and common items, it may be time to expand their verbalizations to combining these two skills. At BxMastery, there is already a list of noun and verb combos to get this rolling (see component skills). However, as the learner gains fluency with Noun-Verb Combos 1.0, you can begin the process of introducing this skill area and strengthening this skill. As learners gain fluency here, this opens the door for more complext labeling and intraverbal skills.
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 9-M, Tacts 50 two component verb noun or noun verb combinations.
Intraverbal, IV 9-M, Answers 25 different what questions (e.g., What do you like to eat?)
Linguistic Structure, LS 6-M, The child’s articulation of 10 tacts can be understood by familiar adults who cannot see the item tacted.
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
Basic Communication BC9, Labels common objects
Basic Communication, BC11, Labels common actions observed in home, school, or community setting
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
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 someone or something performing a variety of actions using their name/noun and the action they are performing for 20 noun-verb combinations.
Learner will label someone or something performing a variety of actions using their name/noun and the action they are performing for 25 noun-verb combinations.
Learner will label someone or something performing a variety of actions using their name/noun and the action they are performing for 40 noun-verb combinations.
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 with multi-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 Labels Cat Scratching
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a cat scratching. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a cat scratching!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a cat scratching.
Research/Resources
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#2 Labels Cat Climbing
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a cat climbing. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a cat climbing!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a cat climbing.
Research/Resources
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#3 Labels Cat Sitting
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a cat sitting. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a cat sitting!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a cat sitting.
Research/Resources
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#4 Labels Cat Eating
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a cat eating. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a cat eating!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a cat eating.
Research/Resources
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#5 Labels Cat Sleeping
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a cat sleeping. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a cat sleeping!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a cat sleeping.
Research/Resources
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#6 Labels Dog Eating
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a dog eating. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a dog eating!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a dog eating.
Research/Resources
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#7 Labels Dog Sitting
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a dog sitting. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a dog sitting!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a dog sitting.
Research/Resources
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#8 Labels Dog Sleeping
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a dog sleeping. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a dog sleeping!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a dog sleeping.
Research/Resources
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#9 Labels Dog Drinking
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a dog drinking. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a dog drinking!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a dog drinking.
Research/Resources
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#10 Labels Bird Flying
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a bird flying. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a bird flying!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a bird flying.
Research/Resources
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#11 Labels Bird Sitting
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a bird sitting. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a bird sitting!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a bird sitting.
Research/Resources
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#12 Labels Bird Sleeping
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a bird sleeping. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a bird sleeping!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a bird sleeping.
Research/Resources
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#13 Labels Bear Eating
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a bear eating. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a bear eating!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a bear eating.
Research/Resources
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#14 Labels Bear Climbing
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a bear climbing. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a bear climbing!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a bear climbing.
Research/Resources
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#15 Labels Bear Sleeping
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a bear sleeping. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a bear sleeping!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a bear sleeping.
Research/Resources
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#16 Labels Mouth/Person Chewing
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a mouth chewing. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a mouth chewing!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a mouth chewing.
Research/Resources
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#17 Labels Mouth/Person Eating
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a mouth eating. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a mouth eating!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a mouth eating.
Research/Resources
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#18 Labels Mouth/Person Drinking
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a mouth drinking. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a mouth drinking!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a mouth drinking.
Research/Resources
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#19 Labels Eye Seeing
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a eye seeing. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a eye seeing!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a eye seeing.
Research/Resources
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#20 Labels Spoon Scooping
How to Run
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Present a picture of a spoon scooping. Point to it if necessary.
Ask the learner “What is this/What is happening?”
Learner should vocalize the correct response “It’s/That’s a spoon scooping!”
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Make sure to be working on multiple tacting/labeling goals at once to ensure that the learner doesn’t develop a rote/memorized response that generalizes across all future pictures.
As the learner gains the ability to engage in multiple trials at once, have a stack of multiple pictures and cycle through them in a “flashcard” like process. This will increase trial rates, prevent rote memorizations, and could expedite mastery and fluency.
Materials
A picture a spoon scooping.
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.
Labels with Noun-Verb Combos 3.0 (Coming Soon!)
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.
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Email us at bxmastery@flatrockadvice.com
We’ll try to get back with you as soon as we can!
Intro to Scanning 
Intro to Matching (Visual Perception) 
Following Gestures
Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Identical)
Receptively IDs Common Items in 2D Array
Labels Common Items 1.0
Labels Common Actions 1.0
Labels with Noun-Verb Combos 1.0