Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners follow instructions with multi-functional objects.
Listener Responding is a fundamental skill and a building block for teaching a variety of other skills. This particular skill area focuses on increasing the learner's ability to listen to an instruction from another individual and engage in that actions with multi-functional toys. These are toys that can be used for a variety of different purposes and actions. Unlike uni-functional toys, which have a single use, it can be harder to infer what to do with multi-functional toys, requiring the learner to attend closely to the instruction provided by the therapist.
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)
- Listener Responding, LR-8M, Performs 10 specific motor actions on command (e.g., Show me clapping. Can you hop?)
- Listener Responding, LR-12M, Follows 2 instructions involving 6 different prepositions (e.g., Stand behind the chair) and 4 different pronouns (e.g., Touch my ear).
- Listener Responding, LR-14M, Follows 3-step directions for 10 different directions (e.g., Get your coat, hand it up, and sit down).
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
- Self Management, SM5, Follows directions from multiple caregivers.
- Basic Communication, BS1, Follows instructions.
- Basic Skills, BS1, Follows simple verbal directions.
- Basic Skills, BS2, Follows written directions.
- Leisure, LS10, Uses computer for web browsing/gaming.
- Leisure, LS15, Plays interactive ball games.
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
- 30 Months, Social/Emotional, Follows simple routines when told, like helping to pick up toys when you say, “It’s clean-up time.”
- 5 Years, Social/Emotional, Follows rules or take turns when playing games with other children.
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 perform three separate actions with three different toys or objects that can be used for multiple functions (i.e. a ball) when asked to do so.
- Learner will perform six separate actions with three different toys or objects that can be used for multiple functions (i.e. a ball) when asked to do so.
- Learner will perform nine actions with three different toys or objects that can be used for multiple functions (i.e. a ball) when asked to do so.
- Learner will perform 12 actions with four different toys or objects that can be used for multiple functions (i.e. a ball) when asked to do so.
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
Single Actions with Common Toys
Performs Preferred Action with Preferred Item (LR)
Performs Action During Familiar Routines (LR)
Performs Actions with Uni-Functional Toys (LR)Skill Possibilities
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.
#1 Rolls car when asked (LR) - Present a small car on a flat surface.
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Roll the car!/Roll car!/Drive car!”
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#2 Throws ball when asked (LR) - Present/give the learner a ball in a gross motor area.
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Throw me the ball/Throw ball!”
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#3 Makes action figure jump when asked (LR) - Present/give the learner an action figure (or similar).
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Make him jump!/Show me him jumping!” (Or similar)
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
Materials
- Action figure (or similar).
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#4 Makes car spin when asked (LR) - Present/give the learner a car, small vehicle, or similar.
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Spin the car!”
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to continue to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Small car, vehicle, or similar. Use same car from the first program in this sequence.
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#5 Kicks ball when asked (LR) - Present/give the learner a ball.
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Kick the ball!”
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Ball. Use same ball from the first program in this sequence.
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#6 Flips action figure when asked (LR) - Present/give the learner an action figure (or similar).
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Flip the guy!/Flip him” (Or similar)
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Action figure (or similar). Use same action figure from the first program in this sequence.
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#7 Makes car fly when asked (LR) - Present/give the learner a small car (or similar).
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Make it fly!/Fly car!” (Or similar)
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Small car (or similar). Use same vehicle from the first two programs in this sequence.
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#8 Makes ball roll when asked (LR) - Present/give the learner a ball.
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Roll it!/Roll the ball!”
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Ball. Use same ball from the first two programs in this sequence.
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#9 Makes action figure run when asked (LR) - Present/give the learner an action figure (or similar).
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Make it run!”
- Learner should perform the action without prompting.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Action figure or similar. Use same action figure from the first two programs in this sequence.
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#10 Makes dot with pencil (LR) - Present/give the learner a pencil, dry erase marker, or similar.
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Make a dot!”
- Learner should make a small mark (not a large line nor a large scribble).
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Pencil & paper OR Dry erase marker and dry erase board (or similar).
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#11 Makes large scribble with pencil (LR) - Present/give the learner a pencil, dry erase marker, or similar.
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Make a scribble!/Scribble!”
- Learner should make a larger scribble. The scribble should be significantly larger than the dot or small mark (enough for us to know that the learner isn’t trying to make a dot/small mark). It also shouldn’t resemble a long line.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Pencil & paper OR Dry erase marker and dry erase board (or similar).
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
#12 Makes long line with pencil (LR) - Present/give the learner a pencil, dry erase marker, or similar.
- Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
- Ask the learner to “Make a big line!”
- Learner should make a larger line. The line does not need to be straight but it must be enough for us to know that the learner isn’t trying to make a dot/small mark OR a scribble.
- Reinforce the learner contingent on desired response.
Additional Notes
- Make sure to introduce the first four programs/targets/skills in this sequence when you begin to target this skill area.
- As the learner progresses through the skills, continue to work on the mastered programs.
- Targeting multiple programs in this area (see first two bullet points) prevents the learner from associating only one action with one item.
Materials
- Pencil & paper OR Dry erase marker and dry erase board (or similar).
Research/Resources
Diversifying Reinforcers and Why it Matters
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 Toys
Performs Gross Motor Action (LR)
Intro to Washing Hands
Providing Personal Information w/ Safety Badge 
Intro to Blocks/Building 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.
Performs Gross Motor Action (LR)
Receptively IDs Common Items in 2D ArrayFollow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
- 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.
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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