Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners independently put on a t-shirt.

As learners master some of dressing’s most common 1 step behaviors (see component skills), it might be possible to introduce more specific goals regarding specific clothing. This skill area seeks to do that with basic T-Shirts. Per the usual, we target larger shirts to give the learner a bigger “target” and gradually fade to the learner’s correct size. As the learner ganes fluency here, you might consider more advanced “shirt” options like button downs.

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 accurately locate the tag on the inside, back collar of a t-shirt or polo shirt.
Learner will lay any t-shirt out flat and face down on a surface.
Learner will independently put a larger t-shirt on across three t-shirts.
Learner will independently put on a t-shirt (in their own size) across three t-shirts.

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)

Intro to Dressing

Skill Possibilities

Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to follow instructions for putting on shirts. 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 Locates tag on T-Shirt A

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#2 Locates tag on Long-sleeved T-Shirt

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#3 Locates tag on Polo Shirt

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#4 Spreads Shirt Out on Flat Surface

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#5 Spreads Shirt Out on Flat Surface, Locates Tag

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#6 Puts Left Arm In (X Large Shirt)

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#7 Puts Both Arms In (X Large Shirt)

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#8 Puts head Through (X Large Shirt)

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#9 Puts On Shirt (One Size Up)

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#10 Puts On Shirt (Actual Size)

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.

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.