Below is a general skill sequence for teaching learners how to match two identical pictures of common items.

A learner's ability to receptively identify stimuli in an array is crucial as it demonstrates their capacity to discriminate and comprehend spoken language, and subsequently perform an action. This skill will be instrumental in enabling learners to acquire knowledge from being spoken to in the future, thus expediting the learning process for more complex areas. The ability to receptively identify stimuli in a large and complex array is also an indication that the learner has grasped the concept being taught more firmly. This skill is especially essential for non-verbal learners and is the first step in teaching and testing concepts related to common items.

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 5-M, Selects the correct item from an array of 4, for 20 different objects or pictures (e.g., Show me cat. Touch shoe).
Listener Responding, LR 7-M, Generalizes listener discriminations (LDs) in a messy array of 8, for three different examples of 50 items (e.g., The child can find three examples of a train.

AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)

Basic Communication, BC9, Labels common objects.
Community Knowledge, CK17, Identifies items in the community.
Household Mechanics, HM23, Answers questions about which room items are located.
Fixed Activity Skills, FA1, Sorts Items

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

2 Years, Language/Communication, Points to things in a book when you ask, like “Where is the bear?”

Treatment Plan Goal Ideas

Treatment plan goal ideas for this particular skill area are as follows:

Learner will receptively identify pictures of five different common items in an array of five or more pictures.

Learner will receptively identify pictures of ten different common items in an array of ten or more pictures.

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 Scanning

Intro to Matching (Visual Perception)

Performs Action During Familiar Routines (LR)

Performs Actions with Uni-Functional Toys (LR)

Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Identical)

Skill Possibilities

Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to ID common items in a 2D array. 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 Selects Dog (Ao3)

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#2 Selects Ball (Ao4)

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#3 Selects Book (Ao5)

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#4 Selects Cup (Ao6)

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#5 Selects Car (Ao7)

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#6 Selects Juice (Ao8)

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#7 Selects Nose (Ao9)

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#8 Selects Banana (Ao10)

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#9 Selects Keys (Ao11)

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#10 Selects Cookies (Ao12)

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#11 Selects Toilet (Ao13)

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#12 Selects Toy (Ao14)

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#13 Selects Phone (Ao15)

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.

Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Identical)

Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Non-identical)

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.