Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners receptively identify emotions via emoticons.
Recognizing emotions is like learning a new language for some of our learners, and emoticons can be the ABCs of that language. Why? Because for some folks, emoticons may come across as way less intimidating than a real human face. Further, facial features on emoticons are far more simple and this could make the emotion in question really pop. While other skill areas might focus on just reading faces, this one goes the extra mile by tying those faces to actual feelings. As learners get the hang of it, we may crank up the complexity by having them start to label emotions using both emoticons and actual human faces. It's all about laying a solid foundation for emotional understanding.
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)
- Phone, PH26, Sends and reads text messages.
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?”
- 4 Years, Social/Emotional, Comforts others who are hurt or sad, like hugging a crying friend.
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 receptively identify an emoticon in a large array when given an emotion for three common emotions.
- Learner will receptively identify an emoticon in a large array when given an emotion for five common emotions.
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) 
Following Gestures
Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Identical)
Matches Emoticon in 2D Array (Identical)
Receptively IDs Common Items in 2D Array
Receptively IDs Familiar People in 2D Array 
Receptively IDs Common Actions in 2D Array 1.0 
Receptively IDs Emoticon Expressions in 2D ArraySkill Possibilities
Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to receptively ID emoticon emotions 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.
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 Emoticon in 2D Array (Identical)Receptively IDs Familiar People in 2D Array 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.
Labels Emoticon Emotion in 2DFollow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
Problem? Question? Suggestion? We want to hear from you!
Email us at bxmastery@flatrockadvice.com
We’ll try to get back with you as soon as we can!
â’¸ 2022-2025. Flatrock Advising, LLC. bxmastery.com.