How this guide works
Tasks: This is a list of the smaller steps involved in the activity. It breaks down the activity into more manageable parts.
Prompts: These are specific verbal or physical cues given by the caregiver to the child to initiate, guide, or reinforce the desired behavior.
Simple Prompts: This is a simplified version of the prompts.
Positive Reinforcers: This is a list of rewards or incentives used to encourage and reinforce the child’s positive behavior during the activity.
Strategies: These are general approaches or techniques used to achieve the desired outcome.
Checklist: This is a list of tasks or items to check off before, during, and after the activity.
Sensory: This is a list of any potential sensory issues that may arise during the activity that may be overwhelming for the child.
PECS: This stands for Picture Exchange Communication System and is a tool used to aid communication between a child with autism and their caregiver. In this case, we suggest using PECS images that focus on the specific actions involved in the activity
Tasks:
- Show the child their pair of shoes.
- Point to each shoe and identify it as either the “right” or “left” shoe.
- Place the “right” shoe on the right foot and the “left” shoe on the left foot.
Prompts:
- “Let’s get your shoes on. First, we need to identify the right and left shoes. Can you help me?”
- “This is your right shoe. Can you point to your right foot?”
- “Which shoe goes on your left foot?”
- “Great job! Now let’s put the shoes on the correct feet.”
Simple Prompts:
- “Right foot.”
- “Left foot.”
- “Put on shoes.”
- “Shoes on”
- “Shoes off”
Positive Reinforcers:
- Verbal praise (“Great job!”)
- High-fives or fist bumps
- Offering a preferred toy or activity after the task is complete
Strategies:
- Use the same verbal prompts consistently to reinforce the association between the shoes and the correct feet.
- Make a game out of it by challenging the child to identify the shoes and put them on the correct feet quickly.
- Use visual aids such as shoe stickers or drawings to help the child visually identify the correct foot for each shoe.
Checklist:
- Have the child sit in a comfortable and stable position.
- Use consistent and clear language to identify the right and left shoes.
- Provide positive reinforcement for correct responses.
- Gradually fade prompts as the child becomes more independent with the task.
PECS:
- Picture of right foot
- Picture of left foot
- Picture of shoes on correct feet
- Picture of child putting on shoes
