Once the skill is performed accurately and independently under one condition, are you arranging multiple opportunities for the student to practice the skill with different people, and in multiple settings?
Role-plays should include a variety of situations to help the student generalize the skill. Present scenarios that depict the student having a fever, losing a favorite item, experiencing an upset stomach, being involved in a traffic accident, missing a favorite TV show, or any other upsetting event that might require the student to determine whether or not it is appropriate to call in. Furthermore, if he determines that it is appropriate to call in during these role-plays, he needs practice calling in. These repeated and increasingly varied scenarios allow the student to practice clear communication, follow the necessary steps, and also limit what details are shared in certain situations (e.g. the supervisor does not need to know that you are vomiting or have diarrhea, but just that you are “sick” or have “the stomach flu.”).
Are you arranging opportunities for the student to practice the targeted skill in natural environments and under natural conditions?
One suggestion is to work with the parents or caretakers of the student to provide natural opportunities. The student may be able to practice the skill naturally by “calling-in” to the instructor if he is sick and will be absent from class. This will involve some planning and set-up including teaching the caretakers about the process and making sure the student has any necessary visual supports in place at home. This approach provides a unique real-world scenario where the student can practice the skill and receive direct feedback from the instructor.
Have you adapted visual supports so that they can remain in the natural environments that this student encounters now, and in the future?
Calling in sick is a skill that is most likely applied at home. Thus, the visual supports must be designed to meet the needs of the student within his home setting, and the supports need to be located in areas that are accessible and functional in that environment. This may involve the use of a folder or notebook entitled “If I’m sick” or “If I need to miss work” that contains the checklists, decision tree, and scripts that the student has learned to use.
Are you collecting data to make adjustments to your teaching and to ensure that the student is calling in sick and requesting time off appropriately in his employment contexts?