In what contexts does the student need to display this skill, now and in the future?
This foundational social communication skill has relevance in virtually every school-based, post-secondary, social, and vocational context. For example, this student would need to display this skill as he engages in any face-to-face encounters during the job application process, the interview process, and certainly on the job when interfacing with supervisors, co-workers, and perhaps customers.
What are all of the steps that comprise a greeting? What are all of the steps that comprise a farewell?
First, consider how the steps are different when you initiate a greeting versus when you respond to a greeting. Similarly, consider how the steps are different when you initiate a farewell versus when you respond to a farewell.
As you generate your task analysis for a greeting or farewell initiation, keep in mind that the first step is not what the student might say. Rather, the first step is often to evaluate the situation to determine if the time is right to initiate a greeting or farewell (e.g. Is the person on the phone? Is the person facing in my direction, or within a distance where he /she would hear what I say?).
Then, consider the verbal and the non-verbal “performance” elements.
Also consider how you break down the greeting or farewell differently when you are interacting with someone for the first time. In such greetings, it is important to introduce yourself first. In such farewells, it is important to say something like “It was nice to meet you.”
How can you break this skill down into segments (i.e. task analyze the skill) with which the student can show success quickly in independent performance? What sub-skill should you target first for the student to initiate?
Do you first target initiations or responses to greetings? For some students, it may be appropriate to begin by targeting the response to a greeting. Initiating the greeting may be more challenging, and anxiety-provoking.
For a different student, it might be appropriate to begin your instruction by chaining together the most basic sub-skills of a greeting initiation (e.g. take three steps towards greeter, face towards greeter, and respond, “hello”).
In another case, it might be appropriate to focus on subtle nuances of the exchange, such as verbal reciprocity in the greeting (e.g. she says “How are you doing,” and he says, “I am fine, how about you?” instead of simply saying “fine.”).
A different student working on more advanced features of the skill might require that you begin your instruction at the point of determining the general duration of a greeting. When is the greeting exchange over? How does it conclude in a manner that is not awkward? Or perhaps it is appropriate to begin by teaching the student to determine the appropriate greeting based on who he greets, and under what circumstances the greeting occurs.