Target Selection and Task Analysis:

What are the steps that comprise this skill? 

When faced with a work task, the student must first determine the task and how much work is to be completed. It is no coincidence that these are the first two questions answered by the to-do list. The third question associated with the to-do list is the crucial question in building a concept of ‘finished:’ when is it finished? That question changes depending on the task, the setting and the criteria set by the supervisor or teacher. Identifying the criteria and making it accessible so that the student focuses on it and uses it while working are the keys here:

1. First, how will the student gauge the quality of the work? Can the student identify the markers of quality for the task? The markers of quality must be clearly defined so that the student can use them.  Markers of quality are defined by such tools as project or paper rubrics in academic contexts, actual samples of a completed product that meets all standards and allows for visual comparison, and written instructions.
   
   For example, let’s say that an employee working in a fast food setting needs to assemble   and wrap up cheeseburgers to prepare for the lunch rush.  He might assemble a defined number of cheeseburgers and wrap them up as required, yet he may include too many onions and not enough ketchup.  The quality of that product is not up to standards in this case.  Markers of quality might be defined through a visual cue (a 2-D image or a real burger) that represents an example of a completed cheeseburger that is up to standards, or   it may be necessary to provide a written list of instructions (“3 dots of ketchup on  bread, then spread; 3 dots of ketchup on bottom bread, then spread; 4 onion slices,”  etc.).
   
   
2. Self-monitoring work requires teaching the student to use the markers of quality while completing the task. The student needs to remember or think about the markers as he completes steps of the task and go back and fix mistakes or improve the work quality. 
   
   
3. Does the student use the markers of quality to check his work at the end of the task?  Double checking work entails teaching the student how to go back and make sure they have done their work thoroughly or accurately.  Strategies for double-checking work will likely depend on the type of job the student has.  For example, if a student works at a library, checking their work may mean going back through their to-do list to ensure that they have in fact done everything on their list.  In contrast, an editing job at a publishing company may require more work and actually going through a manuscript two or three times to make sure they did not miss anything or make mistakes. Regardless of what type of job the student has, the idea will be to develop a routine for the student of double-checking their work.  Thus, the student will be in the routine of checking their work after the completion of each task, or perhaps after the completion of several tasks.  Or, perhaps the routine you develop is to have them check their visual instructions, which then guides them through the self-monitoring process.
   
   
4. Determine and then implement strategies to ensure that completed work is submitted reliably.  This entails some consistent way of ‘handing off’ the work to the person who needs it.

What sub-skill should you target first for the student to initiate? Given what the student can do presently, how will you present the task so that the student can perform steps within his capacity while learning a new step? 

Frequently, the primary issue is clarity of the criteria of quality. Does the student really comprehend the quality markers of the task? This requires attention by the teacher, the supervisor, the job coach to assure that the quality markers are concretely presented so that the student can use them. Being a good ‘social interpreter’ for the student means providing that clarity in terms or tangible ways that the student can use to assure quality of work.

If the criteria of quality are visible or well-defined and illustrated, then the student must shift attention to use that cue of quality while doing his work. This ‘checking while working’ skill is often a focus of intervention. How will an instructor prompt and reinforce ‘checking while working?’

The third step of ‘double-checking when finished’ is also a specific step to teach, to prompt, to shape and to reinforce. Consider how concretely you must present the criteria for double-checking so that the student uses the strategy.

Finally, the crucial step for some students is consistently ‘handing off the work,’ making sure that the right person has the work or that the right person knows it is finished and where it is. A key for some students is: “The work is not finished until it is handed in!”