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?
These skills can be easily practiced by the student with other instructors, family members, co-workers, and peers. While these natural opportunities will obviously occur beyond your observations, be sure to provide support for the student and the other individuals by including them on updates regarding the student’s progress and current visuals or techniques being used in the classroom. On-going use of reminder cards and scheduled activities will also be necessary as the student becomes more confident and successful in mastery of the skills.
Are you arranging opportunities for the student to practice the targeted skill in natural environments and under natural conditions?
Have you adapted visual supports so that they can remain in the natural environments that this student encounters now, and in the future?
Visual supports could include reminder cards kept in a “Social Skills” folder, posted as a note in the student’s work area, or stored in a wallet or purse for easy review. The student may be taught to refer to the card prior to specific times where conversation is particularly likely.
Are you collecting data to make adjustments to your teaching and to ensure that the student is performing the skill across multiple conditions?
Consider whether the student is showing relative strengths in deciphering interest in others or demonstrating his own interest in a conversation. There may be certain skills that pose larger challenges, such as keeping his body towards the person as opposed to spinning from side to side. Careful observation and recording of data can isolate behaviors and skills requiring further targeting and instruction, while helping identify the individual skills that are being demonstrated successfully.