Signs/Manding

Shannon's communication focuses primarily on Manding. Manding is loosely defined as requesting. In order to mand, Shannon must be motivated. In other words, it is our job as her teachers/therapists to contrive motivation for Shannon to ask for items/actions.
 

Teaching Procedures

  • Therapists/teachers contrive motivation for an item by giving "free-bees"
  • Shannon declares motivation for the item/action by signaling non-vocally that she wants it (i.e. reaching for the cracker, looking at the drink, standing by the door, etc.).
  • Therapists/Teachers use the LEAST INVASIVE prompt possible to evoke the sign.
    • Full Physical Prompt (FPP): therapist shapes Shannon's hands to produce the sign.
    • Partial Physical Prompt (PPP): therapist shapes Shannon's hands, but uses less force/touching rather than fully guiding her hands.
    • Item Prompt (I): Shannon sees the item and signs for it.
    • Motivational Operant (MO): the item is out of sight and Shannon signs for it.
      • Err on the side of being more invasive with your prompts, because you don't want Shannon to learn sloppy signs!
      • Experiment with gradual fades to see how little you can do while maintaining success.
  • Our goal is to get all of Shannon's signs under the control of item and MO!

Rules

  • Avoid asking "what do you want?" or "Tell me" as this is a vocal prompt. We can tell what Shannon wants by watching her non-verbal behavior (what is she walking toward, looking at, reaching for, etc.)
    • However, talk freely with Shannon after she mands, pairing your voice and the target word with reinforcement (i.e. "You're eating a cracker!" or "Great, let's go outside!")
  • Only require a mand when there is motivation
  • "Freeze and Backstep": this will teach Shannon she does not have to be near the item to sign
    1. Shannon will declare her motivation (usually by going to the cabinet or fridge and trying to open the door)
    2. Bring Shannon back to the place where she was before
    3. Require Shannon to sign using the least invasive prompt
    4. Deliver the item immediately
  • When a mand is wrong or sloppy, do a "count and mand"
    • "Count and Mand":
      1.  Reset Shannon's hands in a neutral position.
      2. Count to ten.
      3. Prompt the correct sign using the least invasive prompt.
      4. Deliver the reinforcer.
  • If Shannon is scrolling a lot (doing one sign after another), use errorless teaching
    • Errorless Teaching:
      • You want to proactively teach her if she continues to make a mistake
      • Start using more invasive prompts, but fade as soon as you can

Current Signs/Mands

Data

  • Probe Mand Data: take probe data on level prompt required for the first time Shannon signs that session (only non-mastered signs)
    • Correct sloppy mastered signs with the count and mand, but count them as item if she is initiating the sign appropriately
    • Mastery Criteria: 5 consecutive days where Shannon gets item or MO on probe
  • Mand/Minute Data:
    • Use the clickers to count how many total prompted and total unprompted mands Shannon had per session (count both mastered and non-mastered)
    • Enter how many total, prompted, and unprompted mands per minute Shannon had (do not include times when Shannon wasn't manding for long periods, such as bath or dinner)

Goals

  • Bread: this is a brand new sign and is still at FPP
  • Walk: still at PPP
    • Make sure Shannon's arms are straight
    • Shannon is not as motivated for falks lately, so make sure you are only having her mand when there is a high MO
  • Cracker: mastered; working on fading to the MO
    • Fade item to MO
      1. Show Shannon the cracker and have her sign
      2. If Shannon signs at the item level, put the cracker in the cabinet and have her sign again, using the least invasive prompt, then deliver the cracker
    • If Shannon approaches you and mands at the MO level, give her a HANDFUL of crackers

Possible New Signs

  • iPad
  • Trampoline
  • Swing
  • Blanket
    • Work on increasing Shannon's motivation for these items by increasing her exposure to them
       
     
 

No comments:

Post a Comment