Children on the autism spectrum can find mastering the long-term goal of “tacting” difficult for a variety of reasons. Tacting deficits in children on the autism spectrum may arise from language development delays (e.g., limited vocabulary) or from communication difficulties. Deficits in tacting / labeling can be seen in the misidentification or inability to label items, misidentification of items that your child has labeled if your child is outside of the environments where they have learned that label, and using repetitive and incorrect words to label something.

In ABA therapy, the ability to label an item correctly is referred to as “tacting.” 

Tacting is a skill in which your child learns to verbally identify stimuli. These include but are not limited to people, places, common objects, emotions, prepositions, actions, etc. 

Some examples of tact skills are:

• When you look at the clouds, you tact by saying “Those are clouds.”
• When you point to a bird, your child sees it and tacts by saying “There’s a big blue bird!”
• When you hold up a picture of a crying man, your child tacts by saying “That’s a sad man.”
• When your child is looking for an object, you demonstrate the location of the object and say (for example) “The ball is under the table.”

Developing the ability to correctly label things around them can improve your child’s communication skills, including the ability to “mand” (i.e., make requests). Tacting may also improve confidence in conversations with peers and decrease certain behaviors, such as an aggressive behavior that may stem from your child’s difficulties with communicating needs. 

Tacting allows your child to interact with their world by expanding their vocabulary and understanding that every object, person, place, sounds, feelings, etc. has a name. By understanding and identifying that name, your child learns to communicate more than simple/basic requests for wants and needs.

In order to help your child master the long-term goal of tacting, you can work on the short term goals of tacting first and last names, tacting ‘mama’ / ‘dada,’ tacting common objects, tacting objects in the natural environment, tacting colors, tacting food, tacting internal state, tacting common emotions, tacting common actions, and tacting body parts.

The following strategies may help your child make progress towards the long-term goal of tacting.

Tacting “Mama” / “Dada”

The following strategies may help your child make progress towards mastering the short-term goal of tacting “mama” / “dada:” 

• Prompts - Use prompts This approach can be used to help your child learn to label any item (object, person, place, etc.). For example, to teach your child to tact  “mama” / “dada,” show your child a picture of their mother / father, or the individual that you would like your child to identify. Next, ask your child to identify the person in the photo.  You can say something like “What is their name?” or “Who is this?”  If your child does not respond, prompt them by naming the individual in the photo. If your child responds correctly, provide positive reinforcement. Phase out the positive reinforcement when the skill has been sufficiently acquired. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behaviors to be supported solely by social reinforcement.

• Practice in a naturally occuring setting. After your child has correctly labeled an item while practicing tacts, apply the lessons in your child’s daily routine. For example, go to a room, a playground, etc. with your child and “mama” / “dada” and have “mama” / “dada” stand at a different part of the location where “mama” / “dada” is still visible to your child. Prompt your child to identify “mama”/“dada”  by asking “Where is mama / dada?” Provide encouragement or praise if your child identifies “mama” / “dada” either by pointing or going to them.
• Avoid prompt dependence. If your child is conditioned to only provide a tact after a question, such as “Who is this?”, they may not be able to spontaneously provide a label or tact without this prompt. To practice tacts without a prompt, use the Object Only technique. Once your child has successfully learned to label “mama” / “dada” with a prompt, show your child a photograph of “mama” / “dada.” Do not ask them to tact “mama” / “dada.” If your child does not say the object, instruct them to “Say mama / dada.” Continue practicing until your child has named the object without a verbal prompt.

For the short-term goal of tacting ‘mama’ / ‘dada,’ you can choose a target such as tacting ‘mama’ / ‘dada’ within 1 minute, tacting ‘mama’ / ‘dada’ within 30 seconds, tacting ‘mama’ / ‘dada’ from one image, tacting ‘mama’ / ‘dada’ from multiple images, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what method of tacting ‘mama / ‘dada’  you would like your child to use to learn to tact ‘mama’ / ‘dada.’ For example, you can choose the target of tacting ‘dada’ within 30 seconds while working on the short-term goal of tacting ‘mama’ / ‘dada.’ 
• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as the image of your child’s father, or a verbal SD (“Time to tact dada!” or “Let’s find daddy!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently to tact ‘dada’ within the time limit for which you prompted. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. As an example, you can count how many times in a row your child is able to independently tact ‘dada’ within the time limit you prompted for.
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting ‘dada’ within 30 seconds), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, you can show your child the image of your child’s father and say “this is daddy!”
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many times in a row your child can meet the target of tacting ‘dada’ within 30 seconds independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting ‘dada’ within 30 seconds during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting ‘dada’ within 30 seconds by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting ‘dada’ within 30 seconds over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can tact ‘dada’ within 30 seconds, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting First and Last Names

The following strategies may help your child make progress towards mastering the short-term goal of tacts first and last name: 

• Work on sounds first. If your child’s name has some harder to pronounce sounds, it can be helpful to practice saying those challenging sounds in shorter words first. This helps the child build a foundation for speech development, so they can move on to saying their own name after learning to master the sounds that make up their name first. 
• Say your child’s name often. There are lots of different ways you can incorporate your child’s name into casual sentences so they hear it frequently. Every time you ask your child a question or try to get their attention, you can add their name into the question or request. For example, instead of asking, “Do you want more apple?” you could ask, “Max, do you want more apple?” 
• Watch videos or look at pictures together. Many children love watching videos of themselves, or looking at pictures of themselves. If your child is like this, try watching videos (or looking at pictures) of your child together with your child and talk about who is in the images, clearly using your child’s name. 
• Try a nickname. If your child’s name is long or has several harder to pronounce sounds in it, you might consider using a nickname to help facilitate easier pronunciation (“Nat” for “Natalie,” or “Max” for “Maxwell,” for example). Just like working on sounds first, helping your child learn a nickname for themselves first can be a foundation for learning to pronounce their full name later on.

Once your child has an understanding of what their own name is, you can move on to helping them learn how to respond when someone asks them their name. To help your child learn to tact their own name when asked, try the following:

• Role-play. Role-playing different social situations can help children prepare for interactions during which a person may ask your child their name. This can also allow for immediate response and feedback to behaviors. For example, you can say “My name is X. What is your name?”  If your child responds, offer a small reward and encouragement. If your child does not respond, prompt them by saying, for example: “My name is X. What is your name? Your name is X.” Repeat until your child can respond without prompting. You can also practice this with a third person, where you and someone other than your child demonstrate for your child the expected response. 
• Watch videos. Watching videos of unfamiliar social situations with your child can facilitate learning about what to expect and encourage a discussion about how to react to a given situation. If your child feels uncertain about meeting up with friends and greeting them, you can watch a video of children introducing themselves by stating their names. Narrate the video to your child, telling your child that the child in the video is asking a peer (or friend) for their name, and the peer (or friend) is responding with their name.

• Additional resources for the child:

Meeting New Friends at School https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-GOBxQromk

What’s Your Name? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqlbn_nI2w8

What’s your name? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv1JkBL5728

• Provide explicit directions and set clear expectations. Your child may find it difficult at first to understand what they should do in a particular situation. It is a good idea, in that case, to begin with clear directions and expectations. For example, when expecting your child to respond in a particular way to their name being asked, you can first explain to your child that they should respond to someone asking their name. You can demonstrate with a third person to show your child the expected response. For example, have a third person say “What is your name?” Tell your child “X person asked me my name.” Then turn back to the person asking for your name, and say “My name is Y.” Next, practice with your child.  Rewarding your child when they appropriately respond is important to reinforce the behavior. Phase out the positive reinforcement when the skill has been sufficiently acquired. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behaviors to be supported solely by social reinforcement.
• Use social stories. The purpose of a social story is to explain a social situation to your child and help them learn how to behave in those social situations. Using social stories is a good way to teach children about different situations and how they should act. Social stories are versatile and can be used to teach your child about almost any social situation. You can make a social story, for example, on how to greet a friend. It can go as follows (not including associated pictures):

1. I am meeting a new friend.
2. I say, “Hi. What is your name?” 
3. They say, “Hi. My name is X?”
4. I say, “Nice to meet you. My name is Y.”

For the short-term goal of tacting first and last names, you can choose a target such as tacting own first and last names, tacting own first and last names within 2 minutes, tacting own first and last name within 1 minute, tacting a parent’s first and last names, tacting a teacher’s first and last names, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what method of tacting names you would like your child to use to tact their own first and last names. For example, you can choose the target of tacting own first and last names within 2 minutes while working on the short-term goal of tacting first and last names. 
• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as an image of your child, or a verbal SD (“Time to say our first and last names!” or “Let’s say your first and last names!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently to tact their own first and last names within the time limit for which you prompted. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. As an example, you can count how many times in a row your child is able to independently tact their own first and last names within the time limit you prompted for.
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting own first and last names within 2 minutes), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, you can show your child an image of your family and say “This is our family. We are the [insert your last name] Family. This is you. You are [insert your child’s first and last name].”
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many times in a row your child can meet the target of tacting own first and last name within 2 minutes independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting own first and last name within 2 minutes during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting own first and last name within 2 minutes by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting own first and last name within 2 minutes over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can tact own first and last name within 2 minutes, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting Common Objects / Colors / Foods

The following strategies may help your child make progress towards mastering the short-term goals of tacting common objects / colors / foods: 

• Use visual aids. Pick a common object and help your child learn to tact the object using visual aids. The same can be done for colors and foods. You can create your own, or use some of the free resources below. You can increase the number of objects in each learning session as your child develops the ability to tact particular object(s). These activities may be best when your child is calm. If your child responds correctly, provide positive reinforcement. Phase out the positive reinforcement when the skill has been sufficiently acquired. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behaviors to be supported solely by social reinforcement.

• Additional resources for the parent:

• Common Objects:

Tacting Objects Picture Cards https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tacting-Objects-Picture-cards-8918150?st=e01dceda56adfe3c02046c0793c722a9

100 Common Objects https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/100-Common-Objects-ABLLS-R-G2G4-6716738?st=0481bde155a3827036a85ca31f883fc4

Common Objects in Categories Cards https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Common-Objects-in-Categories-Cards-7732313?st=0481bde155a3827036a85ca31f883fc4

• Colors

Colors - Tacting Cards https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Colors-Tacting-Cards-5949909?st=d024b35545220349dccb90218dcd8b28

VB-MAPP: Tact 10-D / LR 11-M: Colors https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/VB-MAPP-Tact-10-D-LR-11-M-Colors-7134396?st=d024b35545220349dccb90218dcd8b28

• Food

Free Downloads - Food Images https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Downloads-Food-Images-Food-Photos-1535509?st=b9a11533483f82e2c9f1db2b9b99feec

Free Food Tacting Data Sheet https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Food-Tacting-Data-Sheet-7482906?st=ea0bb5d89d7e9e96e6f0dc8c49eb07ee

Free Black and White Food Clipart https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Black-and-White-Food-Clipart-2555753?st=ea0bb5d89d7e9e96e6f0dc8c49eb07ee

Free Fast Food Clipart Set https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fast-Food-Clipart-Set-3777165?st=ea0bb5d89d7e9e96e6f0dc8c49eb07ee

• Tact in different settings. After you have practiced tacting objects, colors, and / or foods at home, you can start helping your child to tact common objects in different settings (i.e., Natural Environment Teaching). This may allow your child to learn to recognize different versions of the same object and in a variety of settings. After your child has mastered tacting a particular object, color, or food, look for the object when you are outside of your home with your child. 

Tacting Common Objects

For the short-term goal of tacting common objects, you can choose a target such as tacting ‘car,’ tacting ‘car’ within 1 minute, tacting ‘car’ within 30 seconds, tacting ‘truck,’ tacting ‘ball,’ tacting ‘chair,’ tacting ‘teddy bear,’ etc.

• Step 1: Decide what common object you would like your child to learn to tact. For example, you can choose the target of tacting ‘car’ while working on the short-term goal of tacting common objects. Select [3] pictures as follows: one image of a car, one image of a tree, and one image of a pencil. 
• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as the image of the car, or a verbal SD (“Time to find the car!” or “Let’s label the car!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently to tact ‘car’ from the images for which you prompted. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. As an example, you can count how many times in a row your child is able to independently tact ‘car’ from the images you provided. Alternatively, you can count how many times within a given time interval (e.g., 2 min, 5 min, 10 min, etc.) your child was able to independently tact ‘car’ from the images you provided. 
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting ‘car’), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, you can show your child the 3 corresponding images (images of the car, the tree, and the pencil) and say “This is the car. This is a tree. This is a pencil. This [return to the car] is the car.”
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many times in a row your child can meet the target of tacting ‘car’ independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to meet the target of tacting ‘car’ independently. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting ‘car’ during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting ‘car’ by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting ‘car’ over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can tact ‘car’, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting Colors

For the short-term goal of tacting colors, you can choose a target such as tacting blue, tacting yellow from within two color choices, tacting orange from within three color choices, tacting brown from within four color choices, tacting red within 30 seconds, tacting pink within 1 minute, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what color you would like your child to learn to tact. For example, you can choose the target of tacting blue from within three color choices while working on the short-term goal of tacting colors. Select 3 pictures as follows: one image of the color blue, one image of the color red, and one image of the color yellow. 
• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as the image of the color blue, or a verbal SD (“Time to find blue!” or “Let’s say which is the color ‘blue’!).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently to tact blue from the three images for which you prompted. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. As an example, you can count how many times in a row your child is able to independently tact blue from the three images you prompted for. Alternatively, you can count how many times within a given time interval (e.g., 1 min, 2 min, 5 min, etc.) your child was able to independently tact the color you prompted for. 
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting blue from within three color choices), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, you can show your child the corresponding images (images of blue, red and yellow) and say, “which one is blue? This one is blue!”
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many times in a row your child can meet the target of tacting blue from within three color choices independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to meet the target of tacting blue from within three color choices independently. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting blue from within three color choices during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting blue from within three color choices by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting blue from within three color choices over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can tact blue from within three color choices, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting Foods

For the short-term goal of tacting foods, you can choose a target such as tacting apple, tacting banana, tacting apple from two choices, tacting banana from three choices, tacting apple within 1 minute, tacting banana within 30 seconds, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what food you would like your child to learn to tact. For example, you can choose the target of tacting apple from two choices while working on the short-term goal of tacting food. Select 2 pictures as follows: one image of an apple, and one image of a carrot. 
• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as the image of an apple, or a verbal SD (“Time to find the apple!” or “Let’s say which one is an apple!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently to tact the food for which you prompted. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. As an example, you can count how many times in a row your child is able to independently tact the food you prompted for. Alternatively, you can count how many times within a given time interval (e.g., 1 min, 2 min, 5 min etc.) your child was able to independently tact the food you prompted for. 
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting apple from two choices), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, you can show your child the 2 corresponding images (images of an apple and a carrot) and say “which one is the apple? This one is the apple!”
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many times in a row your child can meet the target of tacting apple from two choices independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to meet the target of tacting apple from two choices independently. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting apple from two choices during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting apple from two choices by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting apple from two choices over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can tact apple from two choices, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting Objects / Items in the Natural Environment

For the short-term goal of tacting objects or items in the natural environment, you can choose a target such as tacting a slide at the playground, tacting an apple at the grocery store, tacting a car on the road, tacting a truck in a parking lot, tacting a cloud in the sky, tacting a tree in the yard, tacting a rock on the ground, tacting red on a traffic light, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what object you would like your child to tact in the natural environment. For example, you can choose the target of tacting an apple at the grocery store while working on the short-term goal of tacting objects in the natural environment. The task analysis for tacting an apple at the grocery store could be as follows:

1. While walking through a grocery store, go with your parent to the produce section of the grocery store.
2. Examine the different items.
3. Look at an item. If it is not an apple, continue examining other items.
4. When you find the apples, point to them.
5. Say the word “apple.”

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as a picture of an apple, or a verbal SD (“Time to find an apple!” or “Let’s find an apple!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently. For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently. Alternatively, if your child is able to complete the entire task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 2 min, 5 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting an apple at the grocery store), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to pick up an apple from the produce section, then ask aloud, “What is this?”, followed by stating, “This is an apple.”).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting an apple at the grocery store over a certain number of sessions. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting an apple at the grocery store by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting an apple at the grocery store over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting Internal State / Common Emotions

The following strategies may help your child make progress towards mastering the short-term goals of tacting (e.g., expressing) internal state and tacting common emotions:

• Start simple. There are a huge range of emotions humans feel in varying circumstances, and they can be incredibly complex. But in teaching your child about common emotions and how to identify how they and others might be feeling, it’s best to start simple. Emotions like happy, sad, and angry are a great place to start. Once your child is comfortable identifying happy, sad, and angry emotions in themselves and others, you can move on to more complex emotions like: frustrated, confused, excited, or lonely. To get a sense for different types of simple and more complex emotions, check out The Feelings Wheel.
• Use visual aids. Pictures, image-based flashcards, or even videos can be great visual aids to help your child see what it looks like when people are feeling different emotions. You can create your own, or use one of the free resources below.
• Additional resources: 

• For the Parents:

Feelings Charts

Feelings Scales

How to ABA Teaching Kids to Identify Their Emotions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzXwn5g4CI

• For the Child:

Emotions for Kids - Happiness, Sadness, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Surprise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jetoWelJJJk

This Is A Happy Face | ft. Noodle & Pals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQZX1IIAnLw

"Emotions" - StoryBots Super Songs Episode 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akTRWJZMks0

• Model emotions for your child using your whole body. While many people use their facial expressions, including their eyes, to nonverbally communicate how they are feeling, children on the autism spectrum can find it challenging to make eye contact. Often, people nonverbally communicate their emotions with their whole bodies, sometimes without even realizing it. When modeling emotions for your child, you can use your whole body to demonstrate the ways that emotions are full-body experiences. If you are modeling “sad,” for example, hang your head low, pretend to cry, perhaps sit down with your arms around your knees. Exaggerate the emotion as needed for your child to understand what the word “sad” might look like in other people. This will also help them learn to identify their own internal state. 

Tacting Internal State

For the short-term goal of tacting internal state, you can choose a target such as tacting internal state without options, tacting internal state from two options, tacting internal state from two options within 1 minute, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what type of tacting of internal state you would like your child to practice. For example, you can choose the target of tacting internal state from two options while working on the short-term goal of tacting internal state. The task analysis for tacting internal state from two options could be as follows:

1. Sit across from the parent, and try to make eye contact with the parent.
2. The parent asks: “Are you feeling happy or sad?”
3. Tell the parent if you are feeling happy or sad.
4. The parent expresses that all feelings are okay, and affirms that it is okay to feel [the feeling the child responded with] sometimes.

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as an image of a happy face and a sad face, or a verbal SD (“Time to say how we are feeling!” or “Let’s say if we’re happy or sad!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt their part independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently (i.e., their part). For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, if your child is able to complete their entire part of the task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 1 min, 2 min, 5 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting internal state from two options), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt their part independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to ask aloud, “How am I feeling? Am I feeling happy or sad?”, followed by answering aloud, “I am happy.”).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting internal state from two options during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting internal state from two options by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting internal state from two options over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting Common Emotions

For the short-term goal of tacting common emotions, you can choose a target such as tacting happy, tacting sad, tacting surprised from two options, tacting angry from three options, tacting disgusted from four options, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what common emotion you would like your child to learn to tact. For example, you can choose the target of tacting happy from three options while working on the short-term goal of tacting common emotions. Select 3 pictures as follows: one image of a happy face, one image of a crying sad face, and an image of an angry face. 
• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as the image of a happy face, or a verbal SD (“Time to find the happy face!” or “Let’s say which face is happy!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently to tact the common emotion for which you prompted. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. As an example, you can count how many times in a row your child is able to independently tact the common emotion you prompted for. Alternatively, you can count how many times within a given time interval (e.g., 1 min, 2 min, 5 min, etc.) your child was able to independently tact the common emotion you prompted for. 
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting happy from three options), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, you can show your child the 3 corresponding images (images of happy, sad, and angry) and say “which one is happy? This one is angry, this one is sad, and this one is happy!”
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many times in a row your child can meet the target of tacting happy from three options independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to meet the target of tacting happy from three options independently. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting happy from three options during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting happy from three options by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting happy from three options over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can tact happy from three options, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting Common Actions

The following strategies may help your child make progress towards mastering the short-term goal of tacting common actions:

• Use visual aids. Pictures, image-based flashcards, or even videos can be great visual aids to help your child see common actions. You can create your own, or use one of the free resources below.

• For the parent:

G7 ABLLS- R ALIGNED labels common ongoing actions https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/G7-ABLLS-R-ALIGNED-labels-common-ongoing-actions-2722612?st=b85f7413f1c58cae0e1edfeb1647e09b

G8 ABLLS- R ALIGNED labels pictures of common actions https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/G8-ABLLS-R-ALIGNED-labels-pictures-of-common-actions-2722608?st=b85f7413f1c58cae0e1edfeb1647e09b

• For the Child:

Tact actions https://quizlet.com/549050881/tact-actions-flash-cards/

Action verbs song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ozG4PFFP5A

• Demonstrate. In order to help your child transfer their understanding of common actions from visual aids to real-life actions, you can demonstrate the actions yourself. For example, you can show your child an image of a person running, and then you can run around your own living room and tell your child, “I am running.” This can help them generalize their understanding of common actions to new situations. 
• Make it a game. Depending on the age and skill level of your child, a variety of games and songs can be useful ways to teach common action words and require your child to tact common action words aloud. You can create your own or use one of the free resources below, adapting them as needed to work with your own space and situations.

• Additional resources for the parent:

“Actions!” Acting Out Verbs https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Action-Acting-Out-Verbs-Kindergarten-Common-Core-Game-2084120?st=b85f7413f1c58cae0e1edfeb1647e09b

Action and Command Games for Kids Groups http://www.jugglingworld.biz/tricks/games-ideas-for-kid-and-youth-groups/action-and-command-games-for-kids-groups-gameslist/

Activities to learn about action verbs https://lingokids.com/english-for-kids/games/activities-to-learn-about-action-verbs#:~:text=To%20practice%20action%20verbs%2C%20you,she%20also%20learns%20their%20meanings.

For the short-term goal of tacting common actions, you can choose a target such as tacting clapping, tacting waving, tacting knocking, tacting walking, tacting running, tacting pointing, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what common action you would like your child to tact. For example, you can choose the target of tacting clapping while working on the short-term goal of tacting common actions. The task analysis for tacting clapping could be as follows:

1. Sit across from the parent.
2. The parent claps, and says “I am clapping,” then “Your turn.”
3. Put your hands together hard enough to clap and repeat what the parent was doing and saying.
4. While clapping, say, “I am clapping.”
5. Stop clapping. Then, tell your parent, “Your turn.”
6. The parent claps and asks, “What am I doing?”
7. Respond by tacting, “Clapping.”

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as an image of a child clapping, or a verbal SD (“Time for clapping!” or “Let’s do some clapping!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt their part independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently (i.e., their part). For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, if your child is able to complete their entire part of the task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 2 min, 5 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting clapping), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt their part independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to clap, wait for the child to clap, then clap and ask aloud, “What am I doing?”, followed by stating, “Clapping. I am clapping.”).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting clapping during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting clapping by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting clapping over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tacting Body Parts

The following strategies may help your child make progress towards mastering the short-term goal of tacting body parts:

• Use toys or images as models. Often children learn to identify body parts on flashcard images, baby dolls, or other toys while or before they learn to identify their own body parts. Toys such as “Mr. Potato Head” can be useful because the individual body parts are removable. On the other hand, toys like baby dolls can be useful because they more closely mimic what your child will recognize as their own body parts. Flashcard images can also be useful to help your child learn body parts. You can create your own image-based flashcards or use some of the free resources below. 

• Additional resources for the parent:

Body Parts Tacting Cards https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Body-Parts-Tacting-Cards-5946854?st=bd1386c24733b6981a9301e4d41fa68e

Body Parts Flash Cards https://ea97a524-1e4e-43e8-b217-9bd2f15f2a5a.filesusr.com/ugd/79e9ef_0a152f579a4e47e4b796361b831710ff.pdf

• Use songs or videos. Songs or videos that require participants to label or identify different parts of the body can be a great way for your child to learn to tact body parts. These might include songs like, “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” or “If You’re Happy And You Know It…” or “The Hokey Pokey.” You could create your own song or video, or use one of the free resources below.
• Additional resources:

• For the parent:

How to Teach Body Parts Using ABA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Wd0SZ66vg

Body Parts Music Therapy Song for Children with Autism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6it4xEGQZw

Teaching Body Parts! Therapy Tip of the Week for 4.3.14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLv-UPdWQe8

• For the child:

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4eueDYPTIg

If You’re Happy And You Know It https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiDRpk9li9I

The Hokey Pokey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpharBeg9XA

For the short-term goal of tacting body parts, you can choose a target such as tacting head, tacting ears, tacting nose, tacting knees, tacting elbows, tacting feet, tacting toes, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what body part you would like your child to tact. For example, you can choose the target of tacting nose while working on the short-term goal of tacting body parts. The task analysis for tacting nose could be as follows:

1. Sit across from the parent, and try to make eye contact with them.
2. The parent points to their own nose, and says “My nose,” then “Your turn.”
3. Point to your own nose and repeat what the parent was saying.
4. While pointing to your own nose, say, “My nose.”
5. Stop pointing. Then, tell your parent, “Your turn.”
6. The parent then points to your nose and asks, “What is this?”
7. Respond by tacting, “Nose.”

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as an image of someone touching their nose, or a verbal SD (“Time to find my nose!” or “Let’s find our noses and say ‘nose’!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt their part independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently (i.e., their part). For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, if your child is able to complete their entire part of the task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 1 min, 2 min, 5 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tacting nose), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt their part independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to point to your own nose, then ask, “What is this?”, followed by stating, “This is my nose. Nose.”).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tacting nose during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tacting nose by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tacting nose over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.