A skill acquisition plan focuses on teaching and increasing desired skills, including setting goals, describing strategies, and defining mastery. Addressing problem behaviors belongs in a separate behavior reduction plan, so including them in a skill acquisition plan is not essential.

The first step in any skill acquisition plan is to identify the specific skill deficit and establish a clear learning goal. This provides the foundation for all other elements, such as reinforcement and prompting strategies.

Baseline data establish the learner’s starting point before intervention. This allows the team to accurately measure progress and determine the effectiveness of the teaching strategies used.

This section outlines how the RBT should reinforce correct responses and address incorrect ones, ensuring consistent and effective implementation of the teaching plan.

Mastery criteria provide measurable benchmarks for success, such as achieving a certain percentage of correct responses over multiple sessions, ensuring clarity on when a skill is considered learned.

A maintenance plan ensures the learned skill remains functional over time by incorporating periodic practice and reinforcement in natural environments, preventing skill loss after teaching ends.

The RBT should follow the existing plan while communicating observations to the supervising BCBA, who can evaluate and adjust the intervention as needed based on data and professional judgment.

Without baseline data, the team lacks a clear starting point to compare against future performance, making it difficult to assess whether the teaching intervention was effective.

Effective session preparation includes having all materials ready in advance. Failing to do so can disrupt the session and reduce the quality of teaching and data collection.

Bringing all required materials is a critical part of session preparation. Forgetting essential tools like a token board or visual schedule likely reflects a failure to gather materials beforehand.

Practicing intervention techniques helps the RBT become confident and accurate in applying the procedures, ensuring the client receives high-quality instruction. Simply reading about the procedure is not enough to guarantee proper execution.

Seeking clarification or demonstration from the supervising BCBA ensures the RBT applies the intervention correctly. Improvising, skipping steps, or delaying teaching without guidance could lead to ineffective or inconsistent implementation.

Observing a model or receiving direct guidance from a supervisor ensures the RBT can perform the procedure accurately and confidently. This prevents errors and ensures the client receives consistent, effective teaching.

Creating a checklist helps the RBT stay organized and follow all parts of the plan accurately. Relying on memory or selective implementation risks skipping essential components, and it’s not appropriate to depend on the client or family for procedural reminders.

Positive reinforcement occurs when a desirable consequence, such as praise and a high-five, follows a behavior and increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again. The child cleans up more often because of the positive outcome.

Negative reinforcement happens when removing something unpleasant strengthens a behavior. In this case, removing the worksheet increases the student’s fidgeting behavior, making it a clear example of negative reinforcement.

Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior by removing something aversive or unpleasant. This increases the likelihood of the behavior happening again in the future. It is not the same as punishment or positive reinforcement.

Water satisfies a biological need and is naturally reinforcing, especially when someone is thirsty. Unlike stickers, tokens, or praise, water does not require learning or conditioning to be rewarding.

These items have no inherent value but gain their reinforcing power through association with other rewards. They are effective because they can be exchanged for items or experiences the person values.

Continuous reinforcement helps establish new behaviors by providing immediate and consistent reinforcement. Once the behavior is learned, reinforcement can be thinned to an intermittent schedule to maintain the behavior.

This situation demonstrates how reinforcement can unintentionally strengthen behaviors that occur right before the desired behavior, simply because they happen in close sequence. Even though the intention was to reinforce eating, the food-throwing was also reinforced due to its timing.

A contingency describes a clear relationship between behavior and consequence. The if-then structure in this statement makes the connection explicit, motivating the learner to complete the required task to gain the reinforcer.

Deprivation increases the motivational value of the reinforcer. When the child has not had the snack recently and feels hungry, the snack becomes more powerful in strengthening behavior.

Deliberately waiting before prompting gives the learner a chance to respond independently. This is a hallmark of time-delay prompting, which gradually encourages independent responding by delaying assistance.

Clear contingencies specify exactly what behavior earns the reward. This statement provides a direct and measurable link between completing the checklist and earning a specified number of tokens.

Relying on aversive procedures may produce short-term suppression of behavior but often comes with harmful side effects and fails to teach alternative, appropriate behaviors. This makes reinforcement-based strategies preferable in most cases.

Reinforcer effectiveness is highly personal. What works for one learner might have no effect on another. Recognizing individual preferences is key to choosing effective reinforcers.

DTT relies on structured teaching trials where the teacher controls the presentation of the instruction, observes the learner’s response, and immediately delivers a consequence. This structured approach builds learning in small, manageable steps.

DTT is highly structured and typically conducted in controlled environments to maximize focus and learning efficiency. Sessions are often table-based with the instructor leading the learning trials.

The SD, or discriminative stimulus, signals the availability of reinforcement for a specific response. It is the instruction or environmental cue that tells the learner what behavior to perform.

In this scenario, the praise and sticker are delivered after the learner’s correct response, making them positive consequences. This reinforcement increases the likelihood of the learner repeating the correct behavior in future trials.

The intertrial interval is the short pause between one trial ending and the next trial beginning. It helps to separate learning opportunities, ensuring each one starts clearly and independently.

Mass trials provide focused practice on one specific target, allowing the learner to gain fluency with that single response before introducing variations or other targets.

Repeating the same question several times in succession is massed trial practice. This technique helps strengthen the target behavior by providing consistent opportunities for practice and reinforcement.

Random rotation helps build discrimination skills by mixing targets in no particular order, preventing rote memorization of a sequence and promoting true understanding of each target.

This switching among various targets without a predictable pattern ensures the learner can accurately respond to different stimuli. It is a key feature of random rotation.

Block trials focus on one target repeatedly before switching to another target. This helps build fluency on each individual target before introducing variety or randomization.

Practicing different targets in separate, repeated blocks helps build confidence and accuracy with each before introducing variability. This structured progression supports skill acquisition.

Manding targets the development of requesting behaviors. It teaches learners to communicate their needs and wants, enhancing their ability to get desired items or actions appropriately.

Manding trials capitalize on the learner’s natural motivation by prompting appropriate communication before delivering the desired item. This builds functional communication skills while maintaining motivation.

Incidental teaching makes use of the learner’s interests and naturally occurring situations to promote learning. This method contrasts with structured approaches like discrete trial training and takes place in real-life contexts.

This is a classic use of natural motivation to create a teaching opportunity. By prompting the child to communicate their needs, the RBT integrates skill-building into a naturally occurring situation.

Incidental teaching occurs in real-life environments and relies on learner-initiated interactions. This helps promote generalization because skills are taught where they are most likely to be used.

This scenario shows the RBT using the learner’s natural interest as a teaching moment. It is a hallmark of naturalistic or incidental teaching, which builds skills in real-world contexts based on what engages the learner.

Because incidental teaching takes place in natural settings and uses learner motivation, it increases the likelihood that the skills learned will generalize to other environments and situations.

Behavior chains consist of linked steps where each step leads naturally to the next, ending with reinforcement. This makes them ideal for teaching complex, multi-step tasks.

Brushing teeth involves a series of related steps that must be completed in a specific order, making it a perfect example of a behavior chain.

Task analysis is the process of breaking down a complex task into smaller, teachable steps. This provides a clear instructional roadmap for chaining procedures.

A task analysis ensures that all the necessary steps are clearly identified and sequenced correctly, allowing the RBT to teach the skill systematically from start to finish.

Each step in a behavior chain sets the occasion for the next step by providing the natural cue or condition to move forward in the sequence until the task is completed.

Forward chaining teaches one step at a time starting from the beginning. After the learner masters the first step, the next step is introduced, building the sequence progressively toward independent completion.

Forward chaining involves teaching the first step first and building on that success by adding each subsequent step in order. This helps the learner build the skill gradually with support.

Backward chaining allows the learner to experience the completion of the task early in the teaching process, which can be especially motivating and reinforcing, particularly for those who may have difficulty with longer task sequences.

Backward chaining starts with teaching the last step first while the instructor performs the earlier steps. Once the final step is learned, the previous step is added, and the process continues until the learner can complete the entire sequence.

All provided examples demonstrate backward chaining. Each example starts with the final step of the task, allowing the learner to practice completing the task and experience the natural reinforcement associated with finishing.

This variation focuses on efficiency by allowing learners to skip steps they already know, directing instruction only at unmastered steps, while still following the backward chaining sequence.

Backward chaining with a leap ahead is designed to make instruction more efficient by assessing the learner’s skills and skipping steps they already perform independently, focusing teaching on the remaining steps.

Reverse chaining involves guiding the learner through the entire sequence, allowing them to perform the final step first. As mastery is achieved, additional earlier steps are added in reverse order.

In total task presentation, the learner is encouraged to attempt the full sequence each time. The RBT provides prompts where needed, ensuring the learner practices all steps rather than one step at a time.

Total task presentation allows the learner to attempt all steps in sequence on every attempt. The RBT provides support as needed but encourages independent completion of each step whenever possible.

Graduated guidance is a physical prompting strategy that allows the RBT to reduce support as the learner shows independence. This makes it a flexible method that promotes independent performance across all steps.

Shadowing allows the RBT to stay close enough to provide immediate support if the learner needs help but avoids unnecessary physical contact, promoting independent responding.

Discrimination training helps learners understand that certain responses are appropriate in specific situations but not others. This builds the ability to respond accurately based on environmental cues.

The child’s selective greeting behavior shows they have learned to respond based on who the person is, demonstrating stimulus control and discrimination between familiar and unfamiliar people.

The stimulus delta signals that reinforcement is not available, teaching the learner to avoid making a response in that context. This helps shape accurate discrimination between when behavior is and isn’t appropriate.

The blue card signals that touching it will not result in reinforcement, making it a stimulus delta. This helps the learner distinguish between correct and incorrect choices.

The cat picture signals that the response “dog” will not be reinforced, making it a stimulus delta in the context of teaching discrimination between dog and non-dog stimuli.

Familiarity with individual items makes it easier for learners to focus on the discrimination task itself, rather than being overwhelmed by unfamiliar stimuli. This helps them succeed when differentiating between known items.

Differential reinforcement strengthens the correct behavior by providing reinforcement only when the correct response occurs in the presence of the appropriate stimulus. This helps the learner distinguish correct from incorrect responses.

Building on initial successes by adding more stimuli helps broaden the learner’s discrimination skills. This gradual expansion supports deeper learning and prepares the learner for more complex tasks.

This shows the shifting of behavioral control from one specific cue (favorite teacher) to other similar cues (other teachers), which is the purpose of stimulus control transfer. The behavior itself remains the same, but the conditions under which it occurs expand.

These procedures are designed to help transfer the control of a behavior from a limited set of cues to more natural or general conditions. It is used when a learner can perform a behavior but only under specific circumstances.

Gradually transferring control by pairing the parent’s instruction with the familiar RBT’s instruction helps the learner adjust. Fading the RBT’s role ensures the learner responds to the parent independently.

Both techniques reduce reliance on prompts, allowing the learner to begin responding to the natural cue alone. This strengthens the independence of the learned behavior.

Fading the prompt while introducing the new cue allows the learner to transition from needing a direct prompt to responding to the intended question alone.

Stimulus prompts modify the environment or materials to highlight the correct choice, while response prompts involve actions taken directly on or toward the learner to guide their behavior.

Enlarging or highlighting the correct option changes the stimulus itself, making it more noticeable and likely to be selected. This is the definition of a stimulus prompt.

The key difference lies in whether the existing stimulus is altered or if something external is added to guide the response. Both are designed to increase the likelihood of a correct response.

The stamp is an added feature that draws attention to the correct choice. It doesn’t alter the hand itself but provides an extra cue, making it an extrastimulus prompt.

Response prompts are teacher-delivered cues that guide the learner’s actions, including spoken instructions, modeling actions, or physically helping the learner complete a task.

Response prompts are organized in a hierarchy from most to least intrusive. Physical prompting is most intrusive because it involves physically guiding the learner. This is followed by modeling the behavior, then providing gestural cues, using verbal prompts, and finally visual prompts, which are the least intrusive.

Full physical prompting involves fully guiding the learner’s movements to perform the correct response, ensuring success without requiring independent action from the learner.

Taking the learner’s hands and completing the motion for them is a full physical prompt because it involves direct, complete physical assistance to perform the behavior.

Partial physical prompts provide light, minimal physical support that starts the movement but allows the learner to complete it independently.

Modeling shows the correct behavior so the learner can imitate it. This approach helps learners visually understand the desired action before attempting it themselves.

Demonstrating the behavior while giving the verbal instruction allows the learner to see what the action looks like. This is a modeling prompt because it provides a live example to imitate.

Gestural prompts are non-verbal signals such as pointing, nodding, or other motions that direct the learner’s attention to the correct response without physically guiding them.

Eye gaze that directs attention to the correct choice is a subtle form of gestural prompting. It helps cue the learner without verbal or physical contact.

Verbal prompts involve using words or sounds to guide the learner toward the correct response. This could include stating the answer, giving hints, or offering verbal encouragement.

Visual prompts involve using pictures, symbols, or written words to support the learner in making the correct response.

The goal of prompt fading is to ensure that the learner becomes independent, responding correctly to natural cues without needing ongoing prompts.

This strategy gives the learner the opportunity to respond independently first and only adds more help when necessary, increasing the level of assistance step-by-step.

This is a textbook example of least-to-most prompting. The RBT starts with minimal support and gradually increases assistance only if the learner does not respond independently.

Most-to-least starts with maximum support to ensure success and prevent errors, gradually fading assistance to encourage independent performance.

This sequence shows a clear reduction in prompt intrusiveness over time, progressing from full physical support to modeling, which defines a most-to-least fading approach.

Errorless learning ensures that learners practice only the correct response by using immediate or strong prompts that prevent errors from occurring during the learning phase.

Errorless teaching involves preventing mistakes by providing immediate prompts. Over time, these prompts are faded to allow the learner to respond independently with confidence.

Stimulus fading gradually reduces exaggerated features of a stimulus that initially helped the learner respond correctly. This helps the learner continue to respond to the unaltered, natural stimulus.

The teacher faded the visual prompt (the highlight) over time while maintaining the child’s correct responding. This is stimulus fading, which supports long-term skill retention in natural conditions.

Time delay provides a brief pause after the instruction, allowing the learner to attempt the task on their own before receiving any assistance. This promotes independent responding.

Constant time delay always uses a set delay (e.g., 5 seconds) after initial 0-delay trials, while progressive time delay begins with a shorter delay (such as 1 second) and then increases gradually as the learner demonstrates independent responding.

In simultaneous prompting, the SD and prompt occur together on teaching trials to ensure correct performance, followed by separate test trials with only the SD to assess whether the learner has acquired the skill without support.

The procedure involves delivering the instruction and model prompt together during teaching trials (errorless learning) and using separate test trials without the model to determine if the child responds independently.

No-no prompting provides two opportunities for the learner to respond independently with neutral corrective feedback; if the response is still incorrect on the third attempt, a controlling prompt is used to guarantee a correct response.

This error-correction sequence offers two independent response attempts with brief feedback, then uses a prompt on the third trial so the learner ends with a successful response and reinforcement.

Error correction involves addressing incorrect responses by guiding the learner to the correct answer (through repetition and prompting) and ensuring they practice the correct response to prevent errors from being reinforced.

After an incorrect response, the RBT reintroduced the stimuli, provided a prompt for the correct response, reinforced it, and then conducted a transfer trial to confirm independent performance.

By providing stronger reinforcement for unprompted correct responses than for those requiring prompts, the learner is motivated to respond independently, as it becomes more rewarding to answer without assistance.

A transfer trial involves giving the same instruction again without a prompt immediately after a prompted trial to assess whether the learner can perform the response independently.

Generalization occurs when a behavior taught under specific conditions is emitted under different contexts, people, or stimuli without direct training in those new conditions.

Teaching the tooth-brushing routine in the clinic and observing the skill occurring at home with a different person and materials demonstrates stimulus generalization.

Response generalization occurs when teaching one behavior results in changes in other related behaviors that were not directly taught.

The appearance of hand-raising, a different but functionally equivalent behavior, after teaching “Excuse me” exemplifies response generalization.

Without deliberate steps—such as varying settings, materials, and instructors—a new skill often remains restricted to the teaching environment rather than appearing in natural contexts.

Training across diverse contexts, with various people and stimuli, helps ensure that the skill emerges in new situations outside of the original teaching setting.

Catching and reinforcing the behavior when it happens in new places or with different people helps strengthen the skill’s presence in those real-world situations. Ignoring these instances can lead to the behavior fading outside of training. Using only tokens or starting over in every environment is unnecessary if generalization is properly reinforced.

Involving different people and settings while practicing the skill helps ensure it applies in real life, not just in therapy. This is a proactive way to build generalization without overwhelming the learner or relying on punishment.

Teaching clients to ask for recognition or rewards when they perform skills helps them continue getting reinforcement even if others forget. This supports long-term use of the behavior. Simply rewarding themselves or relying on internal self-talk doesn’t fully address the concept.

Maintenance focuses on whether the learner continues using the skill after direct teaching or frequent reinforcement has ended. It is about lasting behavior change, not the management of materials or keeping someone in therapy longer than necessary.

The client continues to perform the skill long after teaching ended, showing strong maintenance. There is no indication of regression or the need for prompts, and chaining refers to teaching a sequence, not maintaining a single learned behavior.

Gradually moving to less frequent reinforcement while continuing occasional real-world reinforcement keeps the behavior strong. Stopping reinforcement suddenly or limiting practice to one setting increases the risk of the skill fading.

Shaping uses positive reinforcement for small improvements toward the goal, gradually shifting the standard until the final behavior is reached. It does not rely on punishment, physical molding, or visual tools to achieve the shaping process.

This method of rewarding progressively clearer versions of the word is shaping. It helps the child get closer to the target sound over time. The process described is not related to prompt fading, discrimination between different stimuli, or breaking down a task into steps.

As the learner gets closer to the goal, earlier versions of the behavior stop being reinforced so the learner moves on to better approximations. This helps refine the behavior without using punishment or attempting to erase earlier learning.

Shaping across response topographies involves changing to entirely different behaviors, while shaping within a response topography refines qualities of the same behavior. This distinction helps target different learning needs.

Since the behavior of speaking remains the same, but the volume increases, this is shaping within the same type of response. There is no change to a different behavior, nor is this prompt fading or chaining.

The behavior stays the same but the degree of independence improves. This gradual increase reflects shaping within the same action, not switching to a new behavior or applying punishment.

Token systems reward desired behaviors with tokens that can later be exchanged for real reinforcers. This structured system encourages consistent behavior without relying solely on immediate rewards.

The stars serve as tokens that gain value through their association with a backup reinforcer like playtime. This makes them conditioned reinforcers, not inherently rewarding on their own.

While making tokens attractive to the learner is helpful, the specific design or appearance is not a required element for a token economy to function properly. What matters is defining behaviors, reinforcement schedules, and exchange rates.

In the early stages of a token economy, providing frequent access to reinforcement by keeping the token requirement low helps the learner quickly experience success. This builds the association between tokens and rewards, keeping the learner engaged and motivated.

Introducing a response cost allows for the removal of tokens when a learner engages in unwanted behavior, reducing the likelihood of that behavior continuing. This technique helps balance reinforcement with gentle, planned consequences.

Removing a token following inappropriate behavior is a negative punishment strategy. It reduces the behavior by taking away something the learner values, making it less likely to occur in the future.

The long-term goal of any reinforcement system is to build lasting behavior that does not rely on artificial systems like tokens. Phasing out tokens and increasing natural reinforcement helps the learner maintain behaviors in real-world settings.

Ethical use of token economies emphasizes rewarding positive behaviors, ensuring the learner understands the system, and making sure rewards are meaningful. Harsh or manipulative practices, such as withholding basic needs or being unclear, are not acceptable.

Tokens gain their value through consistent pairing with real rewards. By repeatedly giving a token and immediately providing a preferred item or activity, the learner begins to understand the token represents something desirable.

Generalized conditioned reinforcers like money or tokens have value across many situations because they can be exchanged for a wide range of backup reinforcers. This makes them powerful motivators under many different conditions.

Money holds value because it can be traded for countless items and services. Its flexibility and broad appeal make it an excellent example of a generalized conditioned reinforcer.

Tokens gain reinforcing value only when they are consistently paired with items or activities the learner already enjoys. Without this pairing process, tokens remain meaningless.

Backup reinforcers are the real rewards the learner ultimately works for by earning tokens. These are what give tokens their motivational power.

Keeping the time short between earning and exchanging tokens helps strengthen the link between the behavior and the reward. Long delays can weaken this connection and reduce motivation.

Starting with a smaller requirement helps the learner experience success early. Once they understand how the system works and are motivated, the expectations can gradually increase to the full intended requirement.

Token economies are most effective when targeting clearly defined, observable behaviors that align with the learner’s goals. Vague or unspecified behaviors lead to confusion and inconsistency.

Stating the behavior and the consequence helps the learner understand what is expected and what they will earn for doing it. This clarity increases the effectiveness of the system.

If learners hoard tokens, increasing the appeal of the backup reinforcers or implementing a rule about token limits can encourage them to exchange tokens and keep the system working effectively.

Making the system clear and engaging by explaining it and giving the learner input increases their motivation and understanding, setting the token economy up for success.

Combining social praise with token delivery helps build the value of both. Over time, social praise can maintain the behavior even if tokens are no longer provided, supporting long-term success.

A token economy works only if the client wants what the tokens can buy. Identifying preferred items or activities and adjusting when preferences change keeps the system effective and meaningful.

Gradual fading keeps the behavior going while reducing reliance on tokens. By making reinforcement less frequent and adding natural social reinforcement, the learner builds independence.

Shifting from continuous to intermittent reinforcement strengthens the behavior by making it more persistent. This helps ensure the behavior continues even when reinforcement isn’t provided every time.

RBTs play an important role in monitoring and reporting progress. If the plan isn’t producing the expected results or implementation challenges arise, they should notify the BCBA so adjustments can be made as needed.

When the client isn’t improving despite faithful implementation, the BCBA should review and adjust the plan. RBTs are responsible for implementing, not redesigning, the plan.

The RBT should maintain the integrity of the current plan while ensuring the parent’s suggestion is heard and communicated to the BCBA for professional evaluation.

Collaboration with others who interact with the client promotes generalization. The RBT can offer appropriate guidance or involve the BCBA for more formal planning.

If the materials seem to cause distress, the RBT should communicate this to the BCBA. Together, they can explore alternatives or adjustments while maintaining professional oversight.

The RBT should rely on verified information and follow the plan as written. If anything is unclear, it’s best to clarify with the BCBA before attempting something outside of their scope.

The child applying learned skills across different environments without retraining demonstrates successful generalization.

Varying teaching conditions and incorporating familiar stimuli from other environments helps promote generalization beyond the original training context.

The client’s independent use of the skill with minimal reinforcement indicates successful maintenance and natural integration into daily routines.

Spontaneous use of learned skills in real-world contexts should be recognized and reinforced to encourage the behavior’s future occurrence.

Without planning for long-term maintenance, there is a risk that the client stops using the skill once direct teaching or reinforcement ends, leading to skill loss over time.

RBTs must implement plans as directed and report to the BCBA if adjustments are needed. Making changes without supervision is beyond their role.

Accurate implementation ensures that collected data reflects the true effectiveness of the plan. Without fidelity, progress evaluations may be misleading.

Open communication with the BCBA allows for additional training or adjustments to support correct implementation.

BST follows a structured approach involving explanation, demonstration, practice, and feedback to ensure the RBT gains confidence and accuracy in the new skill.

When generalization needs refinement, the BCBA can adjust the program to teach appropriate boundaries while preserving the positive behavior.

Teaching appropriate ways to request breaks helps replace problem behaviors with constructive communication while maintaining task expectations.

Professional documentation should describe observable behavior factually and without judgment, ensuring clarity and objectivity.

Respecting cultural differences while working toward skill goals helps ensure family support and relevance of interventions.

Task analysis breaks complex tasks into teachable steps, allowing the RBT to systematically build the client’s independence.

Data provides the factual basis for making informed treatment decisions, ensuring the client receives effective and appropriate interventions.

After mastery is demonstrated, it’s appropriate to either advance to new goals or focus on maintaining and generalizing the learned skill.

Coordinating efforts across environments and using consistent tools and strategies help the client generalize the skill effectively.

Information about problem behavior functions belongs in a behavior reduction plan, while a skill acquisition plan focuses on teaching desired skills.

A skill deficit refers to a gap in the client’s abilities that the intervention seeks to address through teaching and practice.

This statement defines the performance level needed before considering the skill mastered, describing both accuracy and consistency across days.

Once a skill is mastered, the next steps are typically determined by the BCBA’s instructions, such as moving on to maintenance or beginning new targets.

Maintenance schedules involve occasional practice and reinforcement to keep the learned skills strong and functional over time.

Practicing the skill with peers in natural settings helps maintain it over time while promoting generalization beyond therapy sessions.

Giving directions in language the learner understands helps ensure they comprehend and follow through without confusion.

Preparation ensures the RBT is ready to execute the session effectively, minimizing disruptions and supporting fidelity to the plan.

Following the plan means continuing to gather data until mastery criteria are consistently met on the required number of days.

Regardless of how informal the teaching seems, data collection is essential for tracking whether the client is progressing toward their goals.

Creating motivation by controlling access to preferred items encourages the learner to communicate or request them appropriately.

Reinforcing early, imperfect attempts helps shape the skill over time while keeping the learner motivated to try.

Collaborating with the BCBA to create a home generalization plan supports skill transfer to the child’s natural environment.

Real success is when the learner consistently uses the skill where it matters—in everyday life, not just in sessions.

Practicing in varied environments with different materials helps ensure the learner can apply the skill across real-world situations.

Increasing spontaneous mands is a measurable and observable behavior, making it an appropriate skill acquisition target.

This definition provides observable conditions and expected behavior, making it measurable and practical for teaching.

The plan should provide detailed steps for setting up, teaching, reinforcing, and measuring success to ensure the skill is taught effectively.

The skill acquisition plan turns theoretical knowledge from the Task List into specific, actionable strategies tailored to the client’s learning needs.