Table 2.
Examples of language interventions in the PRT group
| Targeted skills | Examples |
|---|---|
| Mand | |
| Task 1: Verbally initiate four requests with language prompts | The therapist demonstrated soap bubbles and other items to the child. When the child stared at the bubbles, the therapist asked, “What do you want?” The child answered, “bubbles”. Bubbles were then given to the child |
| Task 2: Spontaneously verbally initiate five items in 1 hour | Without any prompts from the therapist, the child said “slide”. The child would then be allowed to ride a slide |
| Task 3: Verbally initiate eight requests with or without language prompts | The child said “push”, and the therapist would then push the swing. The therapist might ask, “What do you want?” as a prompt for the request from the child |
| Tact | |
| Task 1: Name the reinforcing stimuli through imitation, with 90% agreement | The therapist and child read the names of everyday items on picture cards. Once the child repeated the names with or after the therapist pronounced the names, the therapist would then pass the picture cards to them and say, “You are right!” |
| Task 2: Independently name four items in one hour | The child independently named items in a book, such as a watermelon, a door, etc. The therapist might provide a prompt, such as, “What is this?” If the child named the item correctly, the therapist would praise and repeat their answers (e.g., “You are right! This is a watermelon.”) |
| Task 3: Spontaneously name ten items | Without any prompts from the therapist, the child named 10 items based on their interest during play. If the child named the items correctly, the therapist would pass the items to the child |
| Task 4: Name 25 items when others ask, “what is this?” | The therapist pointed to a picture card and asked, “What is it?” The child named the item in the picture correctly. If the child named the item correctly, the therapist would pass the cards to the child. Once the child has consistently named the items correctly, the therapist would say, “You are right!” without passing the cards |
| Task 5: Independently name five actions | When the therapist instructed the child to do some exercise with music, the child independently named an action. Once the child named the action, the therapist would do the action with the child |
| Echoic | |
| Task 1: Repeat nouns with 90% agreement | The therapist played a game of cutting fruits with the child and encouraged the child to imitate pronouncing the word “apple”, “banana”, “knife”, etc. If the child pronounced the words correctly, the therapist would then pass the named toys to the child |
| Task 2: Repeat phrases (noun + verb) with 90% agreement | In the fruit cutting game, the therapist said, “cutting a watermelon” and prompted the child to repeat. If the child repeated the phrase, the therapist would show cutting watermelon or cut the watermelon with the child |
| Task 3: Repeat short sentences | Based on the child’s interest, the therapist chose a suitable music video. Whilst watching the music video, the therapist said some short sentences based on the rhythm of the music and prompted the child to repeat. If the child repeated, the therapist would then demonstrate the named actions |
| Listener responding | |
| Task 1: Respond to their name five times | When the therapist called the child’s name, the child looked at the therapist. Once the child looked at the therapist, the therapist would hug the child |
| Task 2: Complete six gross motor movements according to other’s verbal instructions | During exercise time, the child could complete a gross motor movement following the verbal instruction of the therapist. The movement need not be perfect. If the child showed the correct movement, the therapist would play the movement-related games with the child |
| Task 3: Identify 20 items from pairs of four following others’ verbal instructions | The therapist provided four items to the child during play. The child could identify the item based on the verbal instruction of the therapist. If the child correctly identified the items, the therapist would then pass the items to the child |
The task difficulty increased with the task number. The commencing and concluding tasks were tailored to each child’s verbal and learning abilities