Young cartoon boy holding a dog

Role Play

  • If you are working with a professional, role play with that person first before you role play with your child. This helps you think through the process, and adjust as necessary.
  • Make changes in how you will work out your intervention plan, then role play with your child.

Examples of How to Teach New Alternative Competing Behaviors

  • Visual Task Folders
  • Social Stories

Visual Task Folders

  1. Divide the new alternative competing behavior into 2-4 steps.
  2. Take photographs of the child completing each step of the new alternative competing behavior. Photographs may work best for children who do not yet read. Place piece of Velcro on each photograph
  3. Attach strip of Velcro to file folder.
  4. Create a "Done" pocket on the file, so your child can place the photograph in the pocket when the task is finished.

Social Stories

  1. Describe where the situation happens and who is there.
  2. Explain in 1-2 simple steps how to do the new alternative competing behavior.
  3. Express feelings of those around your child, as well as your child's feelings when doing the new competing behavior.