1. General Guidelines for Activities of Daily Living
Activities of Daily Living include toileting, arrival, departure, hand washing, and snack.
When conducting the ADL procedures it is important to follow the procedures as written.
1. State SD (e.g., “Go wash your hands.”)
2. Wait 3 seconds for child to perform the task independently.
3. Deliver verbal prompt (e.g., “Water on.”)
4. Wait 3 seconds for child to perform.
5. Deliver gestural prompt (e.g., point to faucet handle)
6. Wait 3 seconds for child to perform.
7. Deliver partial physical prompt (e.g., nudge child’s wrist)
8. Wait 3 seconds for child to perform.
9. Deliver full physical prompt (i.e., guide child to respond)
Prompting during ADL Procedures (handwashing, arrival, departure)
o Guide your student as little as possible. We are trying to increase the
children’s independence as much as possible.
o Ensure that your child is attending.
o If your child starts to get off task or isn’t making the correct response
within 3 seconds, give a verbal prompt. (i.e. “Johnny, water on.”)
o If the child still doesn’t respond within 3 seconds, try a gestural prompt.
(i.e. model the response or point to the operandum).
o If the child does not respond within 3 seconds, the next step is a partial
physical prompt. (i.e. tap the child’s elbow to guide him/her to turn on the
water).
o The last resort after another 3 seconds is a full physical prompt. (i.e. move
the child’s body to make the response).
o Reinforce each step of the ADL procedures heavily, even on prompted
responses. Note: this is different from the Discrete Trials run in the
booth. At the end of the procedure reinforce the behavior with a tangible
reinforcer from your reinforcer belt or give something special (e.g., a big
hug) to your child.
Arrival/departure
o When arriving at school, the children need to take off their coats, maybe
change shoes, take their notebook out of their bags, and hang everything in
their cubbies.
o When departing, they need to do the same steps in reverse order
o The prompt hierarchy may not always be implemented for
arrival/departure, depending on the amount of time you have and the
number of people in the coat room.
Toileting
o For some of you, this is your first time to change diapers or deal with toilet
2. training. Don’t get nervous, it’s really not that difficult.
o Each child is toileted according to their schedule and may be in some
stage of toilet training, such as learning to request the toilet, learning to go
in the toilet, etc.
o For toileting we do NOT follow the prompt hierarchy, we try to get the
kids in and out as quickly as possible. You will become familiar with
your child’s toileting abilities and what they can do independently.
o Each child has a bin in the bathroom cupboard with their name on it and a
supply of diapers.
o Dealing with bowel movement:
Get your TA.
Wear gloves.
Put diapers in a plastic trash bag along with your gloves and the
wipes before throwing them away.
o If your child is dry there is no need to change their diaper, just
prompt the child to pull up his/her pants.
o On the inside of the bathroom door, there is are magnets with each child’s
name of them. If your child is low on diapers, put the magnet on the
outside of the bathroom door. This notifies the staff that the child needs
more diapers.
o If a child soils their clothes or gets wet washing their hands, inform a TA
or classroom staff and change them. We will get you extra clothes for the
kids. Put their soiled clothes in a plastic bag and then put it in their book
bag. Do not leave it in the bathroom.
o If soiled clothes get on the floor during toileting, inform the classroom
staff, the classroom teacher or your TA so it can be sterilized.
o If you notice anything unusual, such as a rash, please inform your TA.