A Quick Assessment for an Intermediate Learner with Autism
Dr. Mary Barbera
The term “Intermediate Learner” is very subjective and in the ABA/VB field, this usually indicates that the manding, tacting and intraverbal areas on the ABLLS or VB-MAPP are not well developed. While the intermediate learner can mand for basic items and some actions, he or she is usually weak at manding for attention and information. Basic tacts are solid and the child may have hundreds of tacts but usually has difficulty tacting features, functions, actions, prepositions and more abstract concepts. In addition, intraverbals (answering questions with no visuals) are extremely weak. Basically an intermediate learner is usually able to talk but unable to hold a conversation.
My son, Lucas, has been an intermediate learner for several years. At this point many would consider Lucas to be at the cusp of an advanced learner in some areas but most of the years since we’ve implemented ABA, my son has been at the intermediate learner level. Programming for intermediate learners, therefore, has always been an issue of great importance to me.
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