Achieving Vocal Imitation and Echoic Control in Kids with Autism

Today is all about how to get echoic control to enable kids to talk or talk more. I see a constant struggle with parents and professionals who report that their kids have “pop out words”—words here and there—but they can’t get them to talk consistently or expand their speech. So today I’m covering five tips to get echoic control. Hi, I’m Dr. Mary Barbera, autism mom, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and bestselling author of The Verbal Behavior Approach. Each week I share tips and ideas for turning autism or signs of autism around, so if you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube channel, you can do that now. Pop-Out Words and Regression Like I said in the intro, many kids have pop-out words. Some say words every day, while others say words only once a week or even once a month. If there’s autism regression, as in my son Lucas’ case, children may lose words they once had. Back then, I didn’t know how to get his words back or how to restart his speech. Over the past two decades, I’ve developed better procedures that are helping kids start talking—sometimes within hours, days, or weeks—through my online courses and community. One grandmother recently shared a video of her grandson saying “apple” for the first time after two weeks in my toddler course, despite being completely nonverbal beforehand. These breakthroughs remind me that while progress isn’t a race, echoic control can open the floodgates for communication. What is Echoic Control? Echoic control means that when I say something—a word, a sound, or a phrase—the child repeats it either exactly or close enough. If I say “apple” and the child says “apple” or a close approximation, that’s an echo. Sometimes the term “control” worries people, but this isn’t about forcing language. It’s about helping kids learn the natural way—listening, repeating, and gradually combining words. For children with autism, signs of autism, or regression, establishing echoic control early is critical. Once achieved, it often leads to rapid growth in communication skills. Lessons from Early Clients I became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2003 and worked for years with the Verbal Behavior Project in Pennsylvania schools, as well as with private clients. Some of my first clients, like Daniel, Mia, and Curt, taught me invaluable lessons. With them, it sometimes took months—or in Daniel’s case, over a year—to establish echoic control. Now, after refining methods with many families, I see faster, more reliable results. I’m grateful to those early families who stuck with me while I developed and fine-tuned these strategies. Five Tips to Get Echoic Control 1. Use Early Learner Materials (Multiply Controlled Procedures) I now focus on combining operants—requests (mands), labeling (tacts), echoics, and listener responding—using simple, structured programs like the Shoe Box Program, Potato Head, puzzles, and matching. For example, with the Shoe Box Program, you print large 4×6 photos of familiar people, pets, or favorite items (two copies each). Sit diagonally from the child, hold up one picture, and say the word up to three times in an animated way as you move the picture closer. Then hand it to the child to place in the box. This combines reinforcement, language, and play, creating hundreds of opportunities for language learning in a short time. This is much more effective than the old method of simply saying, “Say ball,” and waiting, because you can’t make a child say anything. The multiple-control approach keeps sessions fun and productive. 2. Mix It Up and Keep It Fun If the child participates but still isn’t echoing, vary the routine. Instead of saying the word three times, say it once or four times. Try covering the picture and revealing it again. Place items in a bag to create surprise. These playful “sabotages” can spark motivation and encourage vocal imitation. 3. Use Song Fill-Ins Songs can be powerful for kids, especially when paired with visuals. Leave off the last word of a familiar song: Twinkle, twinkle little … (pause for “star”) Five little ducks went out one … (pause for “day”) Children often fill in missing words during songs even if they don’t yet echo in other contexts. This can sometimes come before echoic control and be used to help develop it. 4. Try Video Modeling Video modeling is an evidence-based strategy that works well for language and play skills. I once had a client, Curt, who was stuck at about 10 words in two hours despite months of therapy. When I left him with simple videos of me labeling body parts and singing songs, his vocabulary jumped from 10 words to 100 words in a single session after watching the videos. Since then, I’ve used video modeling widely—recording myself labeling pictures, singing, or writing letters on a Magna Doodle. Kids often respond strongly to these videos, and parents can easily create their own tailored to their child’s interests. 5. Complete a VB-MAPP Assessment If echoic control still isn’t happening—or even if it is—the next step is deeper assessment. The VB-MAPP (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program) helps pinpoint language gaps and guides the next steps. Even children with some words may not be on track to become conversational, so assessment is crucial for designing effective teaching plans. The five strategies for gaining echoic control are: Use early learner programs like Shoe Box, Potato Head, puzzles, and matching. Vary routines to keep sessions playful and motivating. Incorporate song fill-ins. Use video modeling tailored to your child’s interests. Conduct a VB-MAPP assessment to guide next steps. If you’d like to learn how to apply these strategies step by step, as well as how to teach colors, academics, self-care, and manage problem behaviors, I invite you to attend my free workshop at marybarbera.com/workshop. Echoic control often opens the door to communication, but even if progress is slower, there’s always a next step. With the right tools and persistence, children can make major gains.