A Comparison of Procedures for Teaching Receptive Labeling of Sight Words to a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Grow et al. (2017) compared two ways to teach a preschooler with autism to point to the correct sight word when hearing its name. One method started with conditional-only trials: the child heard “cat” and immediately picked from three written words. The other method added simple pre-steps first: the child practiced matching the written word to a picture of a cat before the conditional task.

The team used an alternating-treatments design. Each method was run in separate, rapidly rotated sessions until the child hit mastery on a set of words.

The conditional-only route won. The child reached mastery in fewer sessions when they skipped the picture-matching warm-ups. Both methods eventually worked, but the straight-to-conditional path saved time.

WMruzek et al. (2019) later kept the same conditional-only format and layered in echoic and identity-match prompts. Their preschoolers with autism also learned fast, and some even began saying the words without direct training. The 2017 study set the lean baseline; the 2019 paper shows you can add prompts and still keep the speed.

Vedora et al. (2016) looks like a mirror image: they used picture prompts plus prompt delay to teach receptive labels to teenagers with autism. Their method worked too, yet Grow’s preschooler learned faster without any pictures. The age gap explains the twist—little kids may not need the extra visual scaffold.

Garvey et al. (2022) tweaked stimulus placement instead of sequence. They compared keeping pictures in-view versus out-of-view during receptive-label DTT. In-view was quicker, echoing Grow’s finding that leaner, more direct setups can cut sessions.

If you run sight-word programs for young children with autism, start with conditional-only trials. You risk fewer sessions and still get mastery. Hold the picture prompts in reserve for older learners or anyone who stalls. Track data session-by-session; if progress flatlines, then add the extra steps.