Teaching Reciprocal Tacting to Children With Autism

Koldas et al. (2025) taught three children with autism to play a back-and-forth labeling game. The adult would hold up a toy and say, “What is it?” The child answered, then the adult asked, “What do you see?” The child labeled again.

Each child got short tabletop trials. Correct answers earned stickers. The team tracked if the kids kept the game going in a new playroom with new toys.

All three children learned the two-step labeling routine. They answered both questions in a row without prompts.

Later, in a different room with different toys, they still took turns labeling. The skill stuck without extra teaching.

Welsh et al. (2019) also taught turn-taking labels, but used play-based cues instead of table drills. Both studies show kids can generalize the skill, so you can pick either style.

Schroeder et al. (2014) found that straight tact training often creates untrained listener responses. Koldas adds the next step: kids can chain two tacts back-to-back during a social game.

Aman et al. (1987) taught sign phrases to non-verbal children. Koldas updates that work by showing verbal children can swap spoken labels in real time.

If a child can already name items but stalls in conversation, try a quick two-step DTT script. Ask “What is it?” then “What do you see?” Reinforce each round. After a few short sessions, test the routine during play with new toys. You may get smooth back-and-forth labeling without extra prompts.