The Use of Partial Textual Stimuli within an Interactive Task for Increasing Reports of Past Behavior with a Child with Autism

One child with autism took part in three brand-new play tasks. After each task the team asked, 'What did you just do?'

During the first task no help was given. In the next two tasks the adult showed small written word cards while asking. The cards held only part of the answer, like the word 'blocks' after a block tower game.

The child gave almost no clear answers in the first, no-help task. When the partial word cards appeared, correct past-behavior reports rose right away.

The gains held across two more new games, showing the cue, not the game itself, made the change.

Peters et al. (2013) saw a similar jump in child language when they used an iPad story with toy dialogue. Both studies slip prompts inside a fun task and end up with more child talk.

GBrodhead et al. (2019) also used prompting and fading, but they aimed for many different answers to one question. McWilliams keeps the question the same and helps the child recall a single past event. The two papers show different pay-offs from the same tool kit.

Shams et al. (2025) got strong expressive gains with daily story chats, no written words needed. The new study adds a quick, low-prep option: just hold up a keyword card when memory fails.

Many kids with autism can do an activity yet draw a blank when asked, 'What did we do?' A small card with one keyword may unlock that memory. You can make the cards on the spot with a dry-erase marker. Try it after art, cooking, or a walk. One prompt per activity is enough; fade it as the child starts to answer on their own.