Jack Michael’s Contributions to the Treatment of Autism

Sundberg and colleagues wrote a tribute to Jack Michael. They traced how his teaching shaped ABA language work with kids who have autism.

The paper is a narrative review, not a new experiment. It gathers stories and concepts Michael shared across five decades.

Michael’s big idea: use Skinner’s verbal operants as your road map. Labeling, asking, answering—each is a separate skill to teach.

He urged clinicians to keep terms straight. If you mix up “mand” and “tact,” your program drifts and kids stall.

Green et al. (1987) put Michael’s map into action. They left the table and taught language during play. Kids learned more and used it widely.

Maltz (1981) warned that early operant studies lacked controls. Michael’s push for clear labels answers that critique. Tight definitions make data cleaner.

Normand et al. (2022) asked if fancy ABA words scare parents. They found jargon does not hurt acceptability. Michael’s precise terms are safe to keep.

When you write a program, list each verbal operant you want to teach. Start with mands the child can already use. Build tacts, intraverbals, and echoics one at a time. Share the plain-English reason with parents, but keep the technical term in your notes. This habit keeps your team aligned and your data honest.