Ms. Jones decided to focus on setting generalization. Dylan needed to put on a bra at the beginning of the school day and wear it for all class periods. 

Ms. Jones operationally defined one objective to determine generalization had been effective. Because not wearing a bra had significant social implications, Ms. Jones set her criteria higher for this objective:

• Throughout the school day, Dylan will wear a bra under her clothes for 7/7 class periods for five consecutive school days.

Although Ms. Jones knew that social skills were often effectively taught in small group settings, she decided the most dignifying setting for this sensitive instruction would be 1-1. Dylan received 50 minutes of instruction in the resource room each day. Sometimes, Ms. Jones would work with Dylan in small groups for academic or social skills instruction, but she also pulled Dylan for 1-1 work for more intensive skills. Ms. Jones decided to use a social narrative to provide explicit instruction for putting on a bra and wearing a bra during appropriate activities.

• Instructional Setting: 1-1
• Instructional Method: Social Narrative

• Generalization Tactic: Train others to prompt and reinforce
• Support Strategy: Visual supports

Ms. Jones’s Lesson on “Planning Actions to Manage Appearance”

Developing the Social Narrative and Visual Supports

Ms. Jones prepared for the lesson by creating the social narrative and visual supports for task analysis. The visual supports were line drawings and included steps for putting on both a traditional bra and a pull-on sports bra. The social narrative explained when and why wearing a bra was important. It also emphasized that although some people prefer not wearing bras, wearing a bra should never be uncomfortable or painful, and Dylan should talk to a trusted family member if her bra is bothering her. The narrative specified that wearing a bra at home with family was not important, and Dylan could choose to wear or not wear a bra in these circumstances.

Carrying Out the 1-1 Instruction

During 1-1 instruction, Ms. Jones first reviewed the social narrative with Dylan. Ms. Jones checked for understanding throughout the narrative. After they read the social narrative, they made a list of places where wearing a bra was necessary and where wearing a bra was not necessary. 

When Dylan demonstrated understanding of when wearing a bra was appropriate, Ms. Jones decided to review the visual schedule and task analysis for wearing a bra. Ms. Jones decided to borrow a CPR dummy from the health class teacher because it would be inappropriate for Dylan to practice putting a bra on her own body at school. Ms. Jones reviewed the visual schedule and task analysis, and demonstrated putting a bra on the dummy. She showed Dylan the appropriate placement and explained how putting a bra on her own body would be slightly different. 

Finally, Dylan practiced following the visual schedule and putting a bra on the dummy independently. Ms. Jones provided several copies of the visual schedule for Dylan to take home and use as guidance during dressing / undressing.

Recruiting Support from the Paraprofessional

After the lesson, Ms. Jones met with Dylan’s paraprofessional, Ms. Ashley, to train her to prompt and reinforce Dylan. Ms. Jones explained that Dylan had learned when to wear a bra and how to put on a bra appropriately. She told Ms. Ashley that she should provide token reinforcement for each class period during which Dylan wore a bra. Ms. Jones also knew that Dylan was honest when describing her past behavior, even when she had done something she shouldn’t have. Dylan was unlikely to remove her bra during the school day unless she attended gym class, so Ms. Jones told Ms. Ashley that she should discreetly ask Dylan if she was wearing a bra during the first class period and after gym class. If Dylan reported she was wearing a bra, Ms. Ashley could provide token reinforcement for subsequent class periods.