Teaching a Child to Request Verbally

The ability to communicate to meet basic needs is an essential skill for our students, and requesting skills must remain at the forefront of all our sessions and goals until our students progress in their communication abilities. Verbal requesting is an important skill from beginner to advanced learning stages. It is a fundamental topic in direct instruction, natural environment teaching (NET), and play.

When a child cannot request, many negative behaviors occur because their needs are not being met. By working to enhance their communication abilities, we also indirectly reduce negative behaviors, which is another positive outcome.

There are several methods of requesting, and we want our students to have multiple ways to ask for things, whether by pointing, nodding their head (yes/no), or using pictures, signs, as well as words. Throughout this article, we will address verbal requesting.

At the basic level, verbal requesting involves asking for preferred items and activities.

We might begin by teaching an early learner to say "bubbles" when they want bubbles, or "push" when they want to be pushed on a swing. At this level, reinforcement is immediate: as soon as they say the word, they receive what they want. As the child progresses, we set goals such as "requesting attention" or "requesting help". We want our students to ask for "help" spontaneously when they need it, and also to be able to say "no" or "stop that" when they do not want something. At this level, reinforcement can be integrated more fully into the activity. For example, if they want to play with blocks, they might have to ask you for help building them.

So how do we begin teaching requesting?

We want to use errorless learning to enable the learner to succeed, allowing the child to succeed in their request as much as possible and to see the result immediately so they realize the value of using their words. After that, we expand their requesting method to build greater independence and spontaneity in the child.

Echoic Training Method (Using Picture Prompts)

With a beginner learner who is learning to use words, the echoic training method (using picture prompts) is one way to start. In this method, the learner only needs to repeat after seeing the model to gain access to the reinforcer. If the child repeats "chips" after the teacher's model, the child gets the chips.

Teacher: Establish motivation—for example, eat chips next to the child

Child: Indicates that they want it (by pointing, saying a word, etc.)

Teacher: Clarifies the target item + says the target phrase ("chips")

Child: Repeats ("chips")

Teacher: The learner gets what they requested

Imitation-to-Requesting Method (Using Picture Prompts)

After mastering the echoic method, we want to transition to verbal requesting. More clearly, verbal requesting is when the child wants something (e.g., is thirsty) and is able to request it (e.g., asks for water).

How can we teach the child to respond to their motivation? We want to use the echoic method, but then transition to verbal requesting. In the  imitation-to-verbal-requesting method, a verbal model is provided and the child repeats it. However, instead of delivering reinforcement immediately after the repetition, there is a transfer trial (Transfer trial) in between ("Uh-huh, what do you want?") so that the learner requests on their own rather than merely repeating the model.

Teacher: Establish motivation—for example, eat chips next to the learner

Child: Indicates that they want it (by pointing, saying a word, etc.)

Teacher: Clarifies the target item + says the target phrase ("chips")

Child: Repeats the phrase ("chips")

Teacher: (Transfer stage) - What do you want? with the requested item present

Child: ("Chips")

Teacher: The learner gets what they requested

Imitation-to-Requesting Method (Without Picture Prompts)

Once the child masters the imitation-to-verbal-requesting method using pictures, the initial prompt can be faded so that the child responds more to the motivation than to the prompt. When the learner repeats (or names the picture), use a transfer trial to transfer stimulus control from the prompt to the motivation itself.

Teacher: Establish motivation—for example, eat chips next to the learner

Child: Indicates that they want it (by pointing, saying a word, etc.)

Teacher: Fade the visual or verbal stimulus—provide a simple prompt (visually or verbally)

Child: ("Chips")

Teacher: (Transfer stage) - What do you want? without the requested item present

Child: ("Chips")

Teacher: The learner gets what they requested

Expanding the Verbal Requesting Method

Now we want to be able to transfer complete stimulus control from a verbal prompt or picture to motivation alone. This is an important step because we are not helping our students if they always require someone to help them or remind them what to request. True independence in the environment requires the ability to request spontaneously. Genuine verbal requesting is when a child is able to request something based on motivation. After that, you can work on expanding the verbal requesting method. If a child is able to say "bubbles" to request bubbles, you can expand that to "blow bubbles".

Teacher: Establish motivation—for example, eat chips next to the child

Child: Indicates that they want them by saying the phrase "chips"

Teacher: Expands the phrase with another word, better grammar, etc.: "I want chips"

Child: Repeats the phrase

Teacher: (Transition stage) - What do you want?

Child: Requests again: "I want chips"

Teacher: The learner gets what they requested

Adapted translation

Originally published in Arabic. This English version was produced with AI-assisted translation; the Arabic original remains the reference.