Executive Function Category: Motivation

Purpose: Use of a first, then template will help a student be motivated to complete the assigned task in order to earn time doing a task he/she enjoys.

Learning Goal: The student will use a FIRST,THEN template to structure the completion of a task.

Materials: First, Then template (see example below)

Lesson Steps:

1. Download or create a First, Then template or chart. It can be very simply, 2 boxes drawn on a piece of paper with the word "First" written in the left box and the word "Then" written in the right box.

2. Explain to your student that you will be using this board to help them complete the necessary activity. This can be used for school work, chores, or really any task your child needs to complete.

3. Write a word or draw or find a picture to represent what you want your student to do first. In the example above, the student is going to complete math problems.

4. Write a word or draw or find a picture to represent what your student gets to do after completing the task in the 'First' box and place it in the 'Then' box. Typically, this is an activity or task that the student wants to do and enjoys doing. It may be what he or she prefers to do rather than the task in the 'first' box.

5. Next, you will point to the word or picture in the 'First' box and then the word or picture in the 'Then' box and say, "First math, then computer."

6. Typically this works best if you have a non-preferred activity followed by a preferred activity. You can adjust the length of time based on your student's individual needs.

7. You can practice with very simple tasks followed by highly preferred items to get the student to understand the concept. Many students use this strategy in school to help find success.

8. This can be used throughout the day to help your student complete the necessary items and feel motivated to complete them due to the preferred activity that will follow.