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First, it takes the direct confrontation of big person to little person out of the equation. We are now looking at a card together, not into each other’s eyes. Secondly, while the First activity may not be the most desirable, the Then activity is quite desirable. When teaching this concept, the First activity may be shortened in duration, followed immediately by the Then activity. As the student understands and trusts this relationship, that First activity can be of greater duration. The visuals used must be understandable to the student and can take various forms such as photos, pictures/words, or even objects that represent the activities. This is a very powerful way to convey the idea that, First I do this, and Then I get to do something I really like to do. For those children with lots of high interest activities, allowing them to make a choice when picking the Then activity can add an element of greater interest and empowerment. I worked with one young man who disliked going to his “independent work-table” but he loved computer time. A simple reminder with a First-Then card made a world of difference in his day and also to those of us working with him.
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