Goal: Answer Questions about Past Events

PREREQUISITE: Before addressing this goal, make sure that the client is able to answer questions about things that are immediately present. Click Here to View our "Answering Questions" Resources.

Sample Goal:

Client will correctly answer a variety of “wh-” and “yes/no” questions about past events that occurred more than a few days prior with at least 80% accuracy.

Download the No-Prep Therapy Kit:

We have a start-to-finish therapy kit that will give you everything you need to practice this skill in therapy and send home homework. Click the packet below to open it. Then, print it out and place it in the child’s notebook or binder.

Download the Answer Questions about the Past Kit

Therapy Phases:

Questions about Immediate Past (5-10 seconds prior): Client will observe an action or event and then immediately answer a variety of “wh-” and “yes/no” questions about that action or event with at least 80% accuracy.
Questions about Earlier Today: Client will answer a variety of “wh-” and “yes/no” questions about an event or activity that happened earlier in the day with at least 80% accuracy.
Questions about Far Past Events: Client will correctly answer a variety of “wh-” and “yes/no” questions about past events that occurred more than a few days prior with at least 80% accuracy.

What’s Next?

Once a client is able to answer questions about things that are immediately present as well as past event, you can start working on having them answer questions about their school/curriculum work. Academic questions are more difficult to answer than the types that you will have already been working on.

Disclaimer (For Copy and Paste): Feel free to copy and paste these sample goals into your plan but make sure you modify them to meet the individual needs of the child. This should include individualized level of cueing, such as "independently" or "with verbal prompts".

Supplemental Materials

Here are some other resources that may help you when working on this skill:

Sequencing Activities: Put the Steps in Order
Sequencing and retelling the steps can be a great way to practice talking about past events as well. Use these as cues for answering questions about what the person in the pictures has done.

Mixed Questions Pack
Need to brush up on answering questions? This packet of mixed “wh-” and “yes/no” questions will help a client answer those question forms before you start working on past events.

Training Videos:

Need some extra help on treating this skill? Check out these related training videos:

How to Teach a Child to Answer Questions about Past Events