What SLP doesn't love a trip to the container store for pastel tubs?! Be free to organize whatever way works for you be it colorful or not but save the transparent containers for therapy! Put therapy materials into transparent, not easy-open containers with your picture on the front. There is no point in putting a visual for water on the spray bottle; the children can see the water. But can they ask for it? What do we want to be teaching them? To say "water" or to seek out a person to spray the water?
Many first words for children are people: Mama, Dada, etc. Children with communication differences like autism often have difficulty building positive bonds with people outside their family; therefore, they have a strong object vocabulary but lack names of people. This strategy puts a face and name to a desired item; someone who will help. It allows you to build a positive relationship with that student! They will begin to associate YOU with something they enjoy.
So what exactly is the process? First take a desired item and put it in the container with your picture on it. Hand it to the student, crossing your fingers (legs, arms, eyes) that he cannot open it himself. Give some visual cues by pointing to your picture on the container. When the child hands (or throws) you the container in frustration, give a verbal model, "Ms. Anna open." Give some increased wait time for joint attention and imitation. Pretty soon you'll have the student handing you all kinds of things he needs opened using your name to request! The best thing about this strategy is that it is so customizable! You know that kid whose reinforcer changes about every five seconds? Using the same container and various reinforcers, you can engage that child with a social exchange!
