1. Maintenance
Maintenance procedures are procedures where the child has met the criterion for
the final phase. When a child’s procedure reaches maintenance status, a final phase
change is made and M/C (stands for maintenance complete) is marked on the data sheet
in the child’s book. The date the procedure went on maintenance needs to be marked in
the maintenance column on the folder outside the child’s booth (also known as the booth
chart). This is done so Carmen, Megan, or Trista (the classroom staff) know that the
procedure is complete and can replace the procedure with a new one. You should
continue to implement maintenance or M/C procedures during your shift as usual when
the name of the procedure appears in the child’s schedule. When implementing these
procedures, you should continue to take data.
Maintenance Skills appears on the child’s schedule near the end of each shift. This is not
the same as procedures that are marked M/C in the child’s book.
So, what do you do when Maintenance Skills appears on the child’s schedule?
• Do PECS with your child, have them request toy reinforcers.
• Use crayons and paper, have your child color with prompts if needed. Draw
pictures and have fun with your child. This is not a discrete trial procedure.
• Procedures that reached maintenance status and are no longer in the book can also
be implemented when maintenance appears on the child’s schedule. This means
working on ANY skill that the child has already acquired.
• NO data is recorded!
During Maintenance Skills time look at the acquired skills list and choose an activity to
do with your child and then put the child’s data book on the floor outside the booth or
near the booth entrance. This will allow the tutor arriving for the next shift to read up on
new phases or new procedures.
• If you aren’t quite done with a procedure, take the data sheet out of the book and
continue recording without the book.
• It is also a good time to ask a T.A. to come sign any phase changes so they will be
ready for the next shift.
The purpose of the maintenance skills time is to enhance the child’s functional
communication with the use of PECS and to reinforce acquired skills so that the child
will maintain these skills and not lose them. It is also time to give the tutors that are
arriving for the next shift a chance to look at the book so they may read about new
phases, a new procedure, or any procedure that they may not yet feel confident
implementing; so tutors will be sure to implement each procedure correctly.
The arriving tutors are encouraged to ask T.A.’s any questions they have regarding the
procedures at this time. If it is possible, it is best to ask these questions before the shift
starts so it does not disrupt the child’s schedule. If it is not possible, always ask a T.A.
questions about procedures before implementing them. Procedures must be correctly
implemented in order to maximize the child’s progress.

2. Summary of what to do during Maintenance Skills:
• Look at child’s acquired skills list and choose an activity to do in addition to
PECS.
• Place the child’s book on the floor outside the entrance to the booth or hand it to
the next tutor.
• Place the child’s icons of toy reinforcers on the PECS book.
• Be EXTRA reinforcing!
• HAVE FUN!
When you have extra time in the booth…
Such as…
- When you finish all of the procedures earlier than scheduled,
- When a scheduled activity is delayed (e.g., OT is running late),
You should
o Do maintenance skills
o Extra procedures (do any of the procedures in the book)
o ELOs
You should NOT
o Go to the playroom (unless instructed to do so) – the playroom may become too
crowded at the end of each shift. We would like to avoid any accidents.
o Take a rest in the booth – Your child should be learning all of the time. Use the
time for your child’s learning and maintenance of functional skills.