Modeling is a central procedure in milieu and enhanced milieu teaching. Milieu teaching takes place in naturalistic contexts, makes use of the student’s interests and encompasses several evidence-based strategies for promoting development in language, communication, social, cognitive, motor and adaptive skills (Warren, Yoder, & Leew 2002; Kaiser 2012). In the modeling procedure, the adult follows the child’s focus/attention and provides a model that is contingent, or in response to, the student’s communicative act or intention. For our students learning to use AAC, the adult models using the target AACmode or tool for each student as well as a spoken model. Modeling using the student’s own AAC tools has been shown to be an effective teaching strategy (Binger and Light 2007). For example, if a preschool student playing in the pretend play center indicates the baby doll toy (through eye gaze, ambulating to the location, nonspecific vocalization, etc.), the adult would then say “tell me baby” and provide a model by pointing to the child’s low-tech board, accessing their SGD using the student’s access method or producing a sign or gesture (whatever the goal is for that particular student). The adult then waits expectantly for the student to imitate the model. Imitation is followed by praise and immediate access to the desired item.

Mand-Model

Once students are able to reliably imitate models, interventionists can use another milieu strategy called mand-model. In this procedure, a mand or request is provided first (e.g., “what do you want?” or “tell me”) to see if the student can demonstrate the target skill without a model, and a model is provided only if necessary.