Wait Card

Signals a period in which the student must wait.

When to use: 

• Use in situations where the student must wait in line, must wait for an item, or must wait for an activity. 
• Use to teach turn-taking skills during games, shared play, or class activities. 

How to use: 

1. Present the card along with a verbal direction such as “Wait”, or “You are waiting”. 
2. When the student no longer needs to wait, remove the card and tell the student “Good job waiting. Now you may…..” Teaching Using a Wait Card Start by selecting a preferred item or activity that you will use to teach the student the skill of waiting (e.g.- a game in which turns are taken or a toy that can only be played with by one person at a time). 
3. Place the wait card in front of the student and say “Wait” or “You are waiting.” 
4. After placing the card, interact with the item or otherwise withhold it for a brief period of time. Initially, that time may be as little as a few seconds. 
5. While the student is waiting, comment “You are waiting.” 
6. At the end of the waiting period, remove the card and immediately provide the activity or item they were waiting for. The wait time can be extended, little by little, over time.
7.  Identify multiple daily opportunities for the student to wait appropriately by showing them the wait card, verbally acknowledging their waiting, and providing immediate reinforcement. 

Tip: 

• Use when the student is not able to access an item immediately. “Yes, you may use the computer, but you need to wait 5 minutes” (or “wait until reading is over” or “wait until Jose is finished”).