When to use it
Use this task analysis to teach independent handwashing. Common times to practice are before meals, after using the toilet, after outdoor play, and after touching messy materials. The steps follow widely used public-health handwashing guidance: wet, lather, scrub for about 20 seconds, rinse, and dry. They are broken into smaller steps for teaching.
Adjust the steps to match the learner’s sink, faucet type, soap (pump or bar), and drying method (towel, paper towel, or air dryer). Some families turn the water off while scrubbing to save water, and others leave it running. Either is fine. Follow the family’s routine and edit the steps to match.
How to fill it in
- Adjust the step list to the learner’s setting. Remove, split, or add steps as needed. Taller sinks may need a step stool, which can be added as a step.
- Run a baseline probe before teaching, and write whether you used a single-opportunity or multiple-opportunity probe.
- Pick a chaining method. Total-task chaining is common for handwashing because the chain is short and many learners already have some steps. Backward chaining can also work well, with the learner finishing by drying their hands.
- Teach at natural times (before snack, after the toilet) rather than as extra drills, when you can.
- For each session, write the date at the top of a column and record the prompt level needed on each step using the key.
- Total the column and calculate the percentage of steps done independently.
Safety note: check water temperature before teaching. If the learner can’t yet adjust the temperature safely, the adult sets it, or the faucet’s maximum temperature is turned down, and “adjust the temperature” is taught later.
Common mistakes:
- Accepting a quick rinse without lathering and scrubbing. Scrubbing is the step that matters most for clean hands.
- Letting “scrub for 20 seconds” stay a vague step. A song, a count, or a visual timer makes it teachable.
- Teaching only at one sink. Plan to practice at home, school, and a public restroom.
The sheet
Client:Instructor:Setting / sink:
Chaining method:Prompt strategy:Mastery criterion:
| Step # | Step | Date: | Date: | Date: | Date: | Date: | Date: | Date: | Date: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turn on the water | ||||||||
| 2 | Check or adjust the water to a comfortable temperature | ||||||||
| 3 | Wet both hands | ||||||||
| 4 | Get soap (one pump or rub the bar) | ||||||||
| 5 | Rub palms together to make lather | ||||||||
| 6 | Scrub the back of each hand | ||||||||
| 7 | Scrub between the fingers | ||||||||
| 8 | Scrub each thumb | ||||||||
| 9 | Scrub fingertips and under nails against the opposite palm | ||||||||
| 10 | Keep scrubbing for about 20 seconds (song, count, or timer) | ||||||||
| 11 | Rinse hands under the water until the soap is gone | ||||||||
| 12 | Turn off the water | ||||||||
| 13 | Dry hands with a towel or dryer | ||||||||
| 14 | Throw away the paper towel or hang up the towel | ||||||||
| Steps independent | |||||||||
| Steps taught / probed | |||||||||
| % independent | |||||||||
| Initials |
Prompt-level key (adjust to match the learner’s program):
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FP | Full physical: hand-over-hand guidance through the step |
| PP | Partial physical: light touch or brief guidance |
| M | Model: adult demonstrates the step |
| G | Gestural: pointing or motioning toward the next step |
| V | Verbal: spoken cue for the step |
| I | Independent: completed correctly with no prompt |
| - | Incorrect or no response |
| NT | Not taught or not probed this session |
Summarizing the data
Percent independent = steps scored I divided by steps taught or probed, times 100.
Worked example: in one session the learner independently completes steps 1, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, and 14. They need a model on steps 6 through 9, a verbal cue on step 10, and the adult sets the temperature on step 2 (scored FP or NT, depending on your program).
- If all 14 steps were taught: 8 / 14 x 100 = 57% independent
- If step 2 was scored NT: 8 / 13 x 100 = 62% independent
The data shows the learner has the start and end of the routine but needs support on the scrubbing steps (6 through 10). That tells you where to focus teaching.
Tips
- Visual supports, such as a picture sequence taped above the sink, can speed up learning and can be faded later, or kept if the learner uses them independently.
- A 20-second song or visual timer turns the scrub time into a clear, teachable step.
- Some learners avoid certain soaps or water temperatures because of sensory sensitivities. Offer choices, such as foam or liquid soap or a paper towel or cloth, and note what works.
- Once mastered, check that the skill holds up in new places, such as school, restaurants, and relatives’ homes.