Welcome to the How To Series. The topic for this How To is task analysis. You will see many examples of 
task analysis and how they are used in the classroom.
A task analysis is an evidence-based practice that helps us teach a skill. While that may sound 
complicated, all a task analysis really does is break a skill down into smaller, more manageable steps. 
Task analysis simply shows the student what to do in a step-by-step manner and is useful for all types of 
students no matter their abilities or their needs. Task analysis can be used to teach a variety of skills 
including academic, behavioral, social and communication skills. The best way to develop a task analysis 
is to perform the skill and write down the steps that are involved as the task is completed. Each step in 
the task analysis should consist of one discreet behavior. Writing a task analysis requires knowing the 
student's skills and abilities. Usually it is best to customize or individualize a task analysis to each student 
who is learning the skill. The number of steps in a task analysis will depend on how complicated the skill 
is the student is learning. For instance, the number of steps in a task analysis for opening a door may be 
less than a task analysis for learning how to play a computer game. In addition, the abilities of each 
student will impact the number of steps needed to teach the skill. A student with more intensive 
support needs may need to have a task broken down into smaller steps. The teacher will also need to 
identify a prompting procedure that is used along with the task analysis to provide instruction. 
In this picture, you will see an example of a task analysis. This task analysis was used to help teach a high 
school aged student how to transition into his class. The steps to this task analysis include: go to desk, 
take off coat, take out materials, and start working. Let's watch a video of this student after he has been 
taught the steps of transitioning into class. In this video, you will notice the student goes to his desk and 
is able to start working independently.

 (video)

Student: (removes coat, sits in desk, begins looking through folder for work, student removes sheet 
from folder, puts folder back under desk and begins to complete the work)
So what did you see? Hopefully you noticed how the student independently went into the classroom 
and started working. Remember, the teacher started by using a task analysis and taught the student, 
step by step, how to transition into her class. The task analysis helped teach the student what to do.
Task analysis can be used for many situations. In this next video, you will see a middle school student 
using a task analysis to help begin an assignment independently. What for the student's response to the 
task analysis.  

(video)

Student: Get my sheet. (student retrieves sheet) Write name. (student writes name) Do my worksheet. 
(student begins to complete work)
In this next video, you will notice a preschool aged student learning the steps to brushing his teeth. 
Watch how the teacher helps him through the steps. 

(video)

Teacher: Brush your teeth! (teacher places student's hand on toothpaste, teacher helps student put 
toothpaste on toothbrush, teacher helps student turn on water and wet brush.) Nice job putting the 
toothbrush in your mouth, Brandon! Awesome work, buddy!
In this last video, you will notice a preschool aged student learning the steps to playing with a toy. In this 
example, the task analysis helps the teacher know what steps to teach rather than being a visual for the 
student. 

(video)

Teacher: Play with the potato head. (teacher guides him to grab the right pieces and aids in putting the 
pieces in)
In all the videos that you watched, you should have noticed that the teacher used task analysis so that 
the student was better able to complete the task at hand. The task analysis helped the student be 
successful. 
Now that you've watched some examples of task analysis, remember task analysis is the process of 
breaking a skill down into smaller steps. A task analysis shows a student what to do in a step-by-step 
manner. A task analysis can also be used to teach a variety of skills including academic, social, 
communication and behavior. The best way to develop a task analysis is to perform the skill and write 
down the steps as the task is being completed. The number of steps in a task analysis will vary based on 
the individual needs of the student.