What is VB-MAPP Level 2?
VB-MAPP Level 2 is the middle milestone level of the VB-MAPP and matches typical development from 18 to 30 months. It has 12 domains with 5 milestones each (60 in total): mand, tact, listener responding, visual perceptual and matching-to-sample, independent play, social behavior and social play, motor imitation, echoic, LRFFC, intraverbal, classroom routines and group skills, and linguistic structure.
Level 2 keeps eight domains from Level 1 and drops spontaneous vocal behavior. Four domains start here: listener responding by feature, function and class (LRFFC), intraverbal, classroom routines and group skills, and linguistic structure. All four depend on the earlier skills. A child can only find “the one you drink from” after they can find a cup by name, and they can only answer “What do you sleep in?” after they can name a bed.
Two domains finish at Level 2. Motor imitation and echoic have no Level 3 milestones, because by about 30 months a typically developing child copies new actions and words easily and those skills are folded into everything else. Children with gaps in echoic skills often get the Early Echoic Skills Assessment, which our VB-MAPP guide covers.
Level 2 is where many learners spend the longest. Vocabulary grows from dozens of words to hundreds, and the child starts to use language without an object in front of them. Teams use the VB-MAPP goal mapper to turn Level 2 scores into goals, and the feature, function and class activities for LRFFC practice.
A learner working at Level 2
Here is one ordinary day with a boy whose scores sit mostly in Level 2, as his teacher and parents might describe it.
- On the way to school he says “car” and “bus” as they pass, and “big truck” once. When the bus is late he says “bus gone?” at the window, which is a request for information his parents only started hearing last month.
- In circle time he sits for five minutes and joins in the last word of “The Wheels on the Bus” when the teacher pauses. If she asks “What’s your name?” he answers. If she asks “Where do you live?” he repeats the question back.
- At the snack table he hands a peer the cup when the teacher says “Give Sam a cup,” and finds the spoon when she asks for “something to eat with.” He needs a second try when there are more than six items on the table.
- During free play he feeds a doll, puts it in a bed and covers it with a blanket. He builds a tower next to another child but grabs blocks from him instead of asking.
- At home he copies his sister’s dance moves from a video and repeats short phrases from it, often at the wrong moment.
What teams usually put first at Level 2
- 1Requests that go beyond what is in sightAsking for missing items, for actions such as “push” or “open,” and for help gives the child control over more of the day. Teams count spontaneous requests across routines and aim for many new request words per week.
- 2Fill-ins and first answersThe intraverbal domain starts with filling in songs and familiar phrases, then moves to answering simple questions about the child’s own life. Teams build on tacts the child already has, so the answer is a word the child can say. The wh-questions for autism printables help once fill-ins are solid.
- 3Listening in bigger groups and with more cluesFinding an item among eight or more, following two-step directions and finding things by what they do are the core of Level 2 listener goals. Our following directions printables are built for this stage.
- 4Joining a groupSitting in a small group, waiting a turn and moving between activities with a picture schedule decide whether a child can learn in a classroom. A visual schedule and short group sessions are common starting points.
- 5Two-word phrasesLinguistic structure goals at this level focus on combining words, such as an action with an object or a color with a noun. Teams model the phrase during play and accept it in requests first, since that is where the child has the most reason to talk.
Every Level 2 domain: milestone areas and a first goal
Our own plain-language summary of each domain at Level 2, with one measurable practice goal per milestone area. Open a domain for every goal and activity, or the goal mapper to copy them.
Mand (requesting)
Asking for what you want or need, with words, signs or pictures, so communication gets the child something real.
- Milestones 6–7Asking for missing items and for actionsRequests 15 different items that are out of sight during real routines, without prompts, over 2 weeks of data.
- Milestones 8–10Longer requests and new requests on their ownUses 2-word requests (for example “more juice” or “open door”) on 70% of requesting opportunities across 3 sessions.
Tact (labeling)
Naming the things, actions and features the child sees, hears or notices, for the sake of sharing them rather than getting them.
- Milestones 6–7Naming actions and parts of thingsLabels 10 actions (jumping, eating, sleeping) in pictures or live demonstrations on 80% of trials across 2 sessions.
- Milestones 8–10Two-word labels and a much larger vocabularyUses 2-word labels combining an object with an action or a color for 20 different pictures across 3 sessions.
Listener responding
Understanding what other people say: noticing voices, responding to their name, finding things and following directions.
- Milestones 6–7Picking items from bigger groupsSelects the named picture from a field of 6 for 30 targets on 80% of trials.
- Milestones 8–10Following directions and finding items in scenesFollows 20 different action directions (jump, hide, wash hands) on 80% of trials across 2 sessions.
Visual perceptual & matching-to-sample (VP-MTS)
Looking carefully, matching what goes together, sorting and completing visual puzzles.
- Milestones 6–8Matching in bigger groups and simple puzzlesMatches identical pictures from a field of 6 or more for 25 items on 80% of trials.
- Milestones 9–10Sorting by color and shape, matching non-identicalSorts mixed items into 3 color groups and 3 shape groups on 4 of 5 trials.
Independent play
Playing with toys and materials on their own, from simple exploring to pretend play and creative projects.
- Milestones 6–8Early pretend play and play sequencesPerforms 5 different pretend actions with realistic toys without a model on 80% of opportunities.
- Milestones 9–10Creative play: drawing, coloring and buildingColors or scribbles on paper for 3 minutes without prompts on 3 occasions.
Social behavior & social play
Connecting with other people: eye contact, responding to others, joining play and talking with peers.
- Milestones 6–8Playing next to and with peersPlays next to a peer with the same materials for 5 minutes without problem behavior on 3 occasions.
- Milestones 9–10Asking peers for things and cooperatingMakes at least 3 requests to a peer during a 15-minute play session on 3 days.
Motor imitation
Copying what other people do with their body and with objects, a key way young children learn new skills.
- Milestones 6–8Copying fine motor actions and drawing strokesCopies 5 fine motor actions (thumbs up, pinch, point) on 80% of trials.
- Milestones 9–10Copying new actions and sequences on their ownCopies 10 brand-new actions on the first model across 2 sessions.
Echoic (repeating sounds and words)
Repeating sounds, words and phrases that someone else says, which helps the child learn new words to use.
- Milestones 6–8Repeating longer words and short phrasesRepeats 15 multi-syllable words (banana, elephant) with a recognizable approximation on 80% of trials.
- Milestones 9–10Copying rhythm, loudness and speedRepeats a phrase in a loud and a quiet voice after a model on 4 of 5 trials.
LRFFC (listener by function, feature & class)
Finding things when they are described by what they do, what they look like or what group they belong to.
- Milestones 6–7Finding items by what they doSelects the correct item when asked about its use for 10 items from a field of 4 on 80% of trials.
- Milestones 8–10Finding items by feature and groupSelects items by feature for 10 targets from a field of 5 on 80% of trials.
Intraverbal (conversation and answering)
Answering questions and filling in words when there is nothing to see, the building blocks of conversation.
- Milestones 6–8Filling in songs, sounds and fun phrasesFills in the missing word in 10 familiar songs or rhymes on 80% of trials.
- Milestones 9–10Answering simple questions about themselvesAnswers “what’s your name?” and 4 other personal questions on 80% of trials with 2 adults.
Classroom routines & group skills
Joining classroom routines, sitting in a group, waiting and learning alongside other children.
- Milestones 6–7Everyday routines and transitionsCompletes 3 daily routines (coat, bag, hand washing) with no more than a gesture prompt on 4 of 5 days.
- Milestones 8–10Sitting in a group and waiting for a turnSits in a small group for 10 minutes with no more than 2 prompts on 3 consecutive days.
Linguistic structure
How the child puts words together, from clear words and 2-word phrases to grammar like plurals and past tense.
- Milestones 6–8Clearer words and a growing vocabularyProduces at least 20 words that an unfamiliar listener can understand, logged over 2 weeks.
- Milestones 9–10Combining words into short phrasesUses 2-word phrases in 20 different combinations over 2 weeks.
Moving from Level 2 to Level 3
A child is usually ready for Level 3 targets in a domain when most Level 2 milestones there are met, the skills show up across people and places, and the child learns new words and responses with little direct teaching. Teams move domain by domain, so mixed levels are normal.
The most useful signal is how fast new words arrive. A Level 2 learner who picks up a new label after hearing it a few times, and then uses it as a request and an answer without separate teaching, is ready for the more abstract Level 3 targets: colors, positions, wh-questions and peer conversation.
Watch for split profiles. A child with strong tacts and weak intraverbals often names everything but cannot answer a question about something that is not in front of them. Those children need intraverbal work before Level 3 conversation goals make sense. The same goes for LRFFC, which is the bridge from listening to answering.
Track progress with trial or frequency data on our free ABA data sheets. With SuperChild, the child practices Level 2 skills such as fill-ins, finding items by function and two-word phrases on a tablet between sessions, while the professional reviews the data and sets the next targets.
Independent guide by SuperChild, not affiliated with the publisher or authors. Use the official protocol to administer and score.
Written from the publishers’ own materials and published research. Spotted an error? Email contact@superchild.ai and we’ll fix it.