Objective: Preschool children with receptive language delay often have difficulty following directions. Speech-language pathologists need evidence-based strategies to support the development of following directions. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the use of visual cues to improve following directions in preschool-aged children. Method: This research was a single-subject experimental study utilizing a noncorrent multiple baseline design. Three preschoolers between the ages of 4- and 5-years with a diagnosis of receptive language delay participated. All participants showed difficulty with following directions. Picture cards and objects listed on the directional cards were presented to each participant. The participants were asked to place objects in the position depicted on the picture card. Participants were asked to follow either one-step, two-step, simple, or complex directions. These directions were randomized on index cards. Each participant had difficulty attending to the picture cards and objects. Results: Each participant achieved baseline after four sessions but stayed in the intervention stage for longer than eight sessions due to decreased scores. All three participants in the study displayed decreased skills versus improved skills. Conclusion: The use of visual cues did not improve the child’s ability ability to follow directions. In this study, children were given at least four objects and 10 sets of directions; future research should focus on using fewer objects and simpler directions.
