A prompt is a specific form of assistance given by an adult before or as the toddler attempts to use a skill. With these procedures, parents, family members, early interventionists, child care providers, or other team members can use different types of prompts systematically to help toddlers with ASD acquire target skills (Neitzel, J. & Wolery, M, 2009).
Prompts are generally given by an adult before or as a toddler attempts to use a skill. With prompting procedures, parents, family members, early interventionists, child care providers, or other team member can use different types of prompts systematically to help toddlers with ASD acquire target skills (Neitzel, J. & Wolery, M, 2009).
Prompting procedures include any help given to learners that assist them in using a specific skill. Verbal, gestural, or physical assistance is given to learners to assist them in acquiring or engaging in a targeted behavior or skill. Prompting procedures provide a systematic way of providing and removing prompts so that toddlers begin to perform skills independently. These procedures rely on reinforcing correct responses - both those that are prompted and those that are not. In addition to
Prompting procedures provide a way of systematically providing and removing prompts so that toddlers begin to perform skills independently. These procedures rely on reinforcing correct responses, both those that are prompted and those that are not. In addition to reinforcment, prompting procedures are often used in conjunction with other evidence-based practices including time delay and are an integral part of other evidence-based practices such as Pivotal Response Training and Naturalistic Intervention.
There are three main components in a prompting procedure:
These three components are critical to implementing prompting procedures effectively. Each time a team uses these three components during an activity, it is called a trial.
The antecedent includes the target stimulus and the cue. The target stimulus is the “situation” in which we want the learner to perform the target skill. The target stimulus is important because it signals to the toddler that something is expected of him with or without direction from adults, therefore, helping the toddler make this connection and minimizing prompt dependency. The cue is a naturally occurring hint or task direction that tells the toddler the skills or behaviors they should be using.
When using prompting procedures, the cue should be consistent so that toddlers know exactly when they are supposed to do something. Toddlers are more likely to use a skill or behavior accurately when the cue and target stimulus are clear and consistent.
Imitating adults or peers: a variety of behaviors could be used when imitating adults or peers, such as clapping, waving, driving a toy car, point to body parts, or imitating actions in simple social games; all of these behaviors make up the response class for the skill.
Initiating social interactions: a variety of behaviors could be used when initiating social interactions with others, such as speaking to a family member or peer, getting closer to a family member or peer, or offering a toy to a family member or peer; all of these behaviors make up the response class for this skill.
The reinforcement and feedback provided after a toddler’s response are critical components for teaching the target skill. When toddlers use skills successfully or respond accurately, feedback should be highly positive and descriptive so that toddlers know exactly what they did that was correct.
Positive feedback (reinforcement) increases the likelihood that the target skill will be used correctly in the future. With prompting procedures, correct responding should be reinforced even when it is prompted.
Feedback for incorrect responding, or incorrect use of target skill, is delivered either by ignoring the incorrect response or by applying a correction procedure (e.g. interrupting the toddler when they begin to respond incorrectly, repeating or stopping the trial, or completing the expected response).
Continue for Types of Prompts
Type of Prompt |
Description of Prompt Type |
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A verbal prompt is any verbal assistance given that helps toddlers use target skills correctly such as spoken words, signs, or statements. A verbal prompt includes hints, a clue, or a direction and range in intensity level from least to most restrictive. For example, providing a direction is more restrictive than providing a hint about how to identify the object. |
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A gestural prompt gives toddlers with ASD information about the cue to use a behavior or skill through the use of gestures. Gestural prompts may include pointing or touching an object (e.g. pointing to the car on the “road”). |
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A physical prompt includes physically guiding or touching the toddler to help him/her use the target behavior or skill (e.g. tapping a toddler’s hand which is already on the toy car to cue him to push the car). Physical prompts are used when the toddler does not respond to less restrictive prompts (e.g., modeling, verbal, visual). Physical prompting is useful when teaching motor behaviors (Alberto & Troutman, 1999). |
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The controlling prompt is the prompt that results in the toddler performing the skill correctly. It is the last prompt in a least to most prompt hierarchy. The controlling prompt can be any of the other types of prompts described above and is individualized for the toddler and skill. For graduated guidance, the controlling prompt is typically a physical prompt. |
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A model prompt includes either performing the target skill for the toddler or showing the toddler what to do (e.g., pushing the car on the “road”). When using model prompts, adults demonstrate or model, the target skill. Modeling may be used to prompt discrete or chained skills (Alberto & Troutman, 1999). A model prompt is a component of modeling, another evidence-based practice. A description of model prompts is included here. For more information, please refer to the fact sheet on Modeling. |
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A visual prompt includes pictures, photographs, or objects that provide the toddler with information about how to use the target skill or behavior (e.g., a washcloth or a picture of a washcloth as the cue to pick up the washcloth to wash face). Visual prompts are often incorporated into activities to help toddlers with ASD acquire target skills. For example, adults may show the toddler a photo or drawing with an example of a correctly completed Duplo structure. Visual prompts can be used to teach a wide variety of skills, including play activities and daily routines. When using visual prompts, it is important to identify supports that are developmentally and age appropriate for individual toddlers with ASD. For example, adults would not want to use pictures if the toddler does not yet have the ability to understand that a picture or drawing represents a real object. A visual prompt is a component of visual supports, another evidence-based practice. A description of visual prompts is included here. For more information, please refer to fact sheet on Visual Supports. |
If prompts are not used in a systematic manner (i.e. using a clear target stimulus, waiting for a response from the toddler before prompting, using them when they are not needed or not effectively fading the use of the prompts), toddlers can become prompt dependent. In other words, the toddler does not respond until the adult gives the prompt.
Learning to use a prompting procedure as intended should reduce the chance that toddlers become dependent on receiving a prompt before using the target skill or behavior.