feedback

The reinforcement and feedback provided after a toddler’s response are critical 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 (i.e., 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 responding incorrectly (i.e., incorrect use of target skill) is delivered either by ignoring the incorrect response or by applying a correction procedure. The latter type of feedback generally consists of either interrupting toddlers when they begin to respond incorrectly and repeating or stopping the trial.