Prompting

Chase Callard

What is a prompt?A prompt is a supplemental stimulus

that raises the probability of a correct response

Prompts are used when the procedure materials or directions fail to evoke the desired response

The prompt is not the discriminative stimulus (SD)

Why do we prompt?Used to bring about the desired

response

Works much faster than shaping

Designed to help bring the desired behavior under the control of the SD

Prompt vs. SDThe prompt is not an SD, though sometimes it may look similar to oneE.g. the SD for imitation is a model of the desired response

Clapping your hands so the child claps their hands

But the SD for follow directions is a verbal statementSaying “clap hands” so the child claps their hands

While the prompt is a model of clapping handsThis is important to understand because procedures are meant to train different skills and the SDs and prompts are designed to promote those particular skills

Prompt vs. SD Follow Directions

The SD, ‘clap hands,’ signals the availability of the reinforcer

Only after hearing ‘clap hands’ will clapping hands result in a reinforcer

The prompt helps the student respond correctly

The child didn’t respond to the verbal SDSo the tutor provides the model prompt of

clapping hands and repeats the SD, ‘clap hands’Which the child imitates

Reinforcing prompted responses

Prompted responses should be reinforced!Especially for new or difficult procedures

Behavior only increases if it is followed by a reinforcing outcome

Otherwise prompting serves no purpose

Types of promptsThere are several different types of

prompts:Physical/manual

E.g. full and partial physical promptsGestural

E.g. tapping the correct sample stimulus Model

E.g. performing the desired action Verbal

E.g. telling your child to say, “Hi Kelly”

Types of prompts cont’dMany KAC procedures use multiple

prompting strategies

Especially gestural and physicalE.g. Matching

Or model and physicalE.g. Follow directions

Prompting at KACFirst look at the procedure!

What does the procedure call for?It is very important to follow the prompting

strategies provided by the procedureIf you do not understand what the procedure calls

for in terms of prompting, ask a supervisor!

Most KAC procedures use least-to-most promptsI.e. the prompts become more and more

intrusiveE.g. matching uses a gestural, then partial

physical, then full physical prompt

Prompting at KAC Cont’d.

Gestural prompts:Involve pointing to or tapping the correct

sample stimulusPhysical prompts:

Partial: Involves physically guiding the student’s body in an approximation of the responseUsually done from the elbow

Full: Involves physically guiding the student’s body through the entire responseUsually done hand-over-hand

Prompting at KAC Cont’d.

Model prompts:Involve the tutor modeling the desired

response

Verbal prompts:Involve some verbal stimulus presented

by the tutorE.g. in a tacting procedure the SD is

“What’s this?” and the verbal prompt is saying the correct answer

Prompt dependenceSometimes a child will begin to ‘rely’

on promptsSince reinforcement is contingent on

even prompted responses

Therefore it is important to look out for prompt dependence

And start using prompt fading as soon as possible

Prompt fadingPrompt fading serves two main purposes:

1. To prevent the child from becoming prompt dependent

2. And to bring the response under the control of the SD alone

We may reduce how much assistance we give

Delay the start of the promptOr make independent responding more

reinforcing than prompted responding

Questions?

Comments?