Task Analysis
What is it exactly??? This is the process of breaking down a complex skill or behavior to smaller steps.
Before teaching a child to acquire a new skill, you should perform the skill yourself or watch another person performing it so you can see which steps are involved in the process. This way you can teach the child to accomplish each small step until he can learn how to do it independently.
For example, you want to teach the child how to brush his teeth. After doing it yourself and record each steps, you realize there are 14 steps in the process: 1. Pick up and hold the toothbrush, 2. Wet the toothbrush, 3. Remove the cap from the toothbrush, 4. Apply the toothpaste to the brush, 5. Replace the cap on the toothpaste, 6. Brush the outside surface of the teeth, 7. Brush the biting surfaces of the teeth, 8. Brush the inside surfaces of the teeth, 9. Fill the cup with water, 10. Rinse the mouth, 11. Wipe the mouth, 12. Rinse the toothbrush, 13. Rinse the sink, 14. Put everything away. After determining 14 steps, you teach the child the 1st step then after he can do the 1st step by himself, move on to the next step. Keep going until he can brush his teeth without any help.
Before teaching a child to acquire a new skill, you should perform the skill yourself or watch another person performing it so you can see which steps are involved in the process. This way you can teach the child to accomplish each small step until he can learn how to do it independently.
For example, you want to teach the child how to brush his teeth. After doing it yourself and record each steps, you realize there are 14 steps in the process: 1. Pick up and hold the toothbrush, 2. Wet the toothbrush, 3. Remove the cap from the toothbrush, 4. Apply the toothpaste to the brush, 5. Replace the cap on the toothpaste, 6. Brush the outside surface of the teeth, 7. Brush the biting surfaces of the teeth, 8. Brush the inside surfaces of the teeth, 9. Fill the cup with water, 10. Rinse the mouth, 11. Wipe the mouth, 12. Rinse the toothbrush, 13. Rinse the sink, 14. Put everything away. After determining 14 steps, you teach the child the 1st step then after he can do the 1st step by himself, move on to the next step. Keep going until he can brush his teeth without any help.
Shaping
The child is reinforced from a closer approximation to the desired behavior.
For example, you want to teach the child to make eye contact with others for 3 seconds. At first, you reinforce the child whenever he makes a glance at you. Then when the glance is established, you start reinforcing him for maintaining eye contact for 1 second, then 2 seconds and finally at 3 seconds.
For more information, Cooper et.al (2007) mention some laws for shaping. You can find this section on page 428.
Overall, to be effective, you should:
For example, you want to teach the child to make eye contact with others for 3 seconds. At first, you reinforce the child whenever he makes a glance at you. Then when the glance is established, you start reinforcing him for maintaining eye contact for 1 second, then 2 seconds and finally at 3 seconds.
For more information, Cooper et.al (2007) mention some laws for shaping. You can find this section on page 428.
Overall, to be effective, you should:
- Identify the desired behavior
- Determine the criterion for success.
- Analyze the behavior, see which are involved in that specific behavior
- Identify the first behavior to reinforce
- Least but not last, you must gradually reinforce the child's approximations. It might take some time for the child to master one approximation before he can move on to the next approximation. Take your time with your child!!! Don't jump to big steps !!!
Prompting
There are 3 major forms of response prompts: verbal instructions, modeling and physical guidance.
For example, to teach the child how to make a craft, you can create a photographic activity schedule for the child by taking a picture of each step and put it in order in a binder, the child has to look at the picture, perform that step, then turn the page to the next step.
Some ways to implement prompting:
For example, teaching the child to wash his hand, at first you might need to hold his hands and wash them for him. Later on, you will gradually move your hands over his elbow, to the shoulder and then to no physical contact.
For example, during lunch time, you put the food out on the table for the child and wait for the child to initiate eating by himself first. After 5 seconds, he has not made an effort to eat his lunch. You can provide a verbal instruction "Take a bite". And if the child continues not responding, you can physically hold the child's hand to hold the fork, get the food and put it in his mouth.
For example, you want the child to drink more juice but he refuses to drink it. You can mix 10% juice with water then gradually increase to 20% of juice and so on. This clip is another example of fading:
- Verbal instruction:
For example, to teach the child how to make a craft, you can create a photographic activity schedule for the child by taking a picture of each step and put it in order in a binder, the child has to look at the picture, perform that step, then turn the page to the next step.
- Modeling:
- Physical guidance:
Some ways to implement prompting:
- Most-to-Least prompts
For example, teaching the child to wash his hand, at first you might need to hold his hands and wash them for him. Later on, you will gradually move your hands over his elbow, to the shoulder and then to no physical contact.
- Least-to-Most prompts
For example, during lunch time, you put the food out on the table for the child and wait for the child to initiate eating by himself first. After 5 seconds, he has not made an effort to eat his lunch. You can provide a verbal instruction "Take a bite". And if the child continues not responding, you can physically hold the child's hand to hold the fork, get the food and put it in his mouth.
- Fading
For example, you want the child to drink more juice but he refuses to drink it. You can mix 10% juice with water then gradually increase to 20% of juice and so on. This clip is another example of fading: