A prompt is a support you provide to the student to ...



Module Three and Four Discussion Question Information

Please read the following information before you answer the discussion question.

1. A prompt is a support you provide to the student to actually help him or her complete the skill.

2. There are different types of prompts: modeling, full physical, partial physical, gesture, visual, and verbal.

3. When we teach a new skill, we may need to provide more prompting.

4.  We should reduce our support over time to promote independence.

The prompts that you use will depend on the skill that you are teaching. 

Physical prompts are generally used to show a student the motor movements that are needed to complete a task. 

Gesture prompts can serve to remind students to stay on task or to attend to a particular item or activity. 

Visual prompts are great for students with ASD, because they show, concretely, the concept or direction. 

Verbal prompts are easy to give and can remind students what they should be doing or to initiate the next step of the task.

Model prompts show the student how to do a skill.  You may start with a model prompt when teaching a new skill, but remember imitation is not a strength for students with ASD so it is not unusual to need to use other prompts. 

Think how to use the least amount of prompting that will still support the student to be successful.

You may need to use more than one type of prompt when teaching a new skill.

CASE STUDY EXAMPLE

Zoe is able to use her hands, but she has difficulty using a computer mouse.   She likes to move the mouse quickly.  When she is supported to use the mouse slowly, she has been successful.  Zoe has an objective that she will use the computer mouse independently. 

Here is an example of how to teach Zoe and how to use prompts to support her in learning to use a computer mouse. 

 

VISUAL PROMPTS

Provide a visual support by putting a green sticker on the left side of the mouse and a yellow sticker on the right so she knows the difference between the 2 mouse buttons. 

Place a mouse pad on the table. The mouse pad provides a visual prompt or boundary for moving the mouse. She can learn to keep the mouse in a small area and not move it all over the table. (You could also do the same thing with tape by creating a "square" within which she is to move the mouse.)

Another visual prompt would be to tape a sign that reads "go slow" on the bottom of the computer monitor. This is a reminder for her to move the mouse slowly and not in big, fast movements. 

 

OTHER PROMPTS FOR ZOE

Since this skill is new, use a simple, fun computer game. Perhaps something where she has to touch an object on the screen and click on it. 

Provide a full physical prompt. - Put your hand over hers and physically help guide her to the object and then physically help her click the left button.

As she becomes more comfortable with this, fade the level of assistance. Provide a partial physical prompt. 

Let Zoe put her hand on the mouse and begin moving it without providing the physical prompt.  As she gets the cursor near the object, place your hand on hers and provide a partial physical prompt to help her stop the mouse and click on the object. 

As she became more independent, continue to reduce the amount of physical help you give her. 

As the last prompt, use a gesture.  Without providing a physical prompt, have Zoe move the mouse and watch the cursor. Once she has the cursor on top of the object point, you point to the button she is to click. 

As Zoe gains more independence, fade this prompt until Zoe is using the mouse by herself.

 In this example, look at how we faded the amount of help over time.  As she gets more independent, we provide less support.

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