Errorless Teaching
For students who do not benefit from trial and error teaching procedures - specifically learners with ASD - errorless teaching procedures are an effective method. Bridging the gap between a learners beginning point and the final result, errorless teaching breaks down a skill into its component parts and assists students in performing the desired outcome.
There are four common procedures used in errorless teaching:
Stimulus shaping involves the gradual altering of the form or configuration of the stimulus to eventually resemble the criterion. Initially the presentation of the stimulus does not resemble the stimulus' terminal topography, but over time the stimulus is modified.
Example: In teaching the letter discrimination S versus C, a picture of a cat may be paired with a picture of a snake. First, the cat is slowly shaped into the letter C over a series of trials, then the snake is shaped into the letter S over a series of trials (Simpson & Myles, 2007).
Stimulus fading involves introducing or altering a new element, such as color, intensity, or size, to the target stimulus, which is gradually faded by reducing its intensity or components (Terrace, 1963 as cited in Simpson et al. 2007). Typically, only one element is altered at a time.
Example: When teaching a learner to discriminate between a fork and a spoon, the fork may be presented in a larger size while the spoon is presented in a smaller size. The spoon is then gradually enlarged until both shapes are the same size (during the program the learner is required to respond only to the fork).
Time delay procedures consist of inserting a predetermined amount of time between the target stimulus and presentation of a prompt. Initially, the delay is at zero, in which the presentation of the target stimulus and the prompt are simultaneous. This ensures correct responding by the learner as he or she is learning the target behavior. After meeting a criterion for correct responding (ex. three consecutive trials correct in zero delay) an amount of time (ex. 3-5 seconds) is added between the presentation of the target stimulus and the prompt. This delay allows the learner to respond independently. If the learner does not respond within this time delay (or responds incorrectly) the prompt is delivered.
Example: The teacher presents the learner with three cards, each with a different color on it. She gives the instruction (target stimulus), "Point to blue," and simultaneously (zero delay) points to the card that is blue (prompt). After three correct trials, she presents the cards again and instructs the learner to point to blue, followed by a three second delay to allow for learner response before prompting by pointing to the blue card.
Superimposition involves pairing two stimuli in which one of the stimuli will invoke the correct response, and then gradually fading away one of the stimuli.
Example: The picture of a pencil may by paired with the verbal instruction, "get a pencil" in order to evoke the behavior of retrieving a pencil. The picture of the pencil can be slowly faded while still minimizing learner error.
The following video is a mini-training session on errorless teaching provided by Autism Training Solutions.
There are four common procedures used in errorless teaching:
- stimulus shaping
- stimulus fading
- time delay
- superimposition
Stimulus shaping involves the gradual altering of the form or configuration of the stimulus to eventually resemble the criterion. Initially the presentation of the stimulus does not resemble the stimulus' terminal topography, but over time the stimulus is modified.
Example: In teaching the letter discrimination S versus C, a picture of a cat may be paired with a picture of a snake. First, the cat is slowly shaped into the letter C over a series of trials, then the snake is shaped into the letter S over a series of trials (Simpson & Myles, 2007).
Stimulus fading involves introducing or altering a new element, such as color, intensity, or size, to the target stimulus, which is gradually faded by reducing its intensity or components (Terrace, 1963 as cited in Simpson et al. 2007). Typically, only one element is altered at a time.
Example: When teaching a learner to discriminate between a fork and a spoon, the fork may be presented in a larger size while the spoon is presented in a smaller size. The spoon is then gradually enlarged until both shapes are the same size (during the program the learner is required to respond only to the fork).
Time delay procedures consist of inserting a predetermined amount of time between the target stimulus and presentation of a prompt. Initially, the delay is at zero, in which the presentation of the target stimulus and the prompt are simultaneous. This ensures correct responding by the learner as he or she is learning the target behavior. After meeting a criterion for correct responding (ex. three consecutive trials correct in zero delay) an amount of time (ex. 3-5 seconds) is added between the presentation of the target stimulus and the prompt. This delay allows the learner to respond independently. If the learner does not respond within this time delay (or responds incorrectly) the prompt is delivered.
Example: The teacher presents the learner with three cards, each with a different color on it. She gives the instruction (target stimulus), "Point to blue," and simultaneously (zero delay) points to the card that is blue (prompt). After three correct trials, she presents the cards again and instructs the learner to point to blue, followed by a three second delay to allow for learner response before prompting by pointing to the blue card.
Superimposition involves pairing two stimuli in which one of the stimuli will invoke the correct response, and then gradually fading away one of the stimuli.
Example: The picture of a pencil may by paired with the verbal instruction, "get a pencil" in order to evoke the behavior of retrieving a pencil. The picture of the pencil can be slowly faded while still minimizing learner error.
The following video is a mini-training session on errorless teaching provided by Autism Training Solutions.