Instructional Strategies

 

Blog 4: Instructional Strategies

Key Points:

Teaching students requires scaffolding supports that fade over time:

Antecedent Prompts

Antecedent prompts are supports given before a task to help students notice natural cues in their environment. 

They guide attention and prepare the student to respond correctly. Examples include placing a colored sticker on a faucet to remind a student where to wash hands, modeling a behavior for the student to copy, or moving materials closer to the student to highlight the next step. 

These prompts are meant to build connections between real-world cues and the desired response.

 However, prompts must be carefully faded over time. If they are not reduced, students may become dependent and fail to generalize skills to new settings.

 For Education Assistants (EAs), this means starting with more support if needed but always planning to reduce it gradually. 

The ultimate goal is for students to respond to natural cues in their environment without added prompts. 

Knowing how and when to fade prompts is a skill EAs develop with practice, observation, and collaboration with teachers. This ensures that students achieve independence rather than relying on constant adult direction.

Antecedent Behavior Consequence: ABC Charts & Model

https://youtu.be/UVKb_BXEp5U?si=Aa2bx2H-KkiQDEvl

Students often need reminders to notice natural cues. For example, a colored sticker on a sink can remind them where to wash hands.

Modeling, visuals, or proximity cues guide correct responses. But prompts must be faded gradually so students learn to rely on real-world cues, not constant reminders. Color coding, modeling, proximity cues.

Learning Strategies

Learning strategies teach students how to learn, not just what to learn. These methods give students tools for remembering, organizing, and applying information. For example, mnemonics, rhymes, and acronyms can help students recall steps in a task.

 Imagery and visual supports also make abstract information easier to understand. 

A practical example is teaching the acronym “ESP—Equipment, Steps, Problems” to help students remember routines related to health procedures. These strategies are especially effective for students with mild or no cognitive disabilities who are able to apply abstract learning methods. For EAs, incorporating learning strategies into instruction helps students become more independent learners. Instead of memorizing by rote, students can use these strategies to understand processes, recall them later, and transfer skills across settings. This promotes long-term success and reduces reliance on constant prompting. By modeling and practicing these strategies with students, EAs empower them to take more control of their learning and daily functioning.

Beyond teaching “what to do,” EAs help students learn “how to learn.” Mnemonics, rhymes, and imagery can make health or academic tasks easier to remember. For example, “ESP—Equipment, Steps, Problems” helps students recall health routines. These strategies support independence and long-term skill use. Physical, gesture, or verbal supports.

Response Prompts

Response prompts are supports provided during a task to ensure students perform actions correctly.

They can take many forms, including physical guidance, gestures, modeling, or verbal cues.

 For example, an EA may physically guide a student’s hand to open a container, point to the correct picture on a communication board, or model how to use equipment. 

These prompts are critical in preventing errors and helping students experience success from the start. 

However, like antecedent prompts, they must be systematically faded. Common systems include least-to-most prompting, where minimal support is given first, and time delay, where the EA waits before offering a prompt to encourage independence. 

For EAs, the challenge is balancing support and independence—giving enough help to ensure accuracy but not so much that the student becomes dependent. Careful observation and gradual fading are key. When done well, response prompts help students build confidence, learn skills accurately, and practice them independently.

Sometimes students need physical or verbal assistance during a task. Full or partial physical guidance, gestures, or verbal prompts can help them succeed. EAs should reduce these supports over time using strategies like time delay or least-to-most prompting. This balance avoids dependence while still ensuring success. Mnemonics, mental imagery, outlines.

ABA Autism Training - Chapter 3 - Prompting

https://youtu.be/TDijJjKHMVQ?si=ZrSQTbayCDeHlZlt

Demonstration–Guided–Independent Practice

This instructional model follows a clear sequence: demonstration, guided practice, and independent practice.

 First, the EA or teacher demonstrates the skill while the student observes. Next, the student attempts the skill with guidance and immediate feedback. 

Finally, the student practices independently to show mastery. 

For example, when teaching handwashing, the EA might first demonstrate each step, then guide the student through the process, and finally observe as the student performs it independently. 

This gradual release of responsibility ensures students understand the task before being expected to complete it alone. The model is highly effective for daily living and academic skills but requires caution for health or safety-related tasks, such as medical procedures or transfers. In those cases, even during independent practice, supervision is necessary to prevent harm. For EAs, this model provides a structured way to teach skills while maintaining safety and promoting independence. By combining demonstration, support, and opportunities for independence, students can build both competence and confidence.

This approach starts with the teacher or EA demonstrating a task, then guiding practice with feedback, and finally letting the student try independently. It is very effective for daily living skills but requires close supervision for medical or safety-related tasks. Effective for skill mastery.

Video Example: A teacher demonstrates effective modeling and guided practice

https://youtu.be/G45QcU81IyI?si=Hg07yvzrZ-7MdBzIReflection

The most important lesson is finding the balance between support and independence. Too much prompting can create dependence, while too little can lead to frustration. The goal is gradual fading.

Takeaway for EAs

Your goal is always independence. Prompts are tools, not crutches. Knowing when to step in—and when to step back—is the art of being an effective EA.

What Is Guided Practice In Teaching? - Childhood Education Zone

Childhood Education Zone

https://youtu.be/wYuAI7XUdQU?si=epc1Njdex9hggE9o