Student-Teacher Prompting

Student-Teacher Prompting is an instructional strategy used to guide a learner's behavior. It is particularly helpful for teaching new skills or encouraging desired behaviors. Here are some examples of different types of prompts that teachers or educators might use:

  1. Verbal Prompts:

    • Verbal Instructions: These involve giving clear, step-by-step verbal directions to guide the student through a task. For instance, when teaching someone to make a sandwich, the instructor might say, "First, take two slices of bread and place them on a plate."
    • Verbal Cues: These are less structured than instructions and provide just-in-time support. For example, when coaching someone on a dance move, the coach might say, "Don't forget to step to the right before you turn."
    • Verbal Praise: Praising someone's efforts reinforces desired behaviors. For instance, if a child puts away their toys, a parent might say, "Great job! You put your toys away all by yourself! Let's go get some ice cream!"

  2. Nonverbal Prompts:

    • These involve gestures or body language:
      • Modeling: Demonstrating the desired behavior for the learner. For instance, having a model picture as a stimulus when painting your own picture.
      • Visual Prompts: Using visual cues such as pointing to a photograph or video to guide the student.

  3. Physical Prompts:

    • These involve gentle physical contact:
      • Partial Physical Prompt: The teacher adjusts or guides the student's behavior in the right direction using their hands.
      • Full Physical Prompt: The teacher completely controls the student's movements through the entire sequence of the target behavior.

Prompting is often used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to assist children with learning difficulties in acquiring target behaviors. It falls along a continuum from least intrusive to most intrusive, allowing educators to tailor their approach to individual needs¹²³.

(1) 18 Prompting Examples (2024) - Helpful Professor. https://helpfulprofessor.com/prompting-examples/. (2) Prompting - Instructional Strategies (PENT) - California. https://pent.ca.gov/is/is/prompting.aspx. (3) Everything You Need To Know About Prompting Teaching Strategy. https://numberdyslexia.com/prompting-teaching-strategy/.