Modeling and Practice, Shaping, Prompting:

Where is the student now? Where do you want him to be?  Given the sub-skill you selected within your task analysis (your starting point for instruction), how can you shape this behavior into a practical skill for the future?

This student might display strong verbal communication skills (e.g., initiating the introduction, politely requesting the application, saying “thank you”) but does not first evaluate the situation in order to determine if it is the right time to initiate communication. Start with simple and achievable goals for the student. Practice concrete rules initially in controlled environments and heavily reinforce expected behaviors. Practice the concrete skill in multiple controlled environments with ‘friendly’ staff.  Start with very specific targets and expand the contexts and people with whom the student will demonstrate the skill.

As the student is ready, systematically target increasingly advanced discriminations where changing just one aspect of the situation dictates a shift in if, when or how the interruption should occur.

What visual supports (scripts, instructions, reminder cues, etc.) will you use to help the student rehearse the expected behavior or skill?

Graphic organizers might be used to help the student map out a plan that includes targeted locations, addresses, and the right time to go (non-peak hours) versus the wrong time to go.  
Scripts, reminder cards, and naturally existing visual cues in the environment are likely to be most crucial as the student rehearses the following steps:

1. Identify the most likely area within a store where he might obtain an application (e.g. the front desk, the customer service desk, the hostesses’ stand, a cashier’s station) and who to ask (e.g. the person wearing a name tag, the person behind the counter, the person wearing a uniform). 
2. Determine if it is the right time to approach the employee (recognize the “busy signals”, wait to approach; recognize that the employee is available, then approach)
3. Initiate communication with the employee. In many cases, this involves at least three primary steps: 1. Introduce yourself (“Hi, my name is _____”) . 2. Request an application (“I was hoping I could please pick up an application.”) 3.  No matter whether you get an application or not, say “Thank you.”  

What type of prompting might you need to provide in the initial learning phase?

Most likely you will use modeling and verbal prompting during initial instruction to support the student in identifying the right area of the store to go to, identifying the right employee to approach, waiting for the right time to approach, and initiating an introduction and request for an application.  When you model the behavior, label what you do.   Then encourage the student to verbally label the expected behavior when he sees it. Guide him through verbal prompts and demonstration in performing those behaviors.  Model use of any visual supports that are in place to build and sustain that behavior. 

What is your plan for systematically and quickly fading out your prompting? How do you time and fade the prompt to support the student in initiating the target behavior?

It is important to note that you cannot effectively fade prompts unless you arrange multiple practice opportunities across which these prompts can be faded.  Fading happens gradually and systematically. Fully prompting the student through the only practice opportunity on day 1, and then expecting him to perform with minimal or no prompting on day 2 is not realistic.  As you issue verbal and modeling prompts to support the student in performing the targeted behaviors in role-play, direct the student’s attention to the visual supports that illustrate what you are modeling.  As the student attends to these supports (e.g., the scripts, the reminder cues), use less intrusive prompts (gestures to the visual supports and partial verbal prompts – one word or phrase instead of the whole sentence), until you are able to fade those prompts out completely.

Can the student discriminate between the more versus less appropriate response in a given role-play scenario?  Are you arranging opportunities for the student to make such discriminations and to label when the instructor or someone else performs the behavior incorrectly?

Use role-plays with the student being an active observer.  During these activities, the student may hold up a visual cue indicating “Polite” or “Rude” based on the way the actor introduces himself and requests an application; or perhaps he labels the interaction as “Good impression” or “Bad impression.”  Advanced methods may involve the student evaluating the context and labeling the moment as “The right time to approach” or “The wrong time to approach.”  Eventually, the student may be able to not only label the behavior, but offer suggestions for more appropriate demonstration.

Are you arranging frequent practice opportunities to build fluency through repetition?

There are many sub-skills related to this topic:  selecting appropriate attire before going to a place of business, grooming, identifying times to visit businesses, identifying where to go and who to talk to based on the type of business, etc.  For example, visiting an office building at 9 a.m. is appropriate while most restaurants are not open until lunchtime or later.  Additionally, it may be clear where to go in an office building with a receptionist behind a desk wearing a nametag, but that clarity will vanish if entering a factory warehouse without any obvious “customer service” area where everyone is wearing jeans and t-shirts.  Establishing clear rules and scripts is important, but repeated practice is key to promote generalized concept of how to appropriately obtain a job application.