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?
Let’s say that your entry point for instruction is one of the first steps in the actual performance sequence (physically approach the person). The physical approach involves: 1) moving towards the person at a natural pace (not too fast), and 2) stopping at the right point to remain standing, or stopping and sitting in a seat that is the appropriate distance from the intended conversational partner. It may be necessary to successively “mold” this first behavior into one that is practical in the future. Once this first step within the “chain” is performed to a set criterion, then it would be necessary to shape the next behavior in the “chain.”
What visual supports will you use to help the student rehearse this skill with increasing confidence, accuracy and independence?
Would a relationship target (graphic organizer) help to teach whom to interact with and in what types of situations? Would scenario cards be helpful in practicing with others the multiple situations the student might encounter? Would conversation starter cards give the student ideas of what to say? (see Communication Systems and Scripts for examples) Will a visual reminder cue help the student evaluate the context to determine if he should initiate a conversation in that moment? (see Visual Cues for examples)
What types of prompting might you need to provide in the initial learning phase?
Verbal and modeling prompts might be applied at first (by educators, appropriate peers, etc.) to guide the student through the decision-making process (should I initiate?) and through the sequence of performance steps.
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?
Shift the student’s attention away from your prompts and towards the naturally occurring environmental cues (and towards the visual cues that you design) to establish and sustain independence. For example, if you are targeting the sub-skill of physical approach, direct the student’s attention to natural boundaries (e.g. desks, chairs) that might be used to help the student maintain appropriate physical distance as he initiates a conversation.
Can the student discriminate between the more versus less appropriate initiation 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 initiates a conversation incorrectly?
The type and complexity of these discriminations will depend on your assessment of the student’s capacity to make such discriminations. For one student, it may be necessary to focus on explicit examples of appropriate and less appropriate verbal initiations (Version 1: Student walks over to a teacher and yells “Yo lady, what’s up?” versus Version 2: Student walks over to a teacher and says, “Hi Ms. Barnes, how are you doing?”).
For a different student, these examples would be too transparent. This student may need guidance in making accurate discriminations between slightly different initiation statements that might yield different results (Version 1: Student walks over to peer and says “Hi,” followed by awkward long pause, versus Version 2: Student walks over to peer and says, “Hi…what did you think about that test?”).