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?

Much like the “Cover Letter” intervention topic, it is not necessary to plan for the student to write a full thank you letter on the first attempt or in any single-sitting.  Use the steps in the task analysis to help divide instruction and practice opportunities into manageable pieces (e.g. focus on just the contact information or only 1-3 sentences of the paragraph, then re-approach the task later and continue with another small piece).

What visual supports will you use to help the student draft thank you letters?

Use an included graphic organizer, or design one, that best supports the student in planning and writing the letter.  These may be thought maps, checklists, or general templates.  To-do lists will help organize the steps of a practice task and can keep the student focused.  Reminder cards, sample thank you letters, and rule cards can also support performance.

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

In the initial stage, it is likely that you will provide verbal and modeling prompts to guide the student in using a graphic organizer and thank you letter template.  Verbal modeling prompts may also be required to illustrate the proofreading process (e.g. you read the completed section aloud, the student listens for errors).  If the student will benefit from reading her own writing aloud in order to catch errors, you first need to model this for the student.  You may also need to provide verbal and written modeling prompts to offer options on ways to rephrase a sentence. 

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?

As the student begins engaging in independent practice activities, such as filling in parts of a thank you letter on a blank template, you may notice he has trouble staying on task.  A to-do list can serve as a reminder and time-management tool for many students, lessening the need for you to continually offer prompts such as “what’s next?” or “keep going…”

Can the student discriminate between more versus less appropriate versions of a cover letter?  Can the student identify errors within a cover letter (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, omissions)? 

There are a variety of ways to support the student in making accurate discriminations between a more appropriate versus less appropriate thank you letter.  As you target these discriminations, focus on particular examples, rather than simply beginning with the big picture question – which letter is better? Instead, you might provide a worksheet with two samples per section of a thank letter (e.g. “Thanks a lot” versus “I really appreciate the opportunity”).  The student can then identify the more appropriate versions by circling his selection.   Then, the student can apply the more appropriate response within his own letter.

For some students, it will be necessary to read aloud a particular sentence to them – guide them in listening and looking to discern whether that sentence sounds right, or “off” in some way.  Is a word missing?  Is there a typo? Is the verb tense correct?  

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

Since thank you letters require specific details regarding a specific interview, be sure to offer repeated opportunities for the student to practice making adjustments.  Since the concept of “finished” can be confusing for some students, repetition can help establish the concept that a “finished” thank you letter is only “finished” for a specific reader or employer.