Discrete Trial & Naturalistic Teaching Flashcards

In DTT, 'stimulus control' is said to be established when:

Answer: The target response reliably occurs in the presence of the SD and not in its absence

Stimulus control is established when the SD reliably evokes the target response while S-delta conditions do not, indicating the learner has discriminated the relevant cue.

A child only responds correctly when the therapist leans forward before presenting the SD. This is an example of:

Answer: Stimulus overselectivity or inadvertent prompting

This is inadvertent prompting (stimulus overselectivity), where the learner responds to an unintended environmental cue rather than the intended SD.

In the Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) model, a 'time delay' procedure is used to:

Answer: Create an expectant pause that prompts the child to initiate communication

In EMT, time delay involves pausing expectantly after establishing joint attention, which creates an opportunity and mild pressure for the child to initiate a communicative response.

Which scenario best illustrates 'distractor trials' in a DTT program?

Answer: Interspersing mastered, easy items among acquisition trials to maintain responding and momentum

Distractor trials (also called interspersed maintenance trials) involve mixing previously mastered items with new acquisition targets to build momentum and prevent frustration.

Natural Environment Training (NET) differs from clinic-based DTT primarily in that NET:

Answer: Embeds trials within the learner's natural daily activities and uses natural reinforcers

NET embeds instructional opportunities within naturally occurring activities and uses natural reinforcers, promoting generalization compared to clinic-based structured DTT.

When using a 'least-to-most' prompting hierarchy in DTT, the therapist should:

Answer: Start with the least intrusive prompt and increase support only if the learner does not respond correctly

Least-to-most prompting begins with the least intrusive level of support and escalates to more intrusive prompts only when the learner does not respond correctly within the prompt window.

A therapist implementing Joint Action Routines (JARs) as a naturalistic teaching strategy is primarily targeting:

Answer: Turn-taking, shared attention, and communication within predictable social routines

JARs use predictable, repeating social routines to target joint attention, turn-taking, and communication in a naturalistic, highly motivating context.