Practice Strategies and Considerations to Promote Maintenance and Generalization

Abstract

Performing newly acquired skills over time (i.e., maintenance) and across settings and stimuli (i.e., generalization) is central to what students need to accomplish in preparation for life beyond the classroom. Students, including those with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), need opportunities to practice for the purposes of maintaining and generalizing skills. With practice, students develop the ability to perform skills adequately under appropriate conditions. This article details ways to teach and get students with EBD to practice generalization and maintenance of newly acquired skills.