Small-Group Massed-Trial and Individually-Distributed-Trial Instruction With Preschoolers

Abstract

This study compared the effectiveness and efficiency of using a small-group-massed-trial instructional format to an individually administered distributed-trial format in teaching preschool children with and without disabilities to name pictures. The trainer identified three pairs of pictures for each of 8 participants (37-59 months). Students learned the first pair in a small-group instructional arrangement with a massed-trial format and the second pair individually with a distributed-trial format. The third pair served as a no-instruction control set. Training included a constant time delay procedure with both formats, and an adapted alternating treatments design evaluated the effects. All children acquired the naming behaviors regardless of the instructional format; however, for 6 of the 8 children, distributed instruction was slightly more efficient. The procedures resulted in errorless learning for 3 children, and the embedded instruction resulted in fewer errors and lower error percentages for 3 of the 5 remaining children. These findings are discussed in terms of designing effective and efficient instructional programs in mainstreamed contexts.

Observational Learning of Academic and Social Behaviors During Small-Group Direct Instruction

“…The overall average percentage of errors emitted (4.5%) is similar to that reported for young children in other studies (e.g., 4.0-6.3%, Holcombe et al, 1993). Error percentages were higher during instruction on the first behavior set; previous studies that did not teach multiple sets of behaviors to young children over time (e.g., when there were no opportunities to "learn to learn") reported similarly high levels of errors (e.g., 8.9%, Chiara et al, 1995;16.2%, Wolery et al, 1993). These percentages are higher than those reported in some reviews of the use of prompting procedures (Wolery, Holcombe, et al, 1992).…”

“…First, all participants learned all academic behaviors directly taught with progressive time delay. This replicates previous research on the use of response prompting procedures in small group arrangements with preschool children with disabilities (e.g., Alig-Cybriwsky et al, 1990;Chiara, Schuster, Bell, & Wolery, 1995;Holcombe, Wolery, & Snyder, 1994;Holcombe, Wolery, Werts, & Hrenkevich, 1993;Wolery, Werts, Holcombe, Billings, & Vassilaros, 1993;Wolery, Holcombe, Werts, & Cipolloni, 1993). It adds to a smaller body of research that suggests acquisition of discrete academic skills also occur when children with disabilities are taught together in a small group with typically-developing peers (Ledford & Wolery, in press;Venn et al, 1996).…”

“…It is likely that the lenient criterion for acquisition is to blame-previous studies on targeted academic behaviors taught in small groups of preschoolers show near-100% maintenance of behaviors, but these studies thinned the schedule of reinforcement to a VR-3 schedule (Chiara et al, 1995) or both thinned the schedule and used a more stringent criterion (more sessions at criterion and 100% correct responding rather than 90%; Holcombe et al, 1994). Lower than expected maintenance of skills may have also occurred because the skills were chosen primarily for research purposes (e.g., the children would be unlikely to be taught to name stimuli outside of instructional sessions), and the children likely were not exposed to reinforcement for naming similar stimuli outside the context of the study.…”

Discrete Trial Training

“…A number of studies have examined different ways to arrange instructional trials within teaching sessions (Chiara, Schuster, Bell, & Wolery, 1995 ;Dunlap, 1984 ;Majdalany, Wilder, Greif, Mathisen, & Saini, 2014 ;Volkert, Lerman, Trosclair, Addison, & Kodak, 2008 ). Research fi ndings suggest that learners may acquire skills more quickly when the therapist presents S D s for several different targets (e.g., "stand up," "Point to green," "What animal goes 'moo'?")…”

Current Practices with Young Children Who Have Disabilities: Placement, Assessment, and Instruction Issues

“…At least 15 minutes occurred between trials. All children learned to name the pictures (Chiara, Schuster, Bell, & Wolery, 1993).…”