Using Response-prompting Procedures During Small-group Direct Instruction: Outcomes and Procedural Variations

Abstract

Research was reviewed on small-group instruction for learners with disabilities. The review was conducted for articles published between 1990 and 2010 on the application of small-group direct instruction to teach discrete skills using prompting procedures. A total of 47 articles with 197 participants and 687 replications of effects was located. Small-group instruction was effective for 195 of 197 participants and across variations in implementation and contexts. Implementers were primarily special education personnel, and instruction typically occurred in special education settings. Rigorous designs were used in all studies, and fidelity was assessed in 46 of 47 studies and was uniformly high. Students consistently reached criterion on their own target behaviors, generalized those behaviors, maintained them, and learned the behaviors taught to their peers (when this was measured, which occurred in a majority of the studies). Future research should examine comparisons of procedural variables and promoting social behaviors between group mates.

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

“…The average percentage of behaviors learned was lower than identified in a review of small group instruction using prompting procedures (Ledford et al, 2012), but more research is needed for observational learning of discrete academic behaviors for preschoolers. Many studies in the review that included preschool participants did not measure observational learning.…”

Peer Modeling of Commenting During Small Group Direct Instruction for Academic Behaviors

“…Although one-to-one contexts may be effective for improving discrete pre-academic skills (e.g., discrete trial training) for some children, it limits the opportunities for observational learning of social behaviors. However, there is overwhelming evidence that direct instruction conducted in small groups often leads to extra learning of discrete skills taught to group mates (e.g., naming words; for a review, see Ledford, Lane, Elam, & Wolery, 2012), although limited research has been conducted with heterogeneous small groups (e.g., children with and without disabilities). Moreover, this evidence is drawn largely from older children with disabilities.…”

“…Moreover, this evidence is drawn largely from older children with disabilities. In a recent review of small group instruction, only one of 37 studies included young children with and without disabilities (Ledford et al, 2012); differential effectiveness for young children is possible. Thus, small group direct instruction seems to be a context during which observational learning is likely.…”

A Module-Based Approach: Training Paraeducators on Evidence-Based Practices

“…In this particular case, three key instructional strategies were selected for the focus of this study: praise, pause, and prompts. These strategies were selected because they are widely used as part of instruction in a variety of classroom settings (e.g., Feldman & Matos, 2013;Johnson & Parker, 2013;Partin, Robertson, Maggin, Oliver, & Wehby, 2009) and are commonly used with students with a range of needs such as those with intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, and significant health-care needs (Browder & Spooner, 2011;Ledford, Lane, Elam, & Wolery, 2012;Westling & Fox, 2009;Wolery, Anthony, Caldwell, Snyder, & Morgante, 2002).…”