Prompt Dependency and a Goal That Looks Mastered
A 5-year-old boy, Eli, is in a self-contained early childhood special education classroom. His IEP goal is that he will request 'more' or 'help' using words or a picture card during 8 of 10 opportunities across three activities. His teacher runs 10 discrete trials before snack each day. In each trial, she places a preferred snack in a clear container, takes Eli's hand, guides it to the picture card, and says 'say more.' Data for the past six weeks show 90% correct, but every response is coded as 'physical prompt.' The teacher reports that Eli 'has mastered the goal' and wants to move to a new goal. At home, his mother says he grabs food and screams; he does not use the card unless she physically guides him. A classroom observation shows Eli goes to the snack shelf, looks at the teacher, and reaches; the teacher immediately hands him a cracker without waiting. The IEP meeting is next week.
1. Interpret the progress data. Should the team agree the goal is mastered?
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No, the goal is not mastered. Ninety percent correct with a full physical prompt measures the teacher's prompting, not Eli's requesting. The data show prompt dependency: Eli is not initiating, and the behavior has not generalized to home or to naturally occurring opportunities. The observation confirms this-when Eli reaches and looks at the teacher, she hands him the cracker before he can request. The team should revise the data system to record prompt level (independent, verbal, model, partial physical, full physical) and opportunity type. Mastery should require independent or minimally prompted requests across activities, people, and settings. Moving to a new goal now would leave the current skill fragile and might increase frustration at home. The parent report is valid social validity data and should be part of the decision.
2. What instructional changes would you recommend?
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Use a time-delay and prompt-fading procedure. First, identify strong reinforcers through a brief preference assessment. Arrange the environment so Eli must request: put preferred items in sight but out of reach, give small amounts, and pause expectantly. Wait 3–5 seconds before prompting; if he initiates, reinforce immediately with praise and the item. If not, use the least prompt that works (model or gesture) and fade to independent. Teach 'more' and 'help' in play, snack, and clean-up, not only at the table. Reinforce any approximation-reach, vocalization, sign, or card-and shape toward the target. Train the teacher and parent to use the same wait-time and prompt hierarchy. Collect data on independent responses per opportunity. Avoid hand-over-hand for a skill Eli can do with less support.
3. How would you revise the goal and measurement?
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Revise the goal to read something like: 'During snack, play, and clean-up, Eli will independently request more or help using a word, sign, or picture card in 8 of 10 opportunities across three consecutive sessions, with no more than a verbal or gestural prompt.' Specify that independent means no physical assistance and that the response must occur within 5 seconds of the opportunity. Add a generalization criterion across two adults and two settings, including home if the family agrees. Keep a simple data sheet that records opportunities, prompt level, and response. Review progress every two weeks. The team should also add a short parent-coaching goal so the mother can create opportunities at home. This makes the goal measurable, functional, and tied to Eli's actual communication needs.