Antecedent-Prompting Procedures
Antecedent prompting is a strategy in which the teacher uses one or more types of prompts to facilitate the student exhibiting an interactive behavior, which is then reinforced by peers and the teacher. Antecedent promptingAntecedent promptingInstructional technique in which an adult remains in proximity to the student in natural settings and uses words, gestures, pictures, or touch to encourage the student to engage in a particular behavior. Antecedent promptingInstructional technique in which an adult remains in proximity to the student in natural settings and uses words, gestures, pictures, or touch to encourage the student to engage in a particular behavior. requires placing the student in a natural context that involves social interaction with one or more socially competent peers (e.g., sharing a toy, sharing a video game, playing a game, sharing a snack). The teacher remains in proximity to the child with autism and provides prompts to the child to initiate or respond to a social interaction. Although verbal prompts are the most common, other prompts could be used as well (gestures, pictures, etc.; see Chapter 5 ). Typically, peers are instructed to respond positively to any initiations by the student with autism.
Ms. Jacobs, whom you met earlier in this chapter, uses antecedent prompting, in addition to direct instruction, as part of her socialization program. Vignette 7.2 describes how Ms. Jacobs uses antecedent prompting.