Stimulus prompts
Prompts that change the teaching materials or add a cue to them, such as moving, enlarging, highlighting or adding a picture to the correct stimulus.
Stimulus prompts make the correct choice stand out by altering the stimulus itself or adding something to it. Examples include placing the correct card closer to the learner (position), making it larger or brighter, outlining the correct answer in color, adding a picture next to a written word, or using arrows and dots on a worksheet.
Some stimulus prompts change a feature of the actual stimulus, while others add an extra stimulus near it. Both are useful in errorless teaching because they can make the correct response very likely without the teacher touching or talking to the learner.
Stimulus prompts are removed through stimulus fading, in which the added feature is gradually reduced, or stimulus shaping, in which the form of the stimulus is gradually changed into the target. If they are not faded carefully, the learner may respond to the prompt (for example, the color) rather than the relevant feature (the word), so plans specify small steps and data checks.
The RBT prepares materials exactly as the plan says, because small differences, such as a card that is accidentally larger, can act as an unplanned stimulus prompt.
Example and non-example
| Example | To teach a child to pick the word "STOP" from three word cards, the plan starts with "STOP" printed in large red letters and the other words in small black letters. |
|---|---|
| Non-example | The RBT says "It starts with S" to help the child choose "STOP." Spoken hints are verbal response prompts. |
Don't confuse it with
| Response prompts | Response prompts are the teacher's added help on the response; stimulus prompts alter the materials. |
|---|---|
| Visual prompt | Visual prompts are pictures, words or other visual cues; many are stimulus prompts, but a demonstration the learner watches is a modeling prompt. |
Test yourself
-
Question 1What is the main difference between a response prompt and a stimulus prompt?
Show answer
C: A response prompt is help directed at the learner's response; a stimulus prompt changes the teaching materials. Response prompts act on the learner's response (verbal, gestural, model and physical prompts). Stimulus prompts change the antecedent materials, for example by moving the correct card closer, making it larger or coloring it.
- A: Both kinds are given before or during the response; they differ in what they act on, not in timing.
- B: Response prompts include verbal, gestural, model and physical prompts; stimulus prompts change features of the materials such as position, size or color.
- D: Both are used to teach new skills and are faded as the skill is learned.
Task C.7 · 40-hour curriculum section E
-
Question 2In a sight-word program, the plan prints the correct word card in bold red letters while the other cards are in plain black. What is the red printing?
Show answer
D: A stimulus prompt. Changing a feature of the correct stimulus, such as its color, size or position, is a stimulus prompt. The plan will usually fade the red gradually so that the word itself controls the response.
- A: A response prompt is help aimed at the learner's response, such as a verbal or gestural prompt; here the materials are changed.
- B: The printed word is the SD the program is teaching; the red color is added help that is meant to be faded.
- C: A partial physical prompt involves touching the learner; nothing touches the learner here.
Task C.7 · 40-hour curriculum section E
-
Question 3To teach letter writing, a plan has the client trace dark dotted letters. Over sessions the dots are made lighter and lighter until the client writes the letter on a blank line. Which procedure is this?
Show answer
A: Stimulus fading. Stimulus fading gradually reduces an added feature of the materials, such as the darkness of tracing dots, until the learner responds without it.
- B: Graduated guidance is physical help adjusted during the response; here the printed support changes.
- C: Least-to-most prompting adds help within a trial only when needed; here help is reduced across sessions.
- D: Shaping reinforces closer and closer versions of the response itself; here a feature of the materials is gradually removed.
Task C.7 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Answer every question to see your score.
On the RBT exam
This term belongs to task C.7 Prompting and prompt fading in content area C, Behavior Acquisition, which is 19 of the 75 scored questions.