Prompt Fading
What is Prompt Fading? Because prompting is assisting an individual to perform the correct response, it is easy for the person to become dependent on prompting in order to complete the response. This means that the individual will not attempt to perform the response unless the prompt is given. To decrease the chances of prompt dependency, it is important to fade the prompts as you see the individual performing the response correctly.
| Most to Least | Least to Most |
|---|---|
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| Note: Most to Least prompting is used most often when introducing a new skill. | Note: Least to Most prompt fading is used most often when the learner is familiar with the skill. |
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Step 1: Start with Full Physical (or the most intrusive prompt possible) and fade over time. |
Step 1: Start with the least intrusive prompt (usually Visual or Positional) and see if the learner succeeds with the skill with that prompt. |
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Step 2: After practicing the skill for 3 times with the most intrusive prompt (Full Physical) fade to a less intrusive prompt like Partial Physical. |
Step 2: If the learner is successful with the least intrusive prompt for 3 times, fade to independence. |
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Step 3: After practicing the skill for 3 times at the lesser intrusive prompt (Partial Physical) and the learner has been successful, fade to another lesser intrusive prompt (Model). |
If the learner is unsuccessful, then increase your prompt to a more intrusive prompt (e.g., if you started off with Positional and that was unsuccessful increase to Gesture). Only allow the learner to fail 1 time when fading prompts. |
| If the learner is unsuccessful with the second prompt (Partial Physical) go back to the more intrusive prompt (Full Physical) and practice for 3 more times. Only allow the learner to fail 1 time when fading prompts. |
Step 4: Continue to prompt and have the learner to practice the skill with prompting 3 times for each level of prompting and fade accordingly either up or down the hierarchy above. The goal is to get to independence as soon as possible but allowing the learner time in each prompt level to be successful. |
| Note: Step 4 is the same for both prompt fading techniques. The goal should be the same. To get the learner to independence as soon as possible. The difference between these two strategies is WHERE you start on the prompt hierarchy above. Do you start with the most intrusive prompt or the least intrusive prompt. |
PROMPT FADING WORKSHEET
Test your knowledge: Can you identify the types of prompt fading used in the following scenarios? Most to Least or Least to Most?
Scenario #1: 8-year-old Sam is learning how to color within the lines. He has a blank horse and a barn on his coloring page. The teacher’s aide puts her hand over his to help him color. After a few times of Sam coloring with the hand over hand of the teacher’s aide, the aide fades the prompt to placing her hand lightly over his arm to guide Sam in coloring inside the lines.
The type of prompting procedure did the teacher’s aide used:
Scenario #2: Dad is teaching his son Robert how to change a tire on his car. Dad shows Robert how to remove one lug nut and has Robert remove one after on the first tire. Dad continues to do this until all the lug nuts are off the first tire. Dad then has Robert do the second tire and Dad only points to the Tire Iron (lug nut remover) and points to the lug nuts to be removed and Robert is successful in taking off the lug nuts of the second tire.
The type of prompting procedure did dad used:
Scenario #3: A client is learning how to dial his parents’ phone number on a phone. The therapist assists the child in dialing the number by pointing to the correct number. After the child correctly dials the area code the therapist then uses a whiteboard and write downs the next 3 digits in the number.
The type of prompting procedure did the therapist used:
Homework Assignment
Try it out yourself. Here are the steps to trying out how to prompt fade.
Step 1: Identify the skill to be taught
Step 2: Identify what type of prompt fading technique is appropriate.
Is this a new skill for the learner? Then maybe do Most to Least.
Is this something the learner can do about 30%-50%? Is the learner familiar with this skill?
Then maybe do Least to Most.
Step 3: Identify which prompt is appropriate to start off with.
Step 4: Practice and collect data below.
Remember the rule of 3. Fade after 3 successful attempts or increase intrusiveness of the prompt if unsuccessful. Do not allow the learner to fail or be unsuccessful more than 1 time for any prompt level. As soon as the learner does not engage in the correct response fade the prompt to a more intrusive prompt.
| Skill: | Prompt Fading Procedure: | What prompt to start off with: |
Track your prompts below. Use the following Key:
FP-Full Physical, FP-Partial Physical, M-Model, G-Gesture, V-Visual, I-Independent
Remember to fade after 3 successful attempts at a certain prompt or increase prompt if unsuccessful even 1 time.