Time Delay Basics
What is the main purpose of time delay?
To increase correct, unprompted responses and support children's independent learning.
What type of time delay keeps the planned pause the same across later trials?
Constant time delay.
Name one everyday routine in which time delay can be embedded?
Play time, snack time, toileting, or any classroom routine.
Name one type of prompt that can support a child during a time delay?
A model, visual cue, gesture, verbal prompt, physical prompt.
What does an unprompted response mean?
The child responds correctly without an adult providing a prompt.
Which type of time delay gradually increases the pause before prompting?
Progressive time delay.
How many trials per skill per day are suggested in the implementation notes?
Five trials per skill per day
Name one possible reinforcer used during time-delay instruction?
Praise, a preferred food when appropriate, a preferred activity, or extra playground time
During initial teaching, what does the teacher provide immediately after the cue?
An immediately effective prompt.
Naturalistic time delay
How long should initial zero-second-delay teaching?
Two to three days to support correct responses.
What are the daily probe measures used to track?
The child's performance and unprompted responses over time.
Why is time delay considered a way to promote independence?
It gives the child an opportunity to respond independently before receiving a prompt.
What delay did the researchers introduce in the Barton et al. (2019) study?
A five-second delay before providing the controlling prompt.
What should a teacher do if the child does not respond correctly within the response interval?
Provide the planned controlling prompt.
In the pretend-play example, a child puts a baby on the bed and covers it with a blanket without a prompt. How many unprompted sequences is this?
One unprompted sequence.
A child learns to feed a doll and then rock it. What is being measured here?
The child's pretend-play skills and ability to complete a sequence, not a behavior?
What is one key difference between constant and progressive time delay?
Constant time delay uses the same planned delay, while progressive time delay gradually increases the delay.
What should practitioners do when the current prompting strategy is not effective?
Monitor the progress of the child and adjust the prompts, reinforcement, delay, or teaching approach to meet the child where they need to be met.
What is the "mastery criterion" involving consecutive sessions?
Three consecutive sessions showing more unprompted sequences across different play sets.