Understanding the Fade Plan, Prompt
Hierarchy and Data Collection
Prompt Hierarchy Section created by JANET HULL,
Teacher Specialist for Nonpublic Office
Presented by Mary Barbera, Special Education Resource
for PreKindergarten and Kindergarten
PRE ASSESSMENT
PLEASE SUBMIT TO YOUR ADMINISTRATOR
AACPS-Division of Special Education – Para Educator Training Videos
Name:
School:
Date:
1. A fade plan
a. is the same as the IEP and is needed by all students with IEPs.
b. is used when the team thinks that the student may not longer need special
education support.
c. can only be provided by a certified special educator or therapist.
d. is a way to document the areas in which a child needs extra support in the
classroom and the child’s progress.
2. Which of the following are cues versus prompts?
I. “Class, turn to page 22 in your math book and complete problems 1 to 10.”
II. The teacher shows the student a card with a picture of the cover of the math book.
III. The teacher claps her hands in a rhythm to signal for the class to get quiet.
a. I and II
c. I and III
b. II
d. I, II, and III
PRE ASSESSMENT
PLEASE SUBMIT TO YOUR ADMINISTRATOR
3. If a student cannot write her name independently, what would be the least
intrusive prompt to start with?
a. Verbal Prompt
c. Modeling
b. Partial Physical Prompt
d. Visual Prompt
4. Running Records and Anecdotal Records are examples of
a. Duration Recording.
c. Time Sampling.
b. Objective Recording.
d. Narrative Recording
5. A disadvantage of Time Sampling, Duration Recording and Frequency Counts is
that
a. They do not necessarily give you information about the antecedents of a
behavior.
b. They are difficult to collect.
c. They rely on having extra materials available.
d. It is difficult to summarize the information.
Partial
Physical
Gesture
Physical
Visual
Modeling
Verbal
Verbal
Understanding and Using the Prompt Hierarchy
Defining Cues and Prompting
A Cue refers to a natural request made by an adult to the
student to follow a direction or begin/complete a task.
Defining Cues and Prompting
A prompt refers to any additional information,
assistance and guidance given to the student
following a natural teacher cue.
Help…
The Prompt Hierarchy
Most Intrusive
Least Intrusive
Full Physical
Most
Intrusive
Partial Physical
Model
Visual
to
Gestural
Least
Intrusive
Verbal
Independent
Verbal Prompting
Verbal prompts can be Direct or Indirect
 Direct Verbal – tell the student what he/she is expected to do or
say (e.g., “Turn your powerchair right.”)
 Indirect Verbal – we tell the
student that something is
expected, but not exactly
what (e.g., “Now what?”
“What’s next?”, etc.)
What do
we do
next?
Tips for using Verbal Prompts
 Use vocabulary that is familiar to the student
 Use structurally simple and relatively short sentences
when prompting
 Use “start” directions rather than “stop” directions
 Adjust your rate of speaking when giving a verbal prompt
Use “Start Directions”
 When giving a direction to a student, tell them what
you DO want them to do.
Stop Directions
Start Directions
Stop running
Walk in the hall
Don’t yell
Use an inside voice
Stop calling out
???
No hitting
???
More tips for verbal prompting
 Give “Wait Time” after the prompt (10 sec- 1 minute)
 Repeat prompt if needed
 Avoid excessive verbal prompting
Gestural
Gestural Prompting includes providing a motion to
aid the student in understanding what is expected of
him/her.
Pointing to the item the student
will need: Point to the door if
you should be leaving, point
to the calculators if they need
to get a calculator.
Visual
Visual Prompting includes providing
visual aid the student in
understanding what is expected of
him/her.
 Providing a visual schedule
for students to refer to
Mini Schedules for Activity Blocks
Language Arts
Group
Seatwork
Work with Teacher
Choose a book
Media
Daily Check List (To Do List)
Today I will…
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Task Organizer and Work Cues
Write name
Color
Change
According to
Activity
Cut
Glue
Put in finished box
Get next paper
Visual Cues for redirection
 Expectations for response
 Expectations for behavior
 Raise your hand, Hands in Lap
Modeling
An adult demonstrates a desired response or skill
for a student. Demonstration can include verbal
prompting.
 Modeling “thinking aloud” when solving a problem
 Demonstrating use of a
picture schedule
 Modeling a task/activity
CAUTION!!
Model to copy:
Mary
Highlighted name to trace:
Partial Physical
Giving a student a limited amount of physical
guidance through an activity/task.
 Guiding a students hand
during an hands on activity
 Starting a zipper on a coat
 Holding one hand as the
student manages a set of
stairs
Full Physical
Physically guiding the student
through a task or activity
 Hands on a student’s
shoulder while turning
their body
 Using hand-over-hand
when writing, cutting,
& more
Independent
The student is able to perform the task on
his/her own with no prompts or assistance.
Use of normal, everyday
cues that a teacher
routinely uses with all
students
Generally established
part of classroom
routines
58
Fostering Student Independenc
Using Prompting Strategies to Increase Student Independence
 Always allow the target student(s) to respond to the teacher cue
before providing a prompt.
- If the teacher needs to provide multiple cues to
the entire class, continue to wait before providing
a prompt.
Using Prompting Strategies to Increase Student Independence
 Avoid providing prompts for skills that a student




currently demonstrates
Prior to providing a prompt, gain student attention (eye
contact as appropriate)
Begin with the least intrusive prompt initially
Use prompts in conjunction with reinforcement (verbal
phrase, point sheets, rewards, etc.)
Discontinue prompting for a skill that has been mastered
Fading Visual Prompts
Write name
Today I will…
Color
____________________
Cut
Glue
____________________
Put in finished box
____________________
Get next paper
Fading Prompt Location
Visual Prompts:
Start: Next to student
Later: Within line of vision
Gestural or verbal prompts:
Start: Seated next to student in classes
Later: Roving the class/going to student when needed
Last: Present for only a part of class
Data Collection
 What?
 Information collected to document child’s performance
 Why?
 To measure whether the child is making progress
 How?
 Define the behavior precisely and find the most efficient way to
record the behavior
 Who?
 Teacher decides on form, trains TSA
 Teacher and TSA record data
Common Methods of Data Collection
 Running records



Detailed account of events as they occur (pretend you are a video
camera) for a limited amount of time. Record what the teacher,
student, peers say or do. Do not include WHY you think they did it.
Ex: Running record of a child’s actions during center time
Pros/Cons
 Anecdotal records



Brief record of an incident that has happened in the recent past using
“observable” language – what the teacher, student, peers said or did
Ex: incident recorded on a behavior chart
Pros/Cons
Is it Observable?
INCLUDES INTERPRETATION:
Johnny was sitting at his desk doing morning work.
He got mad when Suzie bumped his chair so he stole
her book.
ONLY OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOR:
Johnny was sitting at his desk going morning work.
Susie walked behind him and bumped his chair with
her book. Johnny growled and pulled her book from
her hand.
Numerical Data Collection Methods
 Duration recording
 Time Sampling
 Frequency Counting
Duration recording
 Duration Recording

Record the amount of time a behavior lasts

Ex: Child sat for (Number of minutes) during morning meeting

Pros/Cons
Example of Duration Recording
Date
Time (record minutes) spent in Learning Lab
for Calming
9/15
8:45-8:53 = 8
12:32-12:48 = 16
9/16
12:40-1:02 = 22
9/22
8:34-8:45 = 9
10:16-10:30 = 14
9/23
12:30-12:36 = 6
Range of time for calming = 6-22 minutes
Average time for calming = 12.5 minutes
Time Sampling
 Time Sampling

Record whether the behavior occurs or not during a set time
interval.

Ex: At each 5 minutes on the clock during group rotations,
mark if the child is on-task (+) or off- task(-)

Pros/Cons
Example of Time Sampling
Goal 1: Requisite Learning
Obj.3: Complete a color/cut/paste task within teacher determined time limit
Criteria: If child is working on project, or asking relevant question of adult or peer mark +
Time
of
Day
+/--
9:03 9:04 9:05 9:06 9:07 9:08 9:09 9:10
+
+
+
--
--
+
+
+
9:11
9:12
+
--
70%
Frequency Count
 Frequency Count
 Tally the number of times a clearly defined behavior occurs in
a set amount of time

Ex: Number of times child leaves the classroom in a day

Pros/Cons
Example of Frequency Count Chart
Goal 2: Social Pragmatics
Obj. 1: Initiate greetings with adults and peers
Criteria: Greet person with no prompts by saying “Hi,” “Hello,” “Good Morning,”
saying person’s name, etc.
Peers
Mon.
|
Adults
|||
||
Tues.
Wed
||
Thurs.
|
||||
||
Fri.
Average of times per day = 0.8
Average of times per day = 2.4
Level of Prompt
 Level of Prompt
 Mark whether child completes behavior (+/-) AND any
prompts that were given

Ex: Toileting steps

Pros/Cons
Example of Level of Prompt Checklist
Goal 1: Requisite Learning
Obj.1: Complete routines with no more than 2 verbal prompts
Criteria: Mark + when step is completed without prompts
If prompt is needed, mark using code
M= Model
VP=Verbal
Vis=Visual
PP=Physical Prompt
Step
Mon.
Wed.
Tues.
Take off backpack
+
+
+
Take off coat
+
none
+
Hang coat in locker
none
+
VPVP+
VP+
Put snack on shelf
VPVP+
VPVPPP +
VP +
+
+
Put folder in teacher
basket
Start morning work
VPVis+
VP+
VP+
VP+
VP+
VP+
Take materials out of
backpack
Thurs.
Fri.
Making Data Collection Worthwhile
 Use it to help analyze any “stumbling blocks” and
then to revise instruction
 Use it to document progress for progress reports,
behavior plans, fade plans
Credits
 Slides on the Prompt Hierarchy were from Janet
Hull’s presentation for the Paraeducator Conference
August 18 and 19, 2011. Minor adaptations were
made.
POST ASSESSMENT
PLEASE SUBMIT TO YOUR ADMINISTRATOR
AACPS-Division of Special Education – Para Educator Training Videos
Name:
School:
Date:
1. A fade plan
a. is the same as the IEP and is needed by all students with IEPs.
b. is used when the team thinks that the student may not longer need special
education support.
c. can only be provided by a certified special educator or therapist.
d. is a way to document the areas in which a child needs extra support in the
classroom and the child’s progress.
2. Which of the following are cues versus prompts?
I. “Class, turn to page 22 in your math book and complete problems 1 to 10.”
II. The teacher shows the student a card with a picture of the cover of the math book.
III. The teacher claps her hands in a rhythm to signal for the class to get quiet.
a. I and II
c. I and III
b. II
d. I, II, and III
POST ASSESSMENT
PLEASE SUBMIT TO YOUR ADMINISTRATOR
3. If a student cannot write her name independently, what would be the least
intrusive prompt to start with?
a. Verbal Prompt
c. Modeling
b. Partial Physical Prompt
d. Visual Prompt
4. Running Records and Anecdotal Records are examples of
a. Duration Recording.
c. Time Sampling.
b. Objective Recording.
d. Narrative Recording.
5. A disadvantage of Time Sampling, Duration Recording and Frequency Counts is
that
a. they do not necessarily give you information about the antecedents of a
behavior.
b. they are difficult to collect.
c. they rely on having extra materials available.
d. it is difficult to summarize the information.