Paraeducator Training
Series
Levels of Support/Levels of
Prompting
Handout/Activity Packet
Handout #1
Ways to Step Back:
Classroom Collaboration
(Adapted from Hudson, 1997)
1. Acknowledge your impulse to make students’ days go smoothly. There’s a reason you chose the
helping profession.
2. Pause before answering or helping.
3. Schedule in advance a brief task or time period when you commit to no intervention no matter
what (unless safety is compromised). See what happens. Reintroduce assistance only as needed.
4. Sit further away. If you have been within arm’s reach, sit just within earshot. If you have been
sitting just within earshot, sit across the room.
5. Take data instead. Keep a tally of the number of times in a lesson students appropriately attend.
6. Unless you are the classroom teacher, catch yourself before you correct students’ work.
Remember, this is about the student’s learning skills, not yours.
7. Teach students to decline assistance by saying, “Thanks, but please let me try it by myself.”
8. Phase out cues.
9. Have students discreetly ask their classmates for information (what page are they on, what is the
school lunch choices, who is the teacher referring to)
10. Remind yourself that you are stepping back so that students can become independent. It’s
harmful when you cover for them. Don’t be responsible for holding them back.
11. Make sure that team members (especially the teacher and the principal) know your reasons for
stepping back so it doesn’t seem like you are shirking your responsibilities.
12. Clock how long it takes for students to do things independently. The extra time to start zippers,
pick up dropped papers, or find page numbers may seem eternal but actually last only a few
seconds.
13. Tell other adults in the classroom that you’re going to step back and ask them to remind you
when you should do this if you forget.
14. With the classroom teacher, write a plan for how to build independence. What is the timeframe
for stepping back? What specific skills are you working on? When will you know when the
student is independent in the task?
15. Let classroom teachers serve as a clearinghouse for all questions or needs. Students ask their
classroom teachers. The classroom teachers then decide to a) respond themselves, b) delegate to
other adults or students to help, or c) ask the students to try to work it out along.
16. Let your students make mistakes and get into trouble. Further, allow them to take responsibility
for their actions/behaviors. It is part of the human experience!
17. Post a sign, “Could I be doing less?” to remind you to step back.
Handout #2
Levels of Support/Levels of Prompting
Glossary of Terms
Cues/Prompts: Verbal or nonverbal signals that indicate what action is necessary.
Fading: A gradual reduction of cues/prompts and extrinsic (outside) reinforcers as the student
demonstrates the desired behavior or task.
Modeling: To demonstrate a behavior or completion of a task for the learner.
Natural Cue: Something that occurs ‘naturally’ that prompts a behavior (e.g. raining outside cues the use
of an umbrella).
Negative Reinforcer: Taking away an aversive (e.g. You only have to finish the first half of the
worksheet).
Positive Reinforcer: Adding something desirable (e.g. You have earned free time!)
Prompts/Cues: Verbal or nonverbal signals that indicate what action is necessary.
Reinforcers: Any action or event that increases the likelihood that a behavior will occur.
Scaffolding instruction: The systematic sequencing of prompted content, materials, tasks, and teacher
and peer support to optimize learning.
Shaping: To teach a behavior or task by providing cues, models, and consequences for steps
demonstrated gradually until the final behavior or task is learned.
Student Independence: Students have freedom from the influence or control of others.
Wait Time: The amount of time given to the student to respond to a question or complete a task.
Handout #3
Making Connections Activity
Scenarios
Directions: With a partner, read the scenarios and determine which type of support has been offered to
the student. Check the column of the appropriate strategy on the Making Connections Activity Grid.
Scenario One: Math is scheduled after language. Lisa has finished her language arts assignments and is
sitting at her desk. The paraeducator points to a schedule taped to Lisa’s desk to indicate that it is 10:00
and time for math. Lisa takes out her math book, waiting for the teacher to begin the math lesson.
Scenario Two: While accompanying the class to McDonald’s, Lisa selects the items to order, places her
order, pays and checks her change. The clerk smiles and thanks her for eating at McDonald’s. Lisa joins
the paraeducator and other class members to eat her lunch. Lisa is excited about the possibility of
coming back to McDonald’s again.
Scenario Three: Beth has difficulty attending to tasks. The teacher sets a timer for five minutes. If Beth
remains on task for this time, she is allowed to move around the room. Once Beth demonstrates that she
can stay on task for five minutes, over a number of days, the timer is set for eight minutes. Gradually,
the amount of time is increased as Beth reaches each small goal.
Scenario Four: The paraeducator has accompanied Beth to physical education since the beginning of the
year. The paraeducator reinforces Beth with verbal praise and a point on her chart every time she
initiated interaction with her peers during P. E. The paraeducator later delivered the reinforcer on every
other interaction. Gradually, she reduced the verbal praise until it was given only at the end of P. E.
class.
Scenario Five: Lisa is working in a center in the classroom. The paraeducator tells Lisa it is time to get
ready for lunch. The paraeducator gives her three minutes to initiate putting her materials away before
giving further prompts.
Scenario Six: Beth has difficulty demonstrating appropriate behavior at recess. The teacher tells Beth
that if she follows the rules for recess, she can lead the class in from recess and will get a “good” note
home to her parents. Beth has followed the rules for recess for over a week.
Scenario Seven: Using the telephone in the nurse’s office, the paraeducator demonstrates for Lisa the
steps involved in making a telephone call home.
Handout #4
Making Connections Activity Matrix
SelfHelp
Schedule
taped to
Lisa’s desk
Clerk
smiles at
Lisa at
McD’s
Beth stays
on task for
5 minutes
Beth
receives
reinforcer
for every
other
action in P.
E.
Lisa has 3
minutes to
begin
preparing
for lunch
Beth can
be the
leader in
from
recess &
note home
Lisa uses
the phone
to call
home
Notes:
Cues/Prompting Modeling
Shaping
Wait
Time
Reinforcer Fading
Handout #5
Natural or Imposed Cue:
The Natural Cycle of Behavior
Strategy for Independence
Expected Behavior:
Does the Student
perform the skill
correctly?
No
Reinforcer:
Student connecting the natural
or imposed cue, behavior, and
reinforcer?
Student demonstrates behavior
independently
No
1998 LRConsulting
Handout #5
Natural or Imposed Cue:
The Natural Cycle of Behavior
Strategy for Independence
Expected Behavior:
Does the Student
perform the skill
correctly?
No
Reinforcer:
Student connecting the natural
or imposed cue, behavior, and
reinforcer?
Student demonstrates behavior
independently
No
1998 LRConsulting
Handout #5
Natural or Imposed Cue:
The Natural Cycle of Behavior
Strategy for Independence
Expected Behavior:
Does the Student
perform the skill
correctly?
No
Reinforcer:
Student connecting the natural
or imposed cue, behavior, and
reinforcer?
Student demonstrates behavior
independently
No
1998 LRConsulting
Handout #5
Natural or Imposed Cue:
The Natural Cycle of Behavior
Strategy for Independence
Expected Behavior:
Does the Student
perform the skill
correctly?
No
Reinforcer:
Student connecting the natural
or imposed cue, behavior, and
reinforcer?
Student demonstrates behavior
independently
No
1998 LRConsulting