Virginia Commonwealth University Autism Center for Excellence (VCU-ACE)
Autism Spectrum Disorders for Paraprofessionals
Module 3
Slide 1: Prompting and Reinforcement
Selena J. Layden, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Training Coordinator
Slide 2: Introduction
 Sometimes students with ASD are not internally motivated.

This presentation will discuss the following topics:
 Prompting
 Reinforcement
 Token Boards
 Choice Boards
Sometimes students with ASD do not feel internal motivation to complete a task. They may
need external motivation. They may also have difficulty with complex tasks and may need to be
supported to complete those tasks.
Prompting and reinforcement are two strategies that you are probably at least somewhat familiar
with. However, even if you are familiar with these strategies, have you ever really thought about
how you implement them? Prompting and reinforcement are two of the most powerful strategies
we use with students with ASD so it is important that you are familiar with what they are and
how to implement them.
Topics covered in this presentation will include:
 Prompting
 Reinforcement
 Token Boards
 Choice Boards
Slide 3: Prompting
 When you provide help to a student, you are prompting them.
 There are different types of prompts that can be used.
o Physical prompting
o Visual prompting
o Verbal prompting
o Gestural prompting
o Modeling
Think about a time you learned a new skill. Perhaps you learned how to cook a new dish or play
a new sport. Were you able to complete the task by yourself the first time you tried? Probably
not. Most times we aren’t able to complete a new task perfectly without help the first time we
try. Students with ASD are similar. The first time you ask them to wash their hands, they may
not know how to do some of the steps, and they may get stuck on some of them. The first time
you ask the student to read a paragraph, the student may not be able to track the words by
themselves or sound out all the words. The student may need your help. When you provide this
help to a student, you are prompting them.
There are many different types of prompts that you can provide and we are going to review each
of these. In the next few slides, we are going to view some videos of each of these prompts,
what they look like, and how to implement them. Each of these prompts has a name and include:
physical prompting, visual prompting, verbal prompting, gestural prompting, and
modeling.
Slide 4: Physical prompting
Notice:
 The teacher physically supports the student to choose the correct letter.
 The physical prompt is light guidance.
In this video you will see a student working on a spelling task. Notice how the teacher
physically supports the student to choose the correct letter. This is a physical prompt. The
physical prompt the teacher uses is a light guidance so the student chooses the correct letter.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: Roshean, this word is car.
Roshean: Car.
Teacher: Let’s spell car. C, A, R; your turn, let’s spell car. C, A, R.
Roshean: R.
Teacher: Good job, can I have a high five.
Slide 5: Visual prompting
Notice:
 The teacher uses a visual prompt on the white board.
 The visual prompt helps the student to be successful.
Transcript:
In this video, the student is again spelling car. This time, the teacher is using a visual prompt in
that the letters are spelled out on the white board. This visual prompt allows the student to be
successful in completing the task more independently.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: Roshean, spell car.
Roshean: Car. A.
Teacher: Good, that is A.
Roshean: R. Car.
Teacher: Good. Nice job.
Roshean: Head.
Teacher: Yes, nice asking.
Slide 6: Verbal prompting
Notice:
 The teacher uses a verbal prompt to tell the student what letter is coming next.
Transcript:
In this video, the student is again spelling car. This time, the teacher is using a verbal prompt to
tell the student what letter is coming next.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: All right Roshean, we’re going to spell car. Hands down, wait. Find C.
Roshean: C. A.
Teacher: Find A. Find R.
Roshean: R.
Teacher: Good job, high five.
Slide 7: Gestural prompting
Notice:
 The teacher uses a gestural prompt by pointing to the correct letter.
 The student can see which letter he is supposed to pick next which increases his
success.
Transcript:
In this video, the teacher is providing a gestural prompt by pointing at the correct letter. This
way, the student can see which letter he is supposed to pick next which increases his success.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: All right, Roshean, this word is see. Let’s spell see. You ready? Hands down. Let’s
spell see. Ready? S, E, E; spell see.
Roshean: See.
Teacher: S.
Roshean: S.
Teacher: E.
Roshean: E.
Teacher: E.
Roshean: E.
Teacher: Good job. Can I have a high five? Good.
Slide 8: Modeling
Notice:
 The teacher uses a model prompt by showing the student how to position her mouth
to say a word.
 The student watches the prompt and tries to imitate.
Transcript:
In this video, notice how the teacher uses a model prompt by showing the student how to
position her mouth to say the word me. The student watches the prompt from the teacher and
tries to imitate her mouth position to make the sound.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: Ready? Me.
Kimberly: Me.
Teacher: Good girl. Me.
Kimberly: Me.
Teacher: One more, look here. Me.
Kimberly: Me.
Teacher: Very nice.
Slide 9: Prompting
 There are different types of prompting.
 There are different prompts used for different tasks.
 Sometimes we start with prompts that provide a lot of help and reduce our prompts so
we are helping less.
As you saw in the videos, there are different types of prompting. There are also different prompts
used for different tasks. Also, sometimes we start with prompts that provide a lot of help and as
the student shows progress, we start to reduce our prompt so we are helping the student less. For
example, we may start by using a physical prompt and over time fade to a gestural prompt. This
helps make the student more independent.
Slide 10: Prompting (Continued)
 Prompting is a critical part of teaching; it ensures we are teaching the skill.
 By prompting, the student will be able to feel success and will be more likely to keep
trying.
 Sometimes we can prompt way too much.
Prompting is a critical part of teaching because it ensures that we are actually teaching the skill.
When you ask a student to complete a skill that they’ve never done before and you provide no
support for them, they will likely give up after a while and become frustrated. By supporting, or
prompting, the student, he or she will be able to feel some success in the activity and will be
more likely to keep trying.
Additionally, it is important to remember that you may provide prompts to the student at any
time. You may need to provide prompts even for skills you think the student knows how to do.
When working with students with ASD, you can use prompts to help ensure their success with
any demand or activity you give them.
There is one word of caution, however! Sometimes when working with students with ASD we
can prompt way too much. We can really over prompt. This creates a dependence on us and we
don’t want that. We want the student to be independent. Therefore, it is critical to only prompt
when the student absolutely needs it.
It is important for you to work with your supervisory teacher to find out how you are supposed to
prompt when teaching different skills. Also, be sure to talk about how you are to reduce the
amount of prompt over time.
Slide 11: Apply it!
 Look at the goals and pick two goals on which a student is working.
 Answer the following questions:
1. What prompts are being used to teach the skill?
2. Are there other prompts that you can use to teach the skill?
3. How can you reduce the amount of prompting you are doing to help the student learn
and be more independent?
Now it’s your turn. In your documents find the Apply it! document entitled: Instructional
Strategies and Considerations. Now find the question titled: Prompting.
Find the IEP of a student with ASD with whom you work. Look at his/her goals and pick two
different goals that the student is working on. For each one, think about how the goal is being
taught. Answer these questions:
1. What prompts are being used to teach the skill?
2. Are there other prompts that you can use to teach the skill?
3. How can you reduce the amount of prompting that you are doing to help the student learn
and be more independent?
Once you have completed this “Apply it” activity, share your paper with your supervising
teacher. Talk with your supervising teacher about the skill and the prompts you are supposed to
use to teach it. Also, talk about how you would reduce the amount of prompts over time. It
would be helpful to take this opportunity and discuss all of the skills you teach to the student.
Slide 12: Reinforcement
 There are many things that reinforce all of us in our daily lives.
 Students with ASD need reinforcement.
 Reinforcement is when an event occurs that increases the likelihood that a behavior or
response will occur again in the future.
 Reinforcement will help keep the student motivated and help them know when they did
something correctly.
There are many things that reinforce all of us in our daily lives. You receive a paycheck for
coming to work. You might be told the dinner you cooked was delicious so you cook it again.
Perhaps your insurance rates went down because you had no speeding tickets. If you are more
likely to come to work, cook that meal again, and drive the speed limit you have been reinforced
for those behaviors! Think about it. Would you keep going to work if you didn’t get a
paycheck? Probably not, so you require reinforcement to do your job.
Students with ASD need reinforcement as well. They may even need it more than other students
in the school because of the many learning challenges they have. The formal definition of
reinforcement is when you provide something to the student that increases the likelihood that a
behavior or response will occur again in the future. In other words, it is something positive you
give to the student to let them know you like what they did and want them to do it again!
When teaching a student with ASD, you will be required to provide reinforcement to the student.
Reinforcement will help keep them motivated and help them know that they did something
correctly.
Slide 13: Individualize reinforcers
 A reinforcer is any item, object, or activity that motivates the student.
 Reinforcers need to be individualized.
 The reinforcers some students with ASD like may seem strange.
There are many types of reinforcers. A reinforcer is any item, object, or activity that motivates
the student. Take a moment and think about what you like. Maybe you like cooking, bike
riding, or watching TV. Maybe you like when someone tells you that you’ve done a good job.
You might like a specific type of soda or candy. What you like is individualized to you. It is
likely that all the things you like aren’t necessarily the exact things your significant other or best
friend likes. This is really important because children with ASD are the same. What one child
with ASD likes may not be what another child with ASD likes. Their reinforcers are
individualized.
It is also important to note, the reinforcers some students with ASD like may seem strange!
Think about an example of a third grade student with ASD who likes planets. If he is given time
to read about the planets, this could be very motivating to him. However, this may not be
motivating to another third grader!
Slide 14: Types of reinforcers
 There are different categories of reinforcement.
 Social reinforcement is when you play or interact with the student by doing something
motivating or fun, including:
o High five
o Smile
o Tickle
o Great job!
There are some basic categories of reinforcement.
Social reinforcement is when you play or interact with the student by doing something they
find motivating or fun. This can include giving a high five, smiling at someone, tickling, pats on
the back, and saying things like “great work!” or “good job!”. This type of reinforcement is easy
to provide and often doesn’t require any additional materials. We should use social
reinforcement with ALL of our students.
Slide 15: Types of reinforcers
 Social reinforcement isn’t quite enough for many students with ASD.
 Sometimes we need to provide other types of reinforcement.
 Another type of reinforcement is giving access to an activity or a favorite item.
 Food and drinks can be very powerful.
 You may want to save food reinforcers for particularly difficult tasks
Sometimes social reinforcement isn’t quite enough for a student to actually feel motivated or to
do the task again. Sometimes we need to provide other types of reinforcement such as giving
time for a preferred activity.
Another category or kind of reinforcement is giving the student access to an activity or favorite
item. We call this tangible reinforcement. Often we can allow students to earn time on the
computer, time for a break, or access to a preferred toy or item. Remember that what a student
finds reinforcing is up to them so if you give the student access to a toy or activity and the
student doesn’t seem to want to engage in that activity or with that toy, you may have to try
something else!
The last type of reinforcement we are going to discuss is the use of food and drinks. Just like
you, there are food and drink items that students with ASD prefer. Food and drink reinforcers
can be very powerful and can be helpful when teaching brand new skills and really hard skills. It
is important to remember that we don’t ever withhold food or drinks from a student, but we can
use their most preferred food or drinks to reinforce skills the student is working on. For
example, we would never keep a student from having lunch but we would use Goldfish crackers
to reinforce the student when working on imitation skills. When using food and drinks we want
to be careful as we don’t want to over use them. Again, you may want to save these reinforcers
for particularly difficult tasks.
Slide 16: Examples of reinforcement types
Let’s look at some different examples of reinforcement.
In this chart, you will see three columns. The first column on the left is the skill that the student
is completing. The middle column is the reinforcement the student received for completing the
task. The third column on the right hand side is the type of reinforcement.
Let’s review the examples. When the student completes a math assignment, they receive time on
the computer. This is an activity reinforcer. When the student expressively identifies an object,
he received a piece of chip. This is a food reinforcer. For imitating a skill such as clapping or
waving, the student received time with a music toy. This was an activity reinforcer. When the
student raised her hand to ask a question, the teacher reinforced that by calling on the student and
saying “thank you for raising your hand.” This is an example of a social reinforcer. A student
earned five tokens for completing his work. The reinforcer he earned was a break from work.
This is an activity reinforcer. When the student washed her hands, the paraprofessional said
“good job washing your hands!” This is an example of a social reinforcer. Finally, when the
student followed directions, he received a high five. This is an example of a social reinforcer.
Slide 17: Social reinforcement
Notice:
 The teacher provides social reinforcement by:
o Saying good job
o Giving a high five
Transcript:
In this video, the teacher has Roshean spelling ball. Even though the teacher is prompting him to
be successful, she still provides reinforcement. In this instance, she provides social
reinforcement in the form of saying good job and giving him a high five.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: Ball, say ball.
Roshean: Ball.
Teacher: What’s this, Roshean?
Roshean: Catch.
Teacher: Catch, but what is it? Ball. Catch. Thanks. Let’s spell ball. Ready? B, A, L, L.
Let’s spell it. Ready? B, A, L, L. Good job! High five.
Roshean: High five.
Teacher: High five.
Slide 18: Tangible reinforcement
Notice:
 The teacher provides a tangible reinforcer to the student.
 The tangible reinforcer is the train.
Transcript:
In this video, notice how the student receives tangible reinforcement. He is working to answer
the teacher’s questions and, even though he needs some prompting as he is still learning these
skills, he obtains the train, his tangible reinforcement.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: Can you find the green block? Find the green block. That’s the green block. Ok
buddy, touch the green block. Nice job man! Do this. Good job buddy. Touch the block that’s
green. Nice job buddy. Toot toot. <train noises>. Touch the green block. Nice job man!
Show me the one that’s green. That’s green buddy. Do this. Good job, find the green block.
You got it man. Roar. Choo choo coming your way.
Slide 19: Apply it!
 List at least 8 items or activities that the student with ASD finds reinforcing.
 Do you use these items and /or activities to provide reinforcement to the student?
 Could you use these items more?
 How might you identify other items that the student finds reinforcing?
 If there are items/activities you identified that aren’t being used, how could you use
these?
Now it’s your turn. In your documents find the Apply it! document titled: Instructional
Strategies and Considerations. Now find the question titled: Reinforcers.
Take a moment to think about a student with ASD with whom you work. Pause the presentation
and list at least eight items or activities that the student with ASD finds reinforcing. Once you
have identified these items, answer the questions you see here.
 Do you use these items and /or activities to provide reinforcement to the student?
 Could you use these items more?
 How might you identify other items that the student finds reinforcing?
 If there are items or activities you have identified that aren’t being used, how could you
use these?
Once you have completed this “Apply it” activity, share your paper with your supervising
teacher. Talk with your supervising teacher about the reinforcers you identified and how these
can be used in the classroom to increase the amount of reinforcement the student receives.
Slide 20: How often do you provide reinforcement?
 Different students require different levels of reinforcement.
 If the skill is new or difficult for the student, they will require more reinforcement.
 How often you reinforce a student can change depending upon different circumstances.
 When our students are hungry, tired, or sick, they may need more reinforcement.
The amount of reinforcement that is provided will be dependent upon a few things. You will
want to think about the student as an individual. Different students require different levels of
reinforcement. The level of reinforcement also can depend upon the skill you are teaching. If
the skill is new or difficult for the student, the student will probably require more reinforcement
than if the skill is something that the student has already mastered. For example, if Avery is able
to spell words aloud with little difficulty then Avery might only need some social reinforcement
telling her she is doing a good job spelling her words. But, when Avery is asked to write her
spelling words down, she has more difficulty because writing is hard for her. So, Avery might
need to also receive reinforcement in the form of breaks or obtaining a preferred activity such as
time to read, a highly preferred activity for Avery.
How often you reinforce a student can also change depending upon different circumstances. For
example, if you don’t sleep well, the next morning you may have a more difficult time doing
your work. Our students are similar. When our students are hungry, tired, or sick, they may
need higher levels of reinforcement in order for them to complete the same types of tasks they
can on other days. Grant can typically work for twenty minutes without needing a break or other
type of reinforcement. However, Grant’s allergies have become increasingly worse since spring
started and you’ve noticed that he will begin engaging throwing his work or getting up from his
seat after about ten minutes of work time. You realize that while his allergies are bothering him
more, you may have to give Grant a break after ten minutes rather than waiting for twenty.
Slide 21: Using token boards
 Token boards are a great tool when providing reinforcement.
 This is a visual way to show the student how long he or she has to work before earning a
reinforce.
Token boards are a great tool when providing reinforcement. Token boards allow the student to
see what they are earning a reinforcer, such as a break, time on the computer, or a cup of juice, as
they continue their work. For example, if the student completes five tasks, he receives a token
for each task and at the end of the five completed tasks, the student earns time with an iPod.
This is a visual way to show the student how long he or she has to work before earning a
reinforcer.
Slide 22: Token board
Notice:
 The token board is a visual that shows the student how much longer he has to work
before he gets his reinforcer.
 The token board is paired with social reinforcement.
Transcript:
In this video, notice how the token board is used. It is a visual support that shows the student
how much longer he needs to work before he gets his reinforcer, the computer. The token board
is also paired with social reinforcement so he is being reinforced while he works too.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: In the library. What’s this one?
Student: Slide.
Teacher: That is a slide. You’re working so nicely. What about that?
Student: Eyes.
Teacher: You got it man. There’s a token for you. Seth, what’s used to tell time.
Student: Watch.
Teacher: A watch. I’m going to give you two tokens. A watch is used to tell time. Nice job.
All right. Where can you play outside?
Student: The playground.
Teacher: You got it. What’s this one?
Student: Um, playground.
Teacher: What’s this one? Computer.
Student: Computer.
Teacher: Yeah, we’re working to go to the computer lab. What’s this one?
Student: Computer.
Teacher: You got it. All right bud, we’re working for the computer. Who helps the doctor?
Student: A nurse.
Teacher: You got it. Who are those guys?
Student: Firemen.
Teacher: And Seth, who writes books? Author.
Student: Author.
Teacher: Yeah and author writes books. Who writes books?
Student: Author.
Teacher: You got it and who are these? Who writes books?
Student: Author.
Teacher: An author writes books.
Slide 23: Choice boards
 A choice board is a board or list of reinforcers that are available to the student so they
can choose which reinforcer they wish to earn.
As you use reinforcement you will need to change the reinforcer for which the student is
working. This is a great place to allow the student some choices. Remember that reinforcement
is individualized so who knows better than the student what is reinforcing to the student in that
moment? You can do this by using a choice board. A choice board is simply a board or list of
reinforcers that are available to the student so that they can choose which reinforcer they wish to
earn. Before starting the activities and using the token board, ask the student what he or she
wants to work for. Then you can show the student the choice board and allow them to choose an
option. You can see two examples of choice boards here. The amount of choices you offer will
depend upon what is available, what reinforces the student, and how well the student can make a
choice.
Slide 24: Using a choice board
Notice:
 The student is given choices by using a visual choice board.
 The choice board lists all the possibilities from which the student may choose.
Transcript:
In this video, notice how the student is given a choice of activity. The teacher does this by using
a choice board. The choice board lists all the possibilities from which the student may choose.
The student can then point to what he wants.
Video Transcript:
Teacher: Yes you may, go ahead.
Student: Yes, push.
Teacher: Yes, you may have a push. Push.
Student: You guys are great.
Teacher: I wantStudent: Ball.
Teacher: Go ahead.
Slide 25: Summary
 Prompting and reinforcement are powerful strategies.
 Showing students how to complete the task will help them experience more success and
help them to want to try the task again.
 Letting students know what they are doing right will increase their likelihood they will do
it again.
Prompting and reinforcement are powerful strategies to use with students with ASD. These are
strategies that can work for anyone, but are particularly important for our students with ASD.
Showing students how to complete the task you’ve asked them to do will help them to
experience more success which will help them to want to try the task again. Helping students by
letting them know what they are doing right is going to increase their likelihood of doing it
again.
Information for this presentation is from Virginia Commonwealth University's Autism Center for
Excellence (VCU-ACE) that is funded by the Virginia State Department of Education (Grant #
881-61172-H027A100107). Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action institution providing access to education and employment without
regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran's status,
political affiliation, or disability. If special accommodations or language translation are needed
contact (804) 828-1851 VOICE -- (804) 828-2494 TTY