Final answer:
Two ways to remove stimulus prompts are through the processes of fading, which gradually reduces the prompt's visibility, and prompt delay, which introduces a waiting period before the prompt is given, allowing the student to respond independently.
Step-by-step explanation:
When teaching and reinforcing new skills, stimulus prompts are often used to guide the learner towards the correct response. However, once the skill begins to be acquired, removing these prompts becomes necessary to promote independence. The two common ways to remove stimulus prompts are fading and prompt delay.
Fading involves gradually reducing the prompt's intensity or changing its nature so that over time, it becomes less noticeable to the learner until the prompt is no longer needed. For example, if a visual cue is used to indicate the correct choice, the instructor might gradually make the cue smaller or less obvious.
Prompt delay is a strategy where the presentation of the prompt is delayed in time, allowing the student an opportunity to respond without the prompt. If they do not respond, the prompt is then introduced. Over successive trials, the delay is gradually increased until the student can respond without any prompts.