Final answer:
The procedure of starting with minimal prompts and increasing prompt level only if the student struggles, known as least-to-most prompt fading, is a behavioral teaching strategy intended to foster independence in learning new behaviors or skills.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process described is a least-to-most prompt fading procedure used in behavioral teaching strategies and behavior modification. This procedure involves starting with a very minimal or least intrusive prompt and gradually increasing the level of assistance or prompt if the learner is unable to perform the target behavior independently. The steps would be as follows:
- Reinforce any response that resembles the desired behavior.
- Then reinforce the response that more closely resembles the desired behavior. The previously reinforced lesser response is no longer reinforced.
- Next, begin to reinforce an even closer approximation to the desired behavior.
- Continue to reinforce closer and closer approximations until the desired behavior is achieved.
- Finally, only reinforce the desired behavior.
This approach ensures that the learner is guided through the learning process by providing just enough support to encourage the correct behavior, without becoming overly dependent on the prompts. It is crucial to gradually decrease the level of assistance as the learner's competence grows, fostering independence and skill acquisition. This technique can be applied in various settings such as classrooms, therapy sessions, or whenever there is a need to teach new skills or behaviors.