Learning from an Instructional Hierarchy Perspective
Gary L. Cates, Ph.D., N.C.S.P.
Illinois State University
The ABC’s of Learning
• Antecedent– Instructional pace/Materials/Methods– Location, Demands, etc.
• Behavior– Topography– Rate/Accuracy/Level/Trend/Expectation
• Consequences– Delayed versus immediate– Feedback versus none/ R+/P
The Instructional Hierarchy
• 4 Stages of Learning Development
* Acquisition, Fluency, Generalization, Adaptation
• Similar to other “Stage Theories” with regard to pros and cons
Stage 1: Acquisition
• General Question: Acquisition• General Variable: Percent Correct• General Strategies:
1. Modeling
2. Demonstration
3. Prompting
* Often requires a task analysis
Prompting
• Providing a cue to perform a target response
e.g., Mathematics
“Don’t forget to carry the 1”
38- 19
The bottom number is bigger than the top number in the right columnSo we must borrow from the left column.
Write down the number that the small hand is pointing to: 11Hint: If in between two numbers then It is always the smallest number.
Write down the number that the small hand is pointing to: 1:Hint: If in between two numbers then It is always the smallest number.
Now count by 5’s starting with the number 1 and write down the smallest number that the big hand is in between on next to the clock 1:__
:15
Now count each little tick mark after the smallest number and add it to the number you wrote down. 1:18
:15 3 18
Stage 2: Fluency
• General Question: Accurate response rate
• General Variable: Behavior per minute (e.g. wrcpm)
• General Procedures:
1. Drill: Active repeated responses
2. Overlearning (Maintenance)
Flashcard Drill Procedure
• All possible combinations 0-12• Start timer• Present first stimulus (wait time)• If correct put in correct pile with feedback• If incorrect put in incorrect pile with corrective
feedback.• Repeat procedure with incorrect pile until all
cards are put into correct pile• Graph Data and show student
Stage 3: Generalization
• General Measurement: Generalization/Transfer• General Procedures: Practice (new response
with other responses).• Discrimination Training: Behavior in presence of
one stimulus but not another.• Differentiation: reinforce responses to stimulus
while slowly varying one essential aspect of the stimulus
b or d?
• Present a single stimulus to student “b”• Ask: What letter is this?• Correct response = praise• Incorrect response = corrective feedback• 10 consecutive correct responses fade in d• 10 consecutive responses stop and start over with d• 10 consecutive responses fade in b• Alternate between the two letters fade in others as
needed• Graph performance
Differentiation
• Learning to count money under stimulus “How much is this? (multiple coins placed in front of child).
• Modify by placing heads up/tales up
• Modify by changing prompt (is this more or less than 30 cents?)
• Use in multiple environments
Stage 4: Adaption
• Changing form of response when needed very efficiently
• What’s up versus how are you
• Making change
• Problem solving
• Multiple experiences multiple environments with heavy feedback
Important Variables in understanding Instruction and
Learning ABC’s and 123’s of learning and
instruction
Types of Academic Time
• Allocated Time:- How much time in school we have
• Instructional Time- How much time teacher spends providing instruction
• Engaged Time- How much time student spends engaged
* This is the best predictor of student performance
ABC’s of Learning
• Antecedents:
Instructional Directions
Stimulus to respond in the presence of
Pace of instruction
ABC’s Continued
• Behavior:
Topography: Written, verbal, typed
Response rate
Inter-trial interval
Wait times