Multiple exemplar instruction and the emergence of generative production of suffixes as autoclitic frame

Three experiments are reported that tested the effects of multiple exemplar instruction on the emergence of generative production of autoclitic frames as suffixes for seven preschool age males with and without language based disabilities. The independent variable for the pilot experiment was multiple exemplar instruction that rotated match to sample and tact instruction in close proximity. The dependent variable was the number of untaught tact responses containing the target autoclitic frame "er", which is a suffix signifying one who performs an action. The participant in the pilot experiment was a three-year, four-month-old male with a developmental disability. An intrasubject multiple probe across sets design was employed. The results showed a correlation between multiple exemplar match to sample and tact instruction and novel, untaught tact responses containing the autoclitic frame "er.";The independent variable for both Experiments 1 and 2 was multiple exemplar tact instruction. The dependent variable for both experiments was the number of untaught tact responses containing target autoclitic frames across regular, irregular and "nonsense" comparative adjectives. The participants in Experiment I were three preschool males with disabilities. A multiple baseline across students with intrasubject multiple probes across sets design was used to determine if there was a functional relation between multiple exemplar tact instruction and emergence of untaught tact responses containing the autoclitic "er" signifying the comparative form of an adjective. The results of this experiment showed a functional relation between multiple exemplar instruction and the emergence of untaught tacts containing the autoclitic frame "er". The experimental conditions were replicated in Experiment II for two preschool males with disabilities and one typically developing preschool male. In Experiment II, however, opportunities to respond with previously taught tacts containing the autoclitic "er" were not rotated with the presentation of untaught stimuli and the number of trials during probe sessions was decreased. This was done to control for (1) a possible confounding effect of the previously taught tacts and (2) decreased student motivation. The results of Experiment II again showed a functional relation between multiple exemplar tact instruction and novel, untaught tact responses containing the target autoclitic frame.