Use of Modeling, Feedback and Self-Monitoring: Strategies for Training Paraprofessionals in the Implementation of Incidental Teaching

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects the brain and frequently affects the development of a child's communication and social skills. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a scientifically proven method that incorporates techniques such as discrete trial teaching and is used to teach children with autism. One technique used in the implementation of ABA is incidental teaching. While the classroom teacher is the prime facilitator of incidental learning for students on the autism spectrum, the ABA based classroom also relies heavily on the assistance of the paraprofessionals assigned to each classroom in order to implement all teaching strategies. The question then arises as to how best train these paraprofessionals so that they are able to correctly apply the necessary ABA incidental teaching strategies. Through the use of both qualitative and quantitative analysis this study examined the effect of modeling, feedback, and self-monitoring in the training of the paraprofessional by the classroom teacher. The effect of that training was measured by the student's progress of learning a pre-planned set of skills focusing on spontaneous language. The paraprofessional involved in the study was trained by the classroom teacher/researcher.