Skill Acquisition is the most crucial topic for RBT exam prep. Approximately 24 questions come from this topic in the Registered Behavior Technician exam. This section of our free RBT study guide covers the importance of skill acquisition in advanced behavior analysis.
You’ll also learn about essential components of a skill acquisition plan, such as conditioned reinforcers, unconditioned reinforcers, discrete trials, incidental teaching, pivotal response training, etc.
Significance of Skill Acquisition in ABA
In advanced behavior analysis (ABA), people often think it’s only about behavior reduction – but that’s not totally true. There are many more than just reducing interfering behaviors; skill acquisition is integral to ABA.
An RBT’s primary role is to teach new skills to clients. You could teach skills such as – communication, social skills, pre-academic skills, independent living, vocational skills, safety skills, etc.
I hope you understand the significance of skill acquisition in advanced behavior analysis. Let’s discuss the topics mentioned in the RBT task list (Section C):
1. Identify the Essential Components of a Written Skill Acquisition Plan
In a skill acquisition plan, you need to know exactly what skill you’re teaching, what materials you’ll use, and how you’ll teach it.
You also need to determine what happens if someone gets it right or wrong and how they’ll know when they’ve mastered it.
Plus, you have to plan to keep the skill going even after they’ve learned it. These are all the crucial pieces of a skill plan that help ensure learning goes smoothly.
2. Prepare for the Session as Required by the Skill Acquisition Plan
Before a teaching session, get everything ready. Ensure you have everything you need, like books or toys. Set up an excellent place to learn without distractions.
Review your plan so you know what to do. Get your tools ready for keeping track of progress. And don’t forget to have rewards ready for when the person does well.
When you’re set up like this, it helps the teaching session go smoothly and makes learning more accessible for everyone.
3. Use Contingencies of Reinforcement
Contingencies of reinforcement explain how certain behaviors are strengthened or increased by rewards. There are two types: continuous and intermittent reinforcement.
Continuous reinforcement happens when a reward is given every time a behavior occurs. For instance, when clients ask for a toy using picture icons, they get it immediately.
Intermittent reinforcement is when rewards are given only sometimes for a behavior. For example, when children learn to tie their shoes, they might get praised sometimes, but not every time they do it.
Intermittent reinforcement has four types, which tell you how often to reward a behavior.
- Fixed Interval (FI) Schedule of Reinforcement: In a fixed interval (FI) schedule, rewards are given after a set amount of time has passed since the last reward and the behavior occurred. For instance, a child might receive a sticker every 10 minutes they spend reading quietly. This schedule encourages behavior shortly before the reward but may decrease immediately after receiving it.
- Fixed Ratio (FR) Schedule of Reinforcement: In a fixed ratio (FR) schedule of reinforcement, rewards are given after a specific number of times the behavior is performed. For example, if a child receives a sticker for every fifth math problem they solve correctly, that’s a fixed ratio of 1:5. After completing the fifth problem, they get a sticker. This schedule often leads to a high response rate because the person knows they must do the behavior several times to get the reward.
- Variable Interval (VI) Schedule of Reinforcement: In a variable interval (VI) schedule, rewards are given after an unpredictable amount of time has passed since the last reward and the behavior occurred. For example, a child might receive praise for good behavior randomly during the day. This schedule encourages consistent behavior because the person doesn’t know when the reward will come.
- Variable Ratio (VR) Schedule of Reinforcement: In a variable ratio (VR) schedule, rewards are given after an unpredictable number of times the behavior is performed. For example, a child might earn a sticker after solving math problems, but the number of issues required varies. This schedule leads to a high rate of behavior because the person doesn’t know exactly when they’ll get the reward.
- Unconditioned and Conditioned Reinforcement: Unconditioned reinforcement refers to rewards that naturally satisfy basic needs or desires, like food or water. They don’t need to be learned; they’re just naturally rewarding. Conditioned reinforcement, on the other hand, is a reward that someone learns to like because it’s associated with other rewards. For example, if a child gets praised every time they do a chore, they’ll start to like praise as a reward. It’s all about learning what’s rewarding through experience.
4. Implement Discrete-Trial Teaching Procedures
Discrete-trial teaching (DTT) breaks down learning into small, manageable parts. It involves clear instructions, prompting, and reinforcement for correct responses.
For instance, a teacher might present a task, prompt the learner to respond, and reinforce a correct answer.
DTT effectively teaches specific skills like colors, shapes, or letters. It’s structured and repetitive, making it suitable for learners with autism or developmental delays.
5. Implement Naturalistic Teaching Procedures
Naturalistic or incidental teaching capitalizes on everyday situations to teach skills in a learner’s natural environment.
It involves following the learner’s interests and using teachable moments to introduce and reinforce skills.
For example, during playtime, a teacher might encourage a child to request toys or label objects, reinforcing communication skills in a natural context.
Naturalistic teaching fosters spontaneous learning and generalization of skills across settings, promoting meaningful and functional outcomes for the learner.
6. Implement Task Analyzed Chaining Procedures
Chaining is a task that involves breaking down complex skills into smaller, manageable steps. Each step is taught individually, and once mastered, it’s linked to the next step until the entire skill is learned.
For instance, teaching a child to brush their teeth involves breaking the task into steps like picking up the toothbrush, applying toothpaste, brushing each tooth, and rinsing.
Chaining ensures each step is mastered before moving to the next, gradually building towards independent skill performance. It’s effective for teaching sequential tasks like dressing or making a sandwich.
- Total Task Chaining Procedure: Total task chaining teaches the entire skill in one go, perfect for learners who can do all steps with little help. For instance, teaching sandwich-making involves guiding the learner from start to finish, with prompts and rewards as needed. It promotes independence and ensures the learner can complete the task accurately.
- Forward Chaining Procedure: Forward chaining teaches skills step by step, starting from the first step and progressing to the last. For example, in teaching tooth brushing, the learner begins by picking up the toothbrush and gradually learns each subsequent step. It builds mastery and confidence by focusing on mastering one step at a time before moving to the next.
- Backward Chaining Procedure: Backward chaining teaches skills by starting from the last step and working backward to the first. For instance, in teaching dressing skills, the learner starts by completing the final step, like zipping a zipper, while the instructor assists with the preceding steps. It builds confidence by ensuring the learner masters the final step before progressing to earlier ones.
7. Implement Discrimination Training
Discrimination training teaches learners to differentiate between two or more stimuli or situations and respond appropriately to each.
For example, a child might learn to distinguish between red and blue cards and touch the red card when asked for it.
Initially, prompts and reinforcement help the learner understand the difference. As training progresses, prompts are faded, and correct responses are reinforced consistently.
Discrimination training is crucial for recognizing letters, colors, or social cues.
8. Implement Stimulus Control Transfer Procedures
Stimulus control transfer procedures help learners respond accurately to new or changed cues. This involves gradually replacing prompts or cues used during teaching with new ones naturally occurring in the environment.
For example, a child initially learns to touch a picture card when prompted by a teacher’s gesture. Over time, the teacher fades their gesture, and the child learns to respond to the picture card alone. This promotes independence and generalization of skills.
9. Implement Prompt and Prompt Fading Procedures
Prompting involves helping learners perform a desired behavior. Initially, prompts are explicit and may include verbal instructions, gestures, or physical guidance.
As learners become more proficient, prompts gradually fade, reducing their intensity or frequency.
For example, a teacher might initially guide a child’s hand to complete a puzzle but gradually withdraw physical assistance as the child becomes more independent. Prompt fading encourages skill mastery and promotes independence.
Gestural Prompts: Gestural prompts use hand or body movements to guide learners’ behavior. For instance, a teacher might point to indicate a choice or demonstrate a hand motion for an action. They’re effective for visual learners and can be gradually reduced as independence grows.
Verbal Prompts: Verbal prompts use spoken cues to guide behavior, like giving directions or hints. They can be adjusted in clarity and reduced as the learner improves.
10. Implement Generalization and Maintenance Procedures
Generalization and maintenance procedures ensure that learners can use newly acquired skills in various settings and over time.
This involves teaching skills in different environments, with different materials, and with different people to promote generalization.
Additionally, periodic review sessions and reinforcement schedules help maintain skills over time, ensuring continued proficiency.
For example, a child may learn to tie their shoes at home, school, and in the park, with occasional practice sessions to reinforce the skill.
11. Implement Shaping Procedures
Shaping procedures involve gradually molding a desired behavior by reinforcing successive approximations toward the target behavior. This means rewarding steps that are closer and closer to the final goal.
For example, if teaching a child to write neatly, you might start by praising any attempt to hold the pencil correctly and gradually reinforce finer movements until the writing is legible.
Shaping breaks complex skills into manageable steps, fostering skill development through positive reinforcement.
12. Implement Token Economy Procedures
Token economy procedures involve using tokens or symbols as rewards for desired behaviors. These tokens can be exchanged for preferred items, activities, or privileges.
For example, a child earns tokens for completing tasks or demonstrating appropriate behaviors, and they can later exchange these tokens for extra playtime or a favorite snack.
Token economies promote positive behavior by providing immediate rewards and can be tailored to individual preferences and goals.