Prompt Fading
The systematic and gradual removal of assistance used to teach a skill.
Prompt fading is the process of slowly withdrawing the help you give a learner until they perform the skill independently. If you physically guide a student's hand to write their name, you must fade that prompt to a light touch, then a gesture, and eventually nothing.
Effective prompt fading transfers stimulus control from your prompt to the natural environmental cue. This ensures true independence and prevents prompt dependency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is prompt fading?
Prompt fading is the systematic, gradual removal of the help you give a learner until they perform the skill independently. You might move from full physical guidance, to a light touch, to a gesture, to no prompt at all.
Why is prompt fading important?
Without fading, learners become prompt dependent - they wait for your help instead of responding to the natural cue. Fading transfers stimulus control from your prompt to the natural environmental cue, which is what produces genuine independence.
What are some prompt fading techniques?
Common approaches include most-to-least prompting (start with strong help and reduce it), least-to-most prompting (start with the least help and add more only if needed), graduated guidance, and time delay (gradually increasing the pause before you prompt).