The SPARTA team conducted a study and trained three parents to implement discrete-trial teaching with children that have developmental disabilities. We started by teaching the parents a couple of Vocal Imitation and Gross Motor Imitation methods. A couple of the commands requested to the children were to raise their hands and reply accurately to questions or gestures vocally. After the parents received a couple of short 10-minute training sessions, they began to put their new skills to work.
The results of their discrete trial learning sessions yielded positive results. The Parents learned to implement discrete-trial training, their skills generalized to novel programs, and the children’s correct responses increased, suggesting that behavioral skills training is an effective and efficient method of teaching discrete-trial teaching to parents.
Parents can make a big difference in their children’s behavior development outside of a center or school, and in the comfort of their own home.