What is the prompting hierarchy?
The prompting hierarchy is a tool to help learners gain a new skill towards independence with step-by-step prompts. These prompts can be faded to work towards independence, and they can be increased if regression is shown. To work towards independence, one would follow the most to least intrusive prompting, but the hierarchy is not always linear. Below is a graphic of the prompting hierarchy that I actually hang up in my classroom as a constant reminder to myself and my paras.
Most Intrusive: Full Physical
A full physical prompt is the most intrusive prompt, and it should rarely be used. We tend to use this prompt the most when teaching a new skill, and it is seen as hand-over-hand prompting. Up and coming neurodivergent friendly research shows that hand-under-hand is more appropriate for our neurodivergent friends to recognize their autonomy as individuals. If they are not able to learn the skill that way, try breaking the skill down and creating different visual task analyses for this skill to be learned. To learn more about how to utilize the full physical prompt in a neurodivergent friendly way, check out this blog post!
Partial Physical
Next on the prompting hierarchy is partial physical. Partial physical prompting can be seen used in many different ways, because it is simply touching, tapping, or even a slight guiding of the student’s hand or body part while they are doing the skill. For example, if you are using the partial physical prompt for a student learning to write their name, you may guide their elbow gently with your hand while they are actually the one doing the writing.
Model
Continuing along the most to least intrusive hierarchy is the model prompt. This prompt level is pretty self-explanatory, as it is just modeling the skill you want the student to do. For example, if you are using the model prompt for a student learning to write their name, you may have a paper with their name prewritten already on it, or you could model writing it in front of them before they start writing.
Verbal
Next on our prompting hierarchy is the verbal prompt. This is probably our most common prompt, because as humans we love to talk! This prompt is simply the verbal speaking of what you want the student to do. For example, if the student is learning to write their name, you could say, “Write your name.” It could even go further by verbally prompting them on how to write each letter.
Gesture
Continuing our way up the hierarchy, next we have the gesture prompt. This could look like pointing or nodding towards the directed task at hand. For example, if a student is learning to write their name, you could just point to the activity of writing their name, and they know what to do. This is a great prompt to use when you feel like you are overusing verbal prompts. The student should have already gone through the other prompts in the hierarchy and should understand what to do. Simply pointing to the task reduces overstimulation that can stem from verbally repeating the instruction.
Visual
Oh, how we love visuals in a special education class! Visual prompting is next in our prompting hierarchy. A visual representation can better help the student process what is being asked of them, and it can reduce those more intrusive prompts, such as repeated verbal prompts or physical prompting. If you need some visuals to utilize the prompting hierarchy for behavior purposes, check out Simply Special Ed’s Behavior Visual Supports!
Least Intrusive: Independent
Woohoo! We may it to the independent stage in our prompting hierarchy. This is where we strive to be for all students, and this is going to be our least intrusive stage. This is where no prompting is required. There are students who will never reach this stage… and that’s okay!
Below is a quick snip-it of the prompting hierarchy from most to least intrusive (bottom to top).
Side Notes about the Prompting Hierarchy
We want to presume competence with our students, despite what special needs or special instruction they may require. We want to always work towards the least intrusive prompting regardless, but sometimes a student may always require some level of prompting at some level depending on the skill. For example, visual prompts may be used throughout a student’s entire life because it helps their brain process information. And that’s okay! We as adults used visual prompts in our everyday life as well, such as road signs and airport signs to point us in the correct way.
Not only can the prompting hierarchy be used to teach new academic skills, but it is important to keep in mind when dealing with challenging behaviors as well. For example, one may be able to only need a verbal prompt, such as “hands to self.” They may need a more intrusive prompt as well, such as visuals of keeping their hand to themself or partial physical prompting to redirect them.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that the pormpting hierarchy is not always linear! The prompts should be faded over time to allow the student to reach “their independent” level! Let’s assume competence with our students and meet them where they are at. We can always go up and down the hierarchy, but we always want to be at their current learning level.
If you want to learn about the do’s and don’t of the prompting hierarchy, check out this blog!
