Effects of instructive feedback on future learning

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of presenting instructive feedback for current target behaviors when teaching preschoolers in dyads to name four stimulus variations. Behaviors for each of the four types of stimuli were divided into two sets and instructed sequentially with a 3-second constant time delay procedure. During instruction, correct responses to one set of behaviors received a token, verbal praise, and presentation and verbal description of the future target stimuli in one daily session. In the other daily session, correct responses received only tokens and verbal praise. A parallel treatments design (Gast & Wolery, 1988) was used to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of the two conditions. Results indicate that: (a) three of the four children learned all future behaviors, (b) presentation of instructive feedback did not interfere with learning, and (c) in terms of direct instruction time required by the teacher, future behaviors were acquired more efficiently.