CTA CTA Instructional Support Strategies 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a training assistant provides guided practice to a student, what is the primary goal?
- To replace the lead trainer's instruction
- To help the student apply new skills with support before working independently (Correct answer)
- To assess the student's final performance
- To introduce brand new content
Correct answer: To help the student apply new skills with support before working independently
Guided practice allows students to apply newly taught skills with support before transitioning to independent work.
Question 2: Which instructional support strategy involves breaking a complex skill into smaller, teachable steps?
- Chaining
- Task analysis (Correct answer)
- Modeling
- Prompting
Correct answer: Task analysis
Task analysis involves breaking a complex skill into sequential, smaller steps to make instruction more manageable.
Question 3: A CTA is using least-to-most prompting. In what order should prompts be delivered?
- Physical prompt first, then verbal, then gestural
- Verbal prompt first, then gestural, then physical if needed (Correct answer)
- Gestural only, no verbal
- Full physical assistance before any other prompt
Correct answer: Verbal prompt first, then gestural, then physical if needed
Least-to-most prompting starts with the least intrusive prompt (verbal) and escalates to more intrusive prompts only as needed.
Question 4: What does 'fading' mean in the context of instructional support?
- Reducing the intensity or frequency of prompts as the student gains competence (Correct answer)
- Removing the student from the activity
- Switching to a new instructional strategy
- Decreasing the number of tasks assigned
Correct answer: Reducing the intensity or frequency of prompts as the student gains competence
Fading refers to gradually reducing the level of prompts or support as the learner becomes more independent.
Question 5: Which strategy is BEST when a student struggles to generalize a skill to new settings?
- Teach the skill in only one setting for consistency
- Practice the skill across multiple environments and with varied materials (Correct answer)
- Remove the skill from the IEP
- Increase physical prompting
Correct answer: Practice the skill across multiple environments and with varied materials
Practicing a skill across varied settings and materials promotes generalization, helping students apply the skill beyond where it was first learned.
Question 6: When should a CTA use modeling as an instructional support strategy?
- Only after the student has failed multiple times
- When demonstrating how to perform a skill before asking the student to attempt it (Correct answer)
- As a punishment for off-task behavior
- Only during independent work time
Correct answer: When demonstrating how to perform a skill before asking the student to attempt it
Modeling provides a demonstration of the target skill before the student is asked to perform it, giving a clear example to follow.
CTA CTA Instructional Support Strategies 1
When a training assistant provides guided practice to a student, what is the primary goal?