Tri-State Learning Center, Inc.: Incidental Teaching

Tri-State Learning Center, Inc. - A School Without Walls

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What are Incidental Teaching Methods (ITM)?
Incidental Teaching is used to get elaborated language or to expand on existing skills by waiting for another person to initiate conversation or a topic and then responding in ways that ask for more language from that person (Hart & Risley 1982). Learners in this profile are able to learn concepts with minimum exposure and highlighting of concepts to make the critical features salient.

How does TLC utilize ITM?
TLC uses incidental teaching as a mechanism of building on the child's existing skills by capturing situations as they occur to promote the use or expansion of language or learning. Incidental Teaching occurs in the natural environment and is less structured than using a natural environmental teaching plan (NET plans).Once the learner demonstrates the ability to first learn through a high number of discrete trials and through structured NET Plans, the topography of the program is shifted and skills are taught more incidentally. As the child's learning profile indicates that the child needs fewer exposures to a concept to learn the intended content, the child's program shifts to incidental teaching which is less structured and less intense in exposure.

How Does ITM Compare to Discrete Trial Instruction?

ITM

Child initiates
No structured learning environment
Rewards are the materials
Rewards are related to initiation
Low exposure to learn

Discrete Trial

Teacher Directed
Structured environment
Selected by instructor
May be unrelated to task
High number of learning opportunities

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»	What are Incidental Teaching Methods (ITM)?

»	How does TLC utilize ITM?

»	How does ITM compare to discrete trial instruction?

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