Incidental teaching is a naturalistic teaching approach that is widely used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)-based classrooms. It is an effective and efficient way to teach skills by taking advantage of naturally occurring situations and using them as teaching opportunities. This approach can be used to teach a wide range of skills, including communication, social, and academic skills. In this blog post, we will explore how incidental teaching works and provide practical tips for using it in an ABA-based classroom.

What is Incidental Teaching?

Incidental teaching is a teaching approach that is based on naturalistic teaching. It involves teaching skills in everyday situations as they arise. This approach is rooted in the principles of ABA and focuses on maximizing learning opportunities. The goal of incidental teaching is to teach skills in a natural and functional way. It is also designed to promote the generalization and maintenance of skills.

Incidental teaching is an effective approach to teaching for several reasons. Firstly, it is child-led, which means that the child is the one who initiates the interaction. Secondly, it is based on the child’s interests and preferences, which makes it more engaging and motivating. Thirdly, it provides immediate feedback, which helps the child to learn more efficiently.

Using Incidental Teaching in the Classroom

In an ABA-based classroom, incidental teaching can be used to teach a wide range of skills. Some of the skills that can be taught using incidental teaching include communication, social, and academic skills. Here are some practical tips for using incidental teaching in the classroom:

1. Identify the target skill: Before using incidental teaching, you need to identify the target skill you want to teach. This will help you to be more focused and intentional in your teaching.
2. Create learning opportunities: Once you have identified the target skill, create learning opportunities that will enable the child to practice and learn the skill. For example, if the target skill is requesting, create situations where the child needs to request something.
3. Wait for the child to initiate: Once you have created the learning opportunity, wait for the child to initiate the interaction. This will ensure that the interaction is child-led and based on the child’s interests and preferences.
4. Prompt and reinforce: When the child initiates the interaction, prompt and reinforce the target skill. For example, if the target skill is requesting, prompt the child to request and reinforce the request with a preferred item.
5. Fade prompts: As the child becomes more proficient in the target skill, gradually fade the prompts until the child can independently demonstrate the skill.

Evidence-Based Research

Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of incidental teaching. For example, a study by Hart and Risley (1975) showed that incidental teaching was effective in increasing language skills in young children. Similarly, a study by McGee et al. (1999) found that incidental teaching was effective in teaching social skills to children with autism.

Incidental teaching is a powerful and effective teaching approach that can be used in ABA-based classrooms. It is based on the principles of ABA and focuses on maximizing learning opportunities. By using this approach, teachers can teach a wide range of skills in a natural and functional way. It is child-led, based on the child’s interests and preferences, and provides immediate feedback, making it more engaging and motivating. So, if you are looking for a naturalistic and effective teaching approach, try using incidental teaching in your ABA-based classroom.