Breaking Prompt Dependence

The goal for all students is to be able to perform a skill (like identifying a cat and saying the “meow” sound) independently with no direction. However, in order to gain a brand new, never before preformed skill, a student is dependent on prompts. Tuneville prompts new interaction but it can, like all teaching methods, foster prompt dependence. Prompt dependence is when a child cannot perform a task without being prompted in the way that the skill was first taught. To lessen dependence on Tuneville, play a lesson where a student can hear it but not see it. See if he can fill in the blanks with auditory cues alone. When a session with Tuneville is done, immediately voice just heard lyrics and see if a student will fill-in for a “live” prompt. Slowly stretch the time between the Tuneville session and this real life test. Then look for opportunities to use lyrics in real world situations. The end goal is to have real world situations spontaneously prompt language learned in Tuneville, i.e., your neighbors cat crosses your lawn and the Tuneville lyric “the cat says, ‘meow’” pops out as real practical everyday language.

Taking Tuneville into the Real World

Children with autism often have great difficulty using knowledge or language gained in one setting in a variety of settings and with a variety of people. In other words, they do not easily generalize.  Since at Tuneville we believe that one skill generalized is worth ten done on the ipad, Tuneville imbeds the first two steps for generalization into every lesson: 

1. the lesson learned through music is then taught in spoken form and 
2. the illustrations used initially are traded out whenever possible for photographs for the fun activities after track D. 

In this way, the new presentation will be closely associated, or paired, with the old. Parents and teachers can continue this process of generalization by looking for real world opportunities (or other games, shows, or books) to use the language learned from a Tuneville lesson, then gradually begin to change the wording slightly. For example, if you learned Animal Sounds from Tuneville (release date 5/30/11) say, "I’m thinking of an animal that says meow.” Later,  change the question again to: “Find an animal in this book that says meow.” And again, another slight change in a future opportunity,“There is uncle Joe's cat. What does he say?”

Encouraging Vocalization

A student’s first vocal responses to a second Tuneville track might not be truly classified as speech but more accurately described as grunting or humming. These two types of vocal responses are important initial steps towards speech and should be praised and encouraged. Modeling the fill-ins and then fading prompts will help children gain independent speech. Group or one-on-one settings may be experimented with to encourage participation. Have children participate in group settings by listening to track A (musical training track) or C (spoken training track) repeatedly. Then take turns having each child fill in the blanks in tracks B or D. Friends or teachers may need to model filling in the blanks at first but quickly work on fading these prompts. Repeat songs for multiple attempts at a single response. Full verbal prompts may be necessary initially but quickly work on fading all prompts - model only part of the fill in, just the initial sound, or press the pause button for more time to respond.

Opposites Sample

Yucky Stuff Sample

Letter Sounds Sample

Music Avoidance

Even though most people love music, a very small minority will respond negatively. Sensory sensitivity or overload most likely accounts for this response. While attention needs to be given to special sensory needs, it is important to not allow an individual to attempt to dictate what goes on in the environment at all times. The more tolerance is built, the more there will be an ability to cope with the chaos of real world. Keep in mind music is everywhere!  To overcome aversion to music, give away a little, but not all, control:

1. Prepare an individual for what is about to happen by telling him in simple language or showing him the Tuneville icon.
2. Give him a few minutes to process this information.
3. Allow a student to choose which song she would like to listen to. She can communicate her wishes by pointing or saying the first word or two of a song’s title or lyric.
4. Give a choice between two songs. This is a simple way of eliciting a preference and giving away some, but not very much control.Allow a student the option of earphones or, being covered by a blanket to block out other visual stimulation while he listens.
5. Allow a student to control the volume for a minute or two. 
6. Play only a few seconds of a song and then turn it off. Then, each time the song is played, extend the time of listening. Do not to give the student the job of turning on and off the music. The sign for finished, or the word “stop” can be taught to communicate his or her wishes but the right to turn on and off the music should not be extended.