Time Delay Instructional Procedure

Description of the Procedure

The time delay (TD) procedure is a systematic, predictable, rule-governed, instructional procedure that, when implemented correctly, can provide nearly errorless learning. Errors are minimized by ensuring that learners are not required to respond independently until they can do so accurately. The instructor teaches accurate responding by modeling the correct response and allowing the student to imitate the model. The procedure's nearly errorless learning features make it attractive and well suited for learners who struggle when acquiring certain types of skills and knowledge. The procedure is easy to implement and requires minimum instructor preparation and implementation time. Touchette first reported on the time delay procedure in 1971, when he used it to teach a form discrimination task to three students with severe mental retardation. Since that time, a great deal of research has been conducted, predominately by special educators. The procedure has been referred to as gamelike by several researchers and many students.

As with a game, it is essential that the instructor and the learner clearly understand how to participate [Page 1579]in the time-delay procedure or how to “play the game.” A great deal of frustration may occur if teachers attempt to implement the procedure without ensuring that all involved can smoothly move through the procedural format without confusion. In the case illustration at the end of this entry, examples are provided regarding how to teach learners to participate in the TD procedure.

Time delay is a prompt-fading procedure. Prompts refer to information provided to the learner by the instructor before the learner is requested to respond (antecedent prompting). Prompts may come in a variety of forms, but full models of the correct response are most typical. Fading refers to eliminating antecedent prompts on the basis of time as the learner begins to respond independently and accurately. In TD, the timing of the prompt changes rather than the prompt itself, as in other prompt-fading procedures. Time delay typically is presented in a direct-instruction, discrete trial format, although it can also be used in naturalistic settings. Each trial includes a stimulus (antecedent) event, a response event, and a consequence event. Two types of trials are utilized: 0-second delay trials and x-second delay trials. The x represents some amount of seconds (e.g., 5 seconds). While 5-second delay intervals will be used in this description, the delay interval may range from 1 second to several seconds, depending on the instructor's knowledge of the learner's needs and abilities. Each type of trial employs the stimulus-response-consequence model. A time delay session, or one game of time delay, includes the number of trials a teacher thinks is appropriate for the student(s) and the amount of time the teacher has to contribute to the time delay procedure.

Zero-second delay trials are implemented when the TD procedure is initiated with a learner learning a new skill. Zero-second delay trials include the stimulus event, which is a question or task request provided by the instructor (e.g., “Point to the quarter”), as well as the prompt that ensures the opportunity for a correct response (e.g., the teacher pointing to the quarter). During 0-second delay trials, the teacher presents the task direction and immediately supplies the controlling prompt (i.e., a prompt that guarantees a correct response). Therefore, during 0-second trials, a student does not have an opportunity to respond independently. The learner's response is an imitation of the instructor's prompt. The instructor provides positive feedback immediately following a correct imitation of the prompt. If the learner does not accurately imitate the instructor's model prompt, which is rare, a correction procedure is provided as part of the consequent event. A correction procedure typically reviews the stimulus and prompt, thus providing another practice opportunity for the learner to imitate the prompt. Correction procedures continue until the learner responds correctly.

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