ABA Essentials

“How do you determine the right prompt level for your client?”

In ABA, prompt levels refer to the amount and type of assistance provided to help a learner perform a skill correctly. The goal is to provide enough support for success while systematically fading prompts, so the learner becomes independent.

A common prompt hierarchy, from most intrusive to least intrusive:

Prompt level

Description

When a BCBA might use it

Full Physical (FP)

Hand-over-hand guidance through the entire response.

When teaching a brand-new skill, ensuring safety, or when the learner cannot perform the response independently.

Partial Physical (PP)

Physical assistance for part of the movement (e.g., guiding the elbow or wrist).

When the learner knows some of the movement but still needs support.

Model

Demonstrating the correct response for the learner to imitate.

When the learner has imitation skills and can learn by watching.

Gestural

Pointing, nodding, looking at, or indicating the correct response.

When a subtle cue is enough to direct attention.

Visual

Pictures, written instructions, schedules, cue cards, or highlighted materials.

When the learner benefits from visual supports or needs reminders without verbal assistance.

Verbal

Spoken instructions, hints, or cues — from a full instruction to a partial verbal cue (e.g., “Get your…” or just the first sound of a word).

When the learner responds well to language and doesn’t require physical guidance.

Independent (No Prompt)

The learner completes the response without assistance.

This is the ultimate goal after prompts have been faded.

Choosing the right prompt

A BCBA typically considers several factors:

•

Has the learner shown some success before? Use the least intrusive prompt likely to result in a correct response.

•

What are the learner’s strengths? A learner with strong imitation skills may benefit from model prompts. A learner who processes visual information well may benefit from visual prompts. A learner with good receptive language may respond well to verbal prompts.

Prompting strategies

BCBAs also decide how prompts will be delivered:

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Most-to-Least (MTL): Start with the most supportive prompt and gradually fade it. Common for teaching new skills.

•

Least-to-Most (LTM): Give the learner a chance to respond independently, then increase prompting only if needed. Common when the learner already has some familiarity with the skill.

•

Time Delay: Present the instruction, wait a set amount of time, and only prompt if necessary. This encourages independent responding.

•

Graduated Guidance: Provide physical support that is continuously adjusted based on the learner’s performance, often for motor tasks.

General principle

The guiding principle in ABA is to use the least intrusive prompt that still allows the learner to respond correctly, while having a plan to fade prompts over time. This helps reduce prompt dependence and promotes independent, durable skills.

Rethinking where verbal prompts fall

Many learners become dependent on hearing an adult say, “What do you do next?” or “Say thank you,” whereas gestural or stimulus prompts can often be faded more naturally. Many practitioners therefore use a hierarchy more like this (from most to least intrusive):

Full physical

Partial physical

Model

Gestural

Stimulus/visual prompts (e.g., arranging materials, highlighting the correct item, visual schedules, written cues)

Verbal prompts

Independent

Why many BCBAs prefer stimulus or gestural prompts over verbal prompts

•

Verbal prompts are harder to fade. They often become part of the discriminative stimulus (SD), so the learner waits for the spoken cue.

•

Stimulus prompts are more natural. For example, placing the correct item closer or highlighting relevant information can transfer stimulus control more readily.

•

Gestural prompts are less intrusive socially. A point or glance can fade into naturally occurring cues.

•

Visual supports promote independence. A schedule or checklist allows the learner to rely on the environment instead of another person.

For learners with stronger language skills, verbal prompts can become especially intrusive because they may stop problem-solving and wait for the answer. That’s why many BCBAs intentionally rely on environmental arrangement, visual or stimulus prompts, gestures, and modeling before providing additional verbal information. The goal is to encourage the learner to respond to naturally occurring cues and develop independent problem-solving rather than relying on spoken prompts.

Least-to-Most in action

Target: Transition to independent work • SD: “Time to work.”

Prompt level

What it looks like

Independent

Give the SD: “Time to work.” Wait 3–5 seconds.

Gestural

Point toward the desk or materials.

Stimulus / Environmental

Arrange the environment so the work is already set out, the chair is pulled out, or the first item is open and ready.

Model

Walk to the desk and begin the first step yourself without additional language.

Verbal

“Go to your desk and start the first problem.” Use the least amount of language necessary.

Partial Physical (rare)

Light guidance if clinically appropriate (more common for specific motor tasks than academic or adaptive goals).

Full Physical (rare)

Typically reserved for safety or teaching new motor responses.

Remember: not every prompt level will be appropriate for every skill — the type of skill you are teaching should determine the prompt hierarchy you use. When teaching a receptive language skill, such as selecting the correct picture from an array of three, a full physical prompt may not be appropriate because it can take away the learner’s opportunity to make a meaningful choice. Likewise, when teaching an imitation skill, a verbal prompt may not be helpful because the goal is for the learner to copy a modeled action, not respond to a verbal instruction. Instead of using one standard prompt hierarchy for every goal, think about what you are teaching, what the learner is expected to do independently, and which prompt is the least intrusive while still helping the learner be successful. Because of this, each goal may have its own prompt hierarchy based on the skill being taught, rather than following one general rule for all goals.