Teaching Mentally Retarded Adults to Time‐manage in a Vocational Setting

Abstract

Three retarded adults who had minimal ability to tell time were trained to "time-manage." Each was given a card with clock face representations on which the hands of the clock were drawn, representing each trainee's assigned lunch and break times. Instruction was given before work to perform each of the required behaviors when the "real" clock matched the clock faces. Praise was given following correct responses, and reprimands, instruction, and, in some instances, delay or omission of the scheduled activity followed incorrect responses. Pre-instruction and instructional feedback were then sequentially withdrawn. Results indicated that the package consisting of pre-instruction, instructional feedback, and picture cues was effective in producing independent time management responding. When the first two components were withdrawn, two trainees maintained high levels of correct responding. Correct responding decreased for one trainee when pre-instruction was withdrawn. Reintroduction and subsequent withdrawal of the components resulted in maintenance by this trainee. Little improvement in time-telling ability resulted.

Brief report: Teaching persons with moderate mental retardation to use printed instructions and time cues in a work context

“…The relevance of these results is clear in view of the fact that printed notes and watches may be the simplest and most normal means whereby a work place can provide instructions and time cues (cf. Martin et al, 1987;Sowers, Rusch, Connis, & Cummings, 1980). For nonreading subjects, printed notes provide messages that need to be translated.…”

Use of Teacher-Paced Instruction in Developing and Maintaining Independent Self-Feeding

“…For example, many types of sheltered work activities and home living skills require that a series of behaviors be performed in a repetitious but evenly-paced manner. Sometimes it is observed that an individual's performance deteriorates after acquisi tion has occurred (Liberty, Haring, & Martin, 1981;Sowers, Rusch, Connis, & Cummings, 1980). In these situations, teacher-paced instruction may be an effec tive procedure to use in reestablishing appropriate pat terns of performance.…”

Literature Review of Interventions for Between-Task Transitioning for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Including Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…In a minority of the studies, although the authors noted positive results, these interpretations were not supported by a PND that was correlated with a high degree of effectiveness. A lack of correspondence between PND and author interpretation of the data was found in four studies (Banda and Kubina 2006;Palmen et al 2012;Flannery and Horner 1994;Sowers et al 1980). For example, Banda and Kubina (2006) cited positive results in decreasing noncompliance to transition with one student with ASD.…”

“…Four studies were identified that implemented consequencebased strategies to teach transition skills (Carden-Smith and Fowler 1984;Connell et al 1993a, b;Sowers et al 1980). For example, Carden-Smith and Fowler (1984) examined the effects of a token economy on the transition behavior of six children with language and developmental delays in a classroom setting.…”