Using Explicit Instruction to Teach Science Descriptors to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Science content is one area of general curriculum access that needs more investigation. Explicit instruction is effective for teaching students with high incidence disabilities a variety of skills, including science content. In this study, we taught three elementary aged students with autism spectrum disorder to acquire science descriptors (e.g., wet) and then generalization to novel objects, pictures, and within a science inquiry lesson via explicit instruction. A multiple probe across behaviors with concurrent replication across participants design measured the effects of the intervention. All three participants met criterion, some were able to generalize to novel objects, pictures, and objects within science inquiry lesson. Outcomes are discussed from the perspective of implications for practice and future research investigations.

Teaching Science to Young Children with Special Needs

“…In terms of instructional arrangement, three of the studies were implemented using large group instruction in a general education classroom (Dalton, Morocco, Tivnan, & Mead, 1997 ;Martinez-Alvarez, Bannan, & Peters-Burton, 2012 ;Mastropieri et al, 1998 ), two were implemented with small groups in a resource room (Aydeniz, Cihak, Graham, & Retinger, 2012 ;Bay, Staver, Bryan, & Hale, 1992 ), two were implemented in small groups within a special education selfcontained classroom (Smith, Spooner, Jimenez, & Browder, 2013 ;Utley et al, 2001 ), two were implemented in small groups within a preschool Head Start program (Gonzalez et al, 2011 ;Greenfi eld et al, 2009 ), two were conducted using one-on-one teaching arrangements (Knight, Smith, Spooner, & Browder, 2011 ;Scruggs, Mastropieri, & Sullivan, 1994 ) and one study used both small group and one-on-one teaching arrangements in a summer remedial program (Nelson, Smith, & Dodd, 1992 ).…”

“…"), and state why that fact makes sense (e.g., "It has to hover like a helicopter when it eats."). The science content assessments used for students with more intensive learning needs required students to identify the correct answer by touching or manipulating an item from an array of objects (Knight et al, 2011 ) or pictures (Smith et al, 2013 ). For example, the student was required to touch the correct picture from three choices when asked, "Show me the moon.…”

“…For the preschool readiness domains assessment used by Greenfi eld et al, teachers observed children on an ongoing basis throughout the school year and recorded each child's attainment of specifi c skills within each of the eight domain areas using a Web-based system (Galileo). In addition to acquisition measures, three studies assessed maintenance (Aydeniz et al, 2012 ;Scruggs et al, 1994 ;Smith et al, 2013 ), and three studies assessed both generalization and maintenance (Bay et al, 1992 ;Knight et al, 2011 ;Nelson et al, 1992 ). Six of the 12 studies did not include any maintenance or generalization measures.…”

“…For example, Aydeniz et al ( 2012 ) obtained social validity data by administering the Scientifi c Attitudes Inventory (SAI-II; Moore & Foy, 1997 ) to the students before and after the intervention. Five studies examined social validity for both the students and the teachers by obtaining their opinions about the procedures and outcomes of the intervention through a questionnaire or interview (Knight et al, 2011 ;Mastropieri et al, 1998 ;Nelson et al, 1992 ;Smith et al, 2013 ;Utley et al, 2001 ).…”

“…For example, Scruggs et al ( 1994 ) examined the effects of elaborative interrogation, a structured questioning procedure that leads the student to the correct answer. Three of these studies examined the effects of the following instructional procedures on science vocabulary outcomes: classwide peer tutoring (Utley et al, 2001 ), explicit instruction with application of concepts (Knight et al, 2011 ), and shared book reading (Gonzalez et al, 2011 ). Finally, one study examined the effects of a summary writing strategy intervention on reading comprehension of science text (Nelson et al, 1992 ).…”