Task Analysis & Chaining
When you think about many of the tasks you perform on a daily basis, you realize how many steps are involved in each task. You may be even more aware of how many steps there are when you are learning something new, such as how to program your VCR. To learn this complex skill, you may watch someone else do it and write down all the steps. Or, you might closely follow the instructions in the manual. But what if those instructions weren’t clear? You would need more information and more reinforcement for your attempts if you wanted to prevent frustration. The same is true for learners with autism. They also need clear instructions and plenty of reinforcement for accomplishing some, and eventually all, parts of a task. One of the ways behavior analysts do this is by creating and using a task analysis. A task analysis involves breaking a complex skill into smaller, teachable units. In creating a task analysis, an instructor creates a road map for how to teach a skill, step by step. There is ample benefit for the learner; access to reinforcement is much greater when the task is taught in this manner. An example of a task analysis is listed below. There are many ways to write a task analysis, and the same task could be described many different ways. A learner’s skill level, preferences, and setting characteristics can influence exactly how a task analysis is written. Arranging a place setting at the table could include the following steps: 1. Put placemat on the table 2. Place plate on placemat
3. Place napkin on left side of plate 4. Place fork on napkin 5. Place knife on right side of plate 6. Place spoon on right side of plate 7. Place cup at top of plate This example assumes that all of the necessary items are within the learner’s reach. This task analysis would be expanded further to include additional behaviors in order to get each of these items from their appropriate places. Similarly, this task analysis could be expanded to additional items, place settings, and other mealtime activities. It is relatively easy to create a task analysis. There are several methods you can use. One method is to perform the behavior yourself and take note of each step of the behavior. Alternately, you could watch another person perform the behavior. If you do this, select a person who can perform the skill well. In creating the task analysis, the steps of the behavior will be linked together to create a behavior chain. Then, a task analysis assessment can then be done to evaluate what steps of the chain already are performed well by the learner. This enables the instructor to further individualize instruction by focusing on the steps that are not yet independent. When taught through chaining, it is important that the steps be taught in order. At times, chaining is taught using a forward chaining procedure in which the steps are targeted beginning with the first step. In the above example, the student would first be taught to put the placemat on the table independently. Reinforcement is provided for successfully completing this step. The teacher then assists the learner to put the
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ABA Principles & Methods
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