Although matrix training is an intervention technique designed to promote generative language, it has not been applied widely to toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) despite the benefits it may have for this young population. We investigated the use of matrix training to teach generative receptive language to toddlers with ASD and other…

Matrix training is a systematic teaching approach that can facilitate generalized language. Specific responses are taught that result in the emergence of untrained responses. This type of training facilitates the use of generalized language in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study used a matrix training procedure with a toddler…

On-task behaviors are examined for three elementary-aged children who had impaired language and challenging behaviors that compromised their classroom participation and inclusion. A multiple-baseline design across participants was used. Each participant showed improvements in on-task behavior following Social Story[TM] intervention. Participants…

Research on the environmental conditions promoting generative language learning is reviewed. Recombinative generalization is introduced as a principle of stimulus control that enables individuals to express and to comprehend novel utterances. Alternative matrix-training procedures should be considered in attempts to optimize the development of…

Matrix training strategies were used to teach three severely mentally retarded children syntactic rules for combining known words into two- and three-word utterances. Training only a limited number of responses was sufficient to promote recombinative generalization in the trained modality and transfer to untrained responses in the opposite…

Effects of instructing caregivers to implement teaching strategies within daily routines were investigated using a multiple baseline design across caregiver strategies and participants. Four toddlers with developmental delays participated in intervention conducted by their primary caregiver within the family's preferred play routines. To assess…

Effects of instructing caregivers to implement teaching strategies within daily routines were investigated using a multiple baseline design across caregiver strategies and participants. Four toddlers with developmental delays participated in intervention conducted by their primary caregiver within the family's preferred play routines. To assess…

The effects of expressive modeling experiences on the observational learning of generative language by children with severe mental retardation was investigated. All six children (aged six-nine) demonstrated observational learning of responses modeled by their peers. Organizing the modeling experiences according to matrix-training principles…

The study found that a pragmatic teaching strategy based on milieu teaching and time-delay procedures was effective in teaching four nonspeaking, developmentally delayed children (ages five and six) using manual communication boards to initiate requests for information (i.e., who, what, and where) (DB)

Four nine year olds with mild mental retardation received training on the meaning of idiomatic phrases. All children demonstrated learning and an ability to understand the learned idioms when presented in unfamiliar contexts. Children were able to generalize their receptive learning to an expressive task with varying levels of success. (Author/JDD)

Four developmentally delayed preschoolers were taught action-object responses in receptive and expressive language modalities, using matrix-training procedures. Acquisition of a word combination rule was facilitated by the use of familiar lexical items, whereas subsequent acquisition of new lexical knowledge was enhanced by couching training in a…

This review identifies five themes of child language intervention: (1) development of augmentative and alternative communication systems; (2) provision of language stimulation to take advantage of observational learning; (3) teaching of various language functions; (4) teaching of language as a means of environmental and self-control; and (5) study…

Two children, aged six and nine, with moderate mental retardation were taught syntactic rules for combining known and unknown words into two-word utterances. The use of receptive teaching with imitation of the target phrase facilitated both generalized receptive learning and transfer to production in both subjects. (Author/JDD)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of facilitating generalized use of teaching strategies by parents of children with autism within daily routines. Method: Five preschool children with autism participated in intervention with a parent within daily routines in the family's home. Parents learned to include 2 teaching…

An observational learning paradigm was used to instruct five elementary students with mild or moderate mental retardation to monitor their comprehension of incomplete instructions. Although all subjects eventually demonstrated observational learning, performance varied depending on the type of instruction inadequacy. During posttesting all…