What is a recommended teaching approach for developing social skills in these students?

• A. Observational learning without guidance
• B. Repeated, patient instruction with reinforcement
• C. One-time instruction
• D. Strict assessment with no practice

Answer: (B)

Repeated, patient instruction with reinforcement is most effective because social skills are learned through guided practice, feedback, and consistent rewards. Students with severe-profound disabilities often need multiple opportunities to observe a social behavior, attempt it, receive prompts or supports, and then have their correct responses reinforced to strengthen the behavior. This gradual, spaced practice helps them internalize how to behave in social interactions and increases the likelihood that the skill will be used across settings and with different people.

Observational learning without guidance doesn’t provide the active practice and timely feedback needed to acquire new social responses. One-time instruction is not enough to build durable, generalizable skills. Strict assessment with no practice removes the essential opportunity to try, adjust, and receive reinforcement, making it unlikely that meaningful social skills will develop.