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Use task analysisTask analysis involves breaking large tasks into small, teachable

units. Teachers often need to break complex tasks down into subskills

to ensure students are successful. Each sub-skill should be

taught and reinforced in sequence. For example, when teaching a

self-help skill such as brushing teeth, the task may need to bebroken down into sub-skills getting the toothbrush and

toothpaste, turning on the water, wetting the toothbrush,

unscrewing the lid of the toothpaste, putting the toothpaste on the

toothbrush, etc. !ife skills, social skills and academic skills can

also be broken down into teachable components.

Forward and backward chaining"kill sequences that have been broken down through task analysis

may be taught through forward and backward chaining.

Forward chaining#$n forward chaining the emphasis of

instruction is placed on teaching the first behaviour or skill in

the chain that the student has not mastered. For example, a

teacher might use forward chaining to teach the student how to

access a particular computer program. Forward chaining on

this task might involve teaching the student to turn the

computer on, if the student has not mastered that step. The

teacher would focus his or her instruction on this step while

simply assisting the student through the remaining steps of the

task. %s each step is mastered, the teacher would reduce or

eliminate assistance on previous steps. &radually the student

masters more of the steps until he or she can complete the task

independently.

'ackward chaining#$n backward chaining the last behaviour

or skill in the sequence that the student has not mastered is

taught first. $n the example used previously, the teacher might

assist the student through all the previous steps of the skill

sequence and focus his or her instruction on teaching the

student to double click on the appropriate computer program.

(nce that step is mastered, the teacher might concentrate on

teaching the student to select the correct program from thecomputer desktop. %s in forward chaining, assistance is faded

as the student completes more steps of the sequence

independently.

'ackward chaining has the advantage of allowing the student to

experience the completion of the task immediately after

instruction. For instance, if backward chaining were used to teach

a student to put on his or her coat, the last step of the task would

likely be pulling up his or her )ipper. Following task completion,

the student would probably be given an opportunity to go outside.

%s a result an activity that is reinforcing *going outside+immediately follows the task *pulling up his or her )ipper+.

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owever, the decision to use backward or forward chaining often

depends on the nature of the task.