TEACHING GENERALIZED RECEPTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE BEHIND‐FRONT DISCRIMINATIONS TO TWO RETARDED CHILDREN1

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Abstract
Successive sets of instructions were presented to 2 children. Each set contained 4 tasks, the 4 possible combinations of 2 new nouns with the linguistic forms put the (noun) behind the (noun) and put the (noun) in front of the (noun). For each set, receptive usage of nouns was taught, and then the 4 instructions were presented, once each, to test for generative usage of the prepositional forms. First-trial performances were never prompted. After a baseline of 5 sets of tasks, correct 1st-trial performances earned praise and tokens. In each set with 3 or fewer of such performances, the specific receptive discriminations were taught to a criterion before presentation of the next set. Successive sets were presented until all 1st-trial performances were correct in 5 consecutive sets. Then, this generalized discrimination was reversed and subsequently reinstated. Similar procedures were then used to teach the same children a generalized productive-discrimination for the forms behind the (noun) and in front of the (noun). The development of generalized receptive and productive behind-front discriminations without the prior development of generative usage in each linguistic form and with measurement of the generalized discrimination across 1st-trial performances was demonstrated. The method may offer a less time-consuming procedure for the development and measurement of generalized discriminations in receptive and productive language.

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