What characterizes graduated guidance in prompting?

Graduated guidance in prompting is characterized by a gradual removal of prompts, starting with maximum guidance. This approach is designed to help individuals learn tasks by initially providing a high level of support, which decreases incrementally as the individual becomes more proficient. The idea is to foster independence through a systematic reduction in assistance, enabling the learner to develop their skills and confidence.

This method is particularly effective because it allows the individual to rely on prompts when they are needed while ultimately encouraging them to perform the task independently. By beginning with maximum guidance, instructors can ensure that learners have the necessary support to understand the task before gradually pulling back. This technique is essential in various teaching contexts, especially in special education, where promoting independence is a key goal.

Other methods listed, such as constant levels of assistance, do not allow for the necessary progression and growth in a learner's abilities, while a fixed approach to prompting fails to adapt to the learner's needs over time. The concept of a gradual increase of prompts is not aligned with the principles of graduated guidance, which focuses on reducing support rather than increasing it.