The Effects of Constant Time Delay and Instructive Feedback on the Acquisition of English and Spanish Sight Words

Abstract

The authors of this study evaluated the acquisition of instructive feedback information presented to four kindergarten children with mild delays taught in dyads using a constant time delay (CTD) procedure. They also assessed the learning of observational (dyadic partner) information within this instructional arrangement. A multiple probe design across word sets, replicated across the four participants, was used to evaluate the efficacy of the CTD procedure and instructive feedback on the students’ expressive English sight word identification, the corresponding Spanish translations, and other students’ target words. Results showed that all participants acquired high percentages of their targeted English sight words, as well as targeted Spanish translations taught through an instructive feedback procedure. Lower percentages of non-targeted English and Spanish words were acquired through observational learning.