Training Teachers to Use Naturalistic Time Delay: Effects on Teacher Behavior and on the Language Use of Students

Abstract

Teachers of students with severe disabilities were taught to implement a naturalistic time delay procedure within their normal classroom routines for the purpose of improving the language skills of their students. Following a short training program that consisted of explanation, role playing, and feedback, implemented as a multiple baseline design, the teachers increased their use of three types of opportunities for time delay. However, they required special training to capitalize on untrained opportunities for delay. Verbatim samples of the students' speech were collected. The results indicate that teachers of students with severe disabilities can be taught to use the time delay procedure within their normal classroom routine and that their use of delay may have beneficial effects (e.g., increases in mean length of utterance, responsivity, and movement along a continuum of spontaneity) on the speech of their students.