Fostering Independence with Minimal Prompting

Macomb ISD

Indirect Prompt
Expectant Pause: Provide wait time, opportunity
to initiate
Expectant Gesture: Use body language to
indicate that something is expected( e.g.,
questioning motions, shrug)
Open-ended Question: Use a questions to show
that something expected but not specific e.g., Now
what? What’s next? I wonder)
Highlighted Cells: Place something (e.g., paper
with glitter, wikki stix) around the edges of the
symbol that draws the student’s attention to it.

Direct Prompt
Point: Point with penlight or object. Pause until the
student attends to the prompt.
Mask Vocabulary: Cover cells not directly
required for that specific activity. Remove mask
from cells for daily use.
Verbal Reminder: Say the name of the symbol(s)
as you point to the cell, “You could say...” Pause
and wait for a response

Note: Physical Prompting is not on this list. If the indirect

and direct prompts do not lead to student participation then
the team finds new ways to ENGAGE the student and
provides more MODELING and TEACHING.
Macomb ISD AAC Core Vocabulary Initiative Staskowski & Hardin 2017