Teaching Interaction Procedure

Teaching Interaction Procedure (TIP)

Overview

• The Teaching Interaction Procedure (TIP) is a method used to teach a variety of skills, particularly social behaviors.
• It is also referred to as TIP or Teaching Interactions (TIs), although the latter term is being phased out to avoid confusion.

Evolution of Terminology

• Teaching Interaction (TI): Any interaction between a student and teacher/therapist/RBT aimed at teaching a specific behavior.
• The term "teaching interactions" is now avoided because it's too broad and can cause confusion.
• The formal name is now Teaching Interaction Procedure (TIP).
• Previous research literature, trainings, or social media content may still use the term "teaching interactions."

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

• TIP falls under the umbrella of ABA.
• The RBT task list does not specifically include TIP.
• The teaching interaction procedure is not widely known, even among behavior analysts, despite having been in use for 40-50 years.
• Procedures like behavioral skills training (BST) or skill streaming evolved from TIP.

Skill Complexity

• TIP is typically used for teaching complex skills, such as:
  • Dating skills
  • Resisting peer pressure
  • Emotional regulation
• It can also be used for basic behaviors like greetings or eye contact, though it is more often applied to complex skills.

Structure and Flexibility

• The approach is structured, with specific components and steps for implementation.
• Flexibility is crucial; adjustments, additions, or removals of components may be necessary based on the learner's individual needs and the environment.
• RBTs must be adaptable in how they implement TIP from client to client, session to session, and moment to moment.

Curriculum Development

• TIP can inform curriculum development by identifying learner needs.
• While RBTs are not in charge of creating curriculum (BCBAs or supervisors are), understanding curriculum development is valuable.
• Resources like Boys Town and Girls Town Manuals utilize TIP in their curriculum development.

Six Steps of the Teaching Interaction Procedure

1. Label and Identify:

   • Clearly label the behavior being targeted during the teaching session.
   • Tell the student exactly what you are working on now.

2. Rationale:

   • Provide a reason why the student needs to engage in the targeted behavior.
   • This distinguishes TIP from BST and the cool versus not cool procedure.

3. Description:

   • Describe what you want the learner to do; give the student a task analysis of expectations.

4. Teacher Demonstration:

   • The teacher demonstrates the target behavior so the student can see what to do.

5. Practice (Role Playing):

   • The student role-plays the behavior.
   • This component is crucial for learning social, language, and learning skills.

6. Feedback:

   • Provide positive or negative reinforcement or punishment (corrective feedback).
   • Feedback is given throughout the prcedure.

• These steps are typically presented in a linear order (labeling to rationale to description, etc.).

Flexibility and Clinical Judgment

• Despite the typical linear order, flexibility is key.
• The order of steps and emphasis can be adjusted based on clinical judgment and the learner's needs.
• Therapists and RBTs can bounce back and forth between steps.

Video Examples

Video 1: Rick Teaching Kevin to Pay Attention

• Rick works with Kevin in a classroom setting to improve paying attention using TIP.
• The video demonstrates non-linear implementation of the steps.
• The skill is broken down into very specific steps.
• Example:
  • Rick is finding batteries while breaking down each step in the process.
• Rick uses teacher demonstration before rationale.
• Rick uses paying attention to batteries to allow Kevin to use a CD player after, a built in activity.

Video 2: Rick Addressing Silly Talk with Kevin

• Rick addresses Kevin's "silly talk" (stereotypical, self-stimulatory behavior) using TIP.
• Addressing stereotypic behavior is appropriate when it interferes with learning or social situations.
• The approach is constructive, teaching appropriate alternatives rather than being punitive.
• TIP is combined with a token economy, reinforcement, and contingency systems.
• Rick provides both positive and corrective feedback.
• Kevin is given opportunities to practice the skills repeatedly.

Video 3: Rick Teaching Students to Deal with Teasing

• Rick teaches students strategies for dealing with teasing/bullying.
• The approach is conversational and interactive.
• Rick focuses on providing strategies and rationales.
• There's a small group instruction (dyad learning) format.
• He monitors the learner to see if they can take the skill into a natural setting.
• Emphasis that this teaching is not to make the student proficient but is to prepare the student to go into the natural setting.

Benefits of the Teaching Interaction Procedure (TIP)

• Provides guidelines for increasing prosocial behavior.
• Emphasizes the rationale component to motivate the student.
• Helps registered behavior technician analyze big picture and little picture
• Facilitates independence. Helps the student do this by themselves in different environments.
• Teaches the learner that they are in control of their own environment.
• Aids in programming for behavior generalization.
• Can be used proactively and reactively.
• Highlights an interactive teaching style
• Is flexible and individualized.

Prerequisites for Learners

• The following prerequisites are based on clinical experience, not fully validated by research:
  • Attending is imperative.
  • Choice making to show appropriate demonstration as an appropriate vs inapprorpiate demonstration.
  • Imitation with teacher demonstration.
  • Understanding of delayed outcomes.
  • High levels of receptive language.
  • Conversational Skills.
  • Social desire.
• Age is not a factor in determining appropriateness for TIP.
• Cognitive level is not a prerequisite.
• If unsure, probe and test the student.

Setting the Table (Before Starting TIP)

• Timing: Implement at the correct times.
  • Be proactive in teaching prosocial behaviors.
  • Ensure the student is ready to learn.
• Starting Small: Begin with basic steps like labeling and identification.
• Resistance: Be prepared for resistance or avoidance from the student.

Components of TIP

1. Label and Identify

• Inform the student of the target skill.
• Clearly define the skill (provide an operational definition).
• Describe when and where to use the skill.
• Conversely, talk about when and where not to use the skill.

2. Rationale

• Explain why the student should use the skill.
• Often takes the form of an "if-then" statement (e.g., "If you share, then…").
• Good rationales are meaningful (to the learner) and motivating.
• Good rationales can lead to self-instruction.
• Avoid blanket rationales (e.g., "because it's nice") and adult rationales (e.g., "because I told you so").
• A good rationale should inspire the student to be involved in the learning process.

3. Component Steps

• Break the skill down into smaller steps (task analysis).
• The number of steps depends on the learner and the complexity of the skill.
• The buddy basic system can provide a base line group of steps that pretty much go into any social skill.
• Some steps are more critical than others. Be sure to identify each step's level of importance.
• Each step can be an opportunity for discrimination training (cool vs. not cool).
• Use dry erase boards or paper with keywords or pictures to represent the steps.

4. Teacher Demonstration

• The teacher displays the target behavior.
• Include both correct demonstrations show exactly the way a skill should be and incorrect demonstrations by showing what teh student is missing.
• The incorrect demonstrations should be what the student is failing to do in his or her own natural environment.
• Resemble real situations as close as possible.
• Use a cue (e.g., "Action" or "Cut".
• Have the learner rate the demonstration and provide feedback.
• Use multiple exemplars to promote generalization and have the student use multiple.

5. Teaching Role Play:

• Students practice in a contrived situation
• Initially, situations should be easy and obvious.
• Over time, expand to more natural situations.

6. Feedback

• Occurs throughout and not just at the end.
• Begins with positive feedback from the therapist.
• Use corrective feedback to highlight what the student did wrong.
• Provide prompting to help. Get flexible in prompt failing.
• You don't want a high number of practices without the student getting it right.

7. Supplemental Consequences (Optional)

• Ties into the student's motivational system.
• Enthusiastic reinforcement, individualized, if the moment is the correct term.
• May involve both positive and corrective consequences.
• Reinforcement needs to be faded over time. Once again, natural consequences taken over. 

Data Collection Example

• Each of the students needs to get positive/negative markings that correlate to each step.
• If you're doing probation day, you collect the information by checking how the student did in the role play vs the natural environment.

Promoting Generalization

• Implement TIP across various people and places, including a number of physical places
• Manipulate Time of day by doing this at different points throughout the day
• Increase provocativeness.

Hierarchy of provocativeness (easy to hardest, least stressful to most stressful)

• Registered behavior Technician.
• Mom.
• Younger Sister.
• Online Competition
• Increase the students level of skill throughout each step in the hierarchy.
• Increase Unpredictability (increase the amount of time btwn each intervention).
• Maintain skills in the environment and over time.
• Maintain skill despite challenges.

Plan for Generality

• Make conditions more authentic through contrived situations
• Slowly fade feedback, shaping progress.

Factors Affecting Generalization

• Was there a lack of breakdown?
• Were there too many things that you were teaching at once?
• Was there an overprompt dependence created in the learning?
• Was there a train and hope method utilized?
• Did we lack meaningful rationale for helping our participants?
• Is the motivation and reinforcers in the learning lacking and not powerful for change?

Historical Context and Research Support

• TIP originated with delinquent youth in the 1960s/70s (Achievement Place, Teaching-Family model).
• Early applications focused on skills like job interviewing, academic performance, social interactions, and staff training.
• Mitch brought the teaching interaction procedure to the UCLA Young Autism Project.
• Later research included:
  • One of the first studies had students make friends with each other.
  • Studies showed effectiveness in group settings.
  • Showed group settings work but some participants had varied generalization.
  • Showed the teacher did role plays with the research on inviting siblings to take place. She wasn't training the silbing to be a researcher. Just training htems how to interact. 
  • Highlighted the need to have the teaching interaction procedure be more effective then standard measures, showing more effective then social skills stories.
  • One study had the procedure assist students in go fish, Uno and Yahtzee.
  • A case study went into comparing teaching interaction procedure vs social stories within the bounds of schools and class. And it highlighted that teaching interaction procedurewas effective.
• Aubrey conducted a study for a student who was more impacted, showing how effective and modified teaching interaction procedure can be. 
• Empirically supported and evidence-based approach. 
• While less known than BST, it's a valuable tool for RBTs.