An evaluation of convergent intraverbal instruction on tacts of features, function, or class

Brown et al. (2024) asked if teaching kids to answer convergent intraverbal questions makes them later name features, functions, or classes without more teaching.

Four children worked in alternating sessions: first intraverbal "What has wheels and takes you places?" then a tact trial "What part is this?" for the same item.

The team tracked whether correct intraverbal answers predicted correct tacts in the next session.

Correct convergent intraverbal answers did not guarantee later correct tacts.

Some kids scored a large share on intraverbals but still failed the matching tact trials.

The link was unreliable, so the authors call the outcome inconclusive.

Ilan et al. (2021) showed that saying targets aloud helped adults with ID remember them later. Both studies test if one kind of verbal practice boosts another, but Michal found a clear memory gain while Brown found no tact gain.

LAller et al. (2023) are testing if reading lessons create emergent reading for AAC users. Like Brown, they ask whether prior instruction produces new untaught verbal skills, but their trial is still running.

Livingston et al. (2021) used single-case logic to find the right attention reinforcer. Brown used the same logic to check for skill emergence, showing the method works for different verbal-behavior questions.

Do not assume that a child who can answer "What flies and has feathers?" will automatically point to a bird’s parts or tell you its function. Plan separate, explicit tact training after intraverbal work. Check each skill, do not infer it.