Generalization of student question asking from special class to regular class settings.
Short peer videos plus rehearsal lift question-asking and math scores in the regular class.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three fourth-graders with mild handicaps rarely spoke up in regular math class.
The team pulled them into a small resource room. They watched short clips of peers asking good questions. Then they practiced, got feedback, and tried again.
After each session the kids returned to the regular class where the teacher tracked their questions and math accuracy.
What they found
All three kids started asking more questions in the big class. Their homework scores also rose.
The gains stayed after the clips stopped. The skill moved from the resource room to the real lesson.
How this fits with other research
Kellems et al. (2016) later used video prompting to teach adults multi-step math. They kept the video idea but swapped rehearsal for on-screen cues. The method still worked, showing the tool can grow with age and task.
Milata et al. (2020) added general-case steps to video modeling. Teens with autism learned to use any ATM after watching three varied examples. Knapczyk (1989) used only one setting, yet the same broad-transfer logic is visible.
Sprague et al. (1984) proved that training with several vending-machine examples beats one. The 1989 study echoed that spirit: watch, practice, then use it anywhere.
Why it matters
You can boost class participation fast. Record a peer asking a clear question, show the clip, rehearse, and give quick feedback. Run it in a quiet corner, then watch the talk rise in the real lesson. No extra adult needed in the big room.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study investigated the use of videotaped exemplars taken from a regular education mathematics class to teach generalization of question asking. Three mildly handicapped fourth-grade students who asked few questions in the regular education class served as subjects. Measures of the frequency of question asking and percentage of accuracy on assignments were obtained in the regular class. Treatment included showing the videotapes to the subjects, structuring opportunities for rehearsing question asking, and providing feedback. The results showed training procedures implemented in the learning resource room were effective in increasing the level of participants' question asking and in improving their scores on assignments in the regular mathematics class.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 1989 · doi:10.1901/jaba.1989.22-77