The effectiveness of a group discrete trial instructional approach for preschoolers with developmental disabilities.

The team ran small-group discrete trial lessons with preschoolers who had autism or other delays.

Three to four children sat together. The teacher gave one cue, then each child answered in turn or all together. Trials overlapped so no one waited long.

They tracked correct answers across tasks like matching, naming, and sorting in a multiple-baseline design.

Correct responses rose for every child once group DTT started. Skills stayed high even when new tasks were added.

The format kept kids engaged; choral answers and quick turns reduced problem behavior.

Jones et al. (1977) showed the same thing twenty-four years earlier: two kids together learned picture names faster than one kid alone. M et al. simply moved the idea into a regular preschool room with more children and tougher tasks.

Jobin (2019) compared group DTT with naturalistic PRT. Both worked, but some children learned faster with one style. If a child stalls in your group DTT, you can flip to PRT for that skill.

Mahoney et al. (2004) looked huge and saw “no difference” across teaching styles. Their study averaged many kids and lost the fine detail that single-case designs catch. M et al. show that, when you zoom in, group DTT does boost correct responding.

You can teach basic skills to three or four preschoolers at once without losing punch. Overlap trials, mix choral and individual responses, and keep pace fast. This cuts staff hours and gives kids peer models. Try it next session for colors, shapes, or simple instructions.