Welcome to the How-To series. The topic for this How To is model prompting. You will see examples of how to provide a model prompt to students. 
There are many different kinds of prompts. A model prompt shows the student what to do and may include modeling the entire action or a relevant portion of it. Model prompts can include things such as a teacher demonstrating how to get out a book and place it on the desk or a teacher modeling how to complete a math problem. Model prompts can also include a teacher demonstrating how to make certain sounds or other verbal responses. Model prompts can be used to initially show students how to do a skill and can be used in conjunction with other prompts such as verbal or visual prompts. When working with students with ASD it is important to remember that imitations can be an area of difficulty so model prompts may not be enough when teaching new skills. 
Let's watch our first video. In this video you will notice the teacher provides a model prompt by demonstrating how to write the student's name. While you watch the video, watch how the teacher models this skill. 
Teacher: (model s writing 'ROSHEAN' on a board) Write Roshean.
Student: (writes 'ROSHEAN' on the board)
Teacher: Nice writing, Roshean!
What did you see? Hopefully you noticed the teacher demonstrating how to write the student's name. Let's watch that video again. 
Teacher: (model s writing 'ROSHEAN' on a board) Write Roshean.
Student: (writes 'ROSHEAN' on the board)
Teacher: Nice writing, Roshean!
There are more ways to provide a model prompt. Let's watch a couple of videos. While you are watching these videos, see if you notice the model prompts that are being used. Specifically, watch for what the teacher does and look or listen for the student's response. 
Teacher: (blows bubbles) Look at me. Bo... bo... bo... Kimberly, look at me. Bo... bo... bo.. (presses Kimberly's lips together)
Kimberly: (attempts to make the sound)
Teacher: Kimberly look at me! Bo...
Kimberly: Bo...
Teacher: There you go! Good girl!
Teacher: Let's play with the horse. (demonstrates activity)
Student: (approximates activity)
Teacher: There you go! Good job playing with the horse!
Teacher: Roshean, yellow, green (places yellow and green blocks in front of Roshean), yellow, green. Your turn. 
Teacher with Roshean, pointing: Yellow, green.
Teacher: What comes next? Yellow.
Roshean: Yellow.
Teacher with Roshean: Green.
Teacher: Good job! (gives a high five)
In all of the videos you watched, you should have noticed that the teacher provided a model prompt so that the student was better able to complete the task at hand. The model prompt helped the student be successful. 
Now that you've watched and listened for some examples of model prompts, remember a model prompt shows a student what to do and may include modeling the entire action or a relevant portion of it. Model prompts can be used to initially show students how to do a skill and can be used in conjunction with other prompts such as verbal or visual prompts. Remember, when working with students with ASD, it is important to know that imitation may be an area of difficulty so model prompts may not be enough when teaching new skills.