Mastering effective teaching strategies is essential in the world of ABA. Among these, transfer trials stand out as a pivotal technique. So what is the purpose of transfer trials and how do we implement them?
Imagine you’re trying to find your way through an unfamiliar city. If you make a series of wrong turns, but eventually reach your destination, you’re likely to repeat those same mistakes next time because they still lead you to where you wanted to go. Similarly, if a learner receives reinforcement despite an error in their response, they have no incentive to correct their response in future trials.
Transfer trials are an essential tool in the behavior analyst’s toolkit, designed to ensure that learners don’t solidify errors in their responses. To put it simply, when a learner makes a mistake during a learning activity, it’s crucial to provide an opportunity to correct the error through repetition, rather than letting the mistake become a part of their learned response.
What are Transfer Trials?
Transfer trials are a strategic method used in ABA teaching. They offer learners the opportunity to correct an incorrect response by practicing the right one immediately afterward.
Traditional error correction methods typically provide learners with the correct response immediately following an error. Sometimes learners are even required to repeat the correct response. However, by stopping here, traditional error correction procedures only reinforce an echoic and not a tact or intraverbal.
The purpose of transfer trials is to take error correction a step further by re-asking the student the original question after they are given the correct answer. Thus, turning an echoic back into a tact or intraverbal response.
For example – if a student errors on labeling a picture of a banana, here’s how a transfer trial is performed:
Instructor: “What is it?” (SD)
Student: “Apple” (error)
Instructor: “Banana”
Student: “Banana” (echoic) – It’s not enough to stop an error correct procedure here
Instructor: “What is it?” (transfer trial – no data on this trial)
Student “Banana” (differential reinforcement – a little praise, but not as much as you would give if the student got it correct on the first try)
Unlike traditional error correction methods that may overlook the necessity of re-asking a question post-correction, transfer trials emphasize repetition and reinforcement. This method is founded on the principle that learning is most effective when correct responses are consistently reinforced, thereby preventing incorrect responses from taking root.
The level of support during a transfer trial can vary – including gestures, verbal cues, or physical prompts, depending on what the learner needs to succeed.
The Purpose of Transfer Trials – Why They Matter
Transfer trials offer a structured method for reinforcing correct responses immediately after an error. The ultimate goal of transfer trials is to encourage learners to respond correctly to the specific stimulus (SD) presented, rather than merely mimicking the instructor’s prompt.
For example, if a learner incorrectly identifies a picture of a banana as an “apple,” simply telling them the right answer (“It’s a banana”) and having them repeat it does not ensure they are responding to the picture itself.
They might be relying on echoic prompts from the instructor. Through transfer trials, we reintroduce the discriminate stimulus (SD), allowing the learner to make the correct association and response independently.
How to Implement Transfer Trials in ABA
Implementing transfer trials involves several strategic steps to meet each learner’s unique needs.
1. Identify the Error
Effective ABA requires us to predict errors and use prompting and prompt fading techniques when learners persistently struggle with a concept or skill. However, sometimes, errors are difficult to predict. In these cases, correct the error immediately and then follow up with a transfer trial. For instance, if a child learning to identify colors misidentifies “blue” as “green,” this recurring error signifies a prime opportunity for a transfer trial.
2. Execution
Executing the transfer trial involves a balance of correction and reinforcement. Remember the purpose of transfer trials is to practice the correct response.
Continuing with our example, if the child again misidentifies “blue” as “green,” immediately show them the correct blue flashcard, clearly stating, “This is blue.” Follow this correction by re-asking the original question, “Show me blue” or “What color is this?”
Once the child correctly identifies blue, immediate and enthusiastic reinforcement of the correct response is vital. This could be verbal praise like, “Exactly! Well done, that’s blue,” or a tangible reward aligned with the child’s preferences. Differentially reinforce correct trials vs. transfer trials.
3. Differential Reinforcement
Knowing when to provide a little reinforcement vs. a lot of reinforcement is key when implementing transfer trials. If a learner responds correctly after you give the correct answer and then re-ask the question, give some praise. However, if a student finally responds correctly after making many errors, provide a lot of reinforcement.
Repetition of this cycle – error, correction, re-ask, and differential reinforcement – ensures that the learner associates the correct response with positive outcomes, thereby solidifying the correct knowledge and behavior. Each scenario will require its unique adaptations of the transfer trial steps, but the underlying principles of identification, preparation, and execution remain constant with this effective teaching strategy.
Going Beyond: Expanded Trials
Consider the scenario where a learner confuses “blue” with “green.” After employing a transfer trial to guide the learner toward the correct identification or labelling of “blue,” an expanded trial introduces an unrelated task before revisiting the original challenge.
For instance, immediately following the correction and successful identification of the color blue, you might introduce a completely different action, such as saying, “Do this,” while patting your head.
This task breaks the pattern. Introducing an unrelated action disrupts the immediate sequence of events, ensuring that the learner’s correct identification of “blue” isn’t just a memorized reaction to a specific sequence, but a genuine understanding of the concept.
Measuring the Success of Transfer Trials
The success of transfer trials isn’t measured by the immediate trial following an error, but by subsequent trials. This method ensures that the correct response has been effectively learned and retained. Then, use an expanded trial when a standard transfer trial isn’t enough.
Transfer trials are more than just a teaching technique; they’re a way to clearer understanding and more meaningful learning for our students. By adopting a patient, supportive approach, BCBAs can make a profound difference in the lives of those they work with, guiding them toward more accurate and confident responses.
