What does the least-to-most prompting strategy require a Direct Support Professional (DSP) to understand?

The least-to-most prompting strategy primarily requires a Direct Support Professional (DSP) to understand the amount of help an individual needs to successfully complete a task or activity. This approach emphasizes starting with the least intrusive assistance and increasing support only as necessary. By assessing how much help an individual requires, the DSP can provide an appropriate level of guidance that encourages independence while still offering support to ensure the task is completed.

Understanding the amount of help an individual needs is crucial for effectively implementing this strategy, as it directly influences the way prompts are given. A DSP must be able to evaluate the person's skills and adjust the level of prompting accordingly, ensuring that the support provided fosters growth and independence rather than dependence on assistance.

The focus on the level of independence is relevant but is a subset of understanding the amount of help needed. Recognizing the maximum support required for all tasks is not aligned with the least-to-most prompting strategy, which aims to minimize support. Similarly, while recognizing the type of reinforcement can be important in different contexts, it is not a central aspect of the least-to-most prompting approach.