What is the purpose of fading in teaching and support?

The purpose of fading in teaching and support is to gradually lessen prompts as skills improve. This technique is essential in the learning process as it helps individuals transition from needing substantial assistance to becoming more independent in their skills. By systematically reducing the level of prompts, the individual learns to perform tasks without relying on external cues, fostering confidence and self-sufficiency.

Fading is an important strategy in behavior modification and skill acquisition because it allows for the learner to practice and solidify their skills at a comfortable pace. Over time, as the learner demonstrates proficiency, the educator or support person can remove the prompts incrementally, ensuring that the learner can perform the task independently before completely withdrawing assistance. This approach encourages mastery of new skills and builds the learner's ability to generalize these skills to different contexts.