1
Application Project 2
Khajayah Little
Institutional Affiliation
March 20, 2023
Dr.Lauren Baldonado
2
Student’s Demographic Information
Mike Quagmire is a 9-year-old Caucasian American boy from Los Angeles, California.
He was born on March 13th. His family is very religious and identifies as Roman Catholics. He
comes from a large family with two parents, two brothers, and three sisters. He has eight uncles,
seven aunts, and fifteen cousins. His maternal grandparents have hypertension, and his paternal
grandfather has Type 2 diabetes. One of his maternal aunts suffers from obesity, and one of his
paternal aunts has been previously treated for cystic fibrosis.
Student’s Learning History
Mike has been attending a public school since kindergarten. Mike attends The City
School located along Obama Blvd a public school. He is currently in fourth grade. He receives
no related services, and his IEP classification is for a specific learning disability in math. He
struggles with reading and math skills and often requires additional support.
Level of Verbal Functioning
Mike’s verbal functioning is at grade level, but his reading and math skills are below
grade level. His IEP goals are to increase his math and reading fluency.
Whether the Student has a Diagnosis or IEP Classification
Mike is not diagnosed, but he has an IEP classification for a specific learning disability in
written expression.
The Behavior or Problem to be Addressed by Chaining (forward/backward/total task
analysis) Tactic
The learning behavior to be addressed by chaining is the development of a task sequence
to complete a complex skill or behavior. In Mike’s case, he needs help understanding the steps
required to complete a math problem or comprehend a reading passage. By breaking down the
3
task into smaller steps and teaching Mike to complete each step in a sequence, he can develop
the necessary skills to complete the overall task.
Description of the Implementation of the Chaining (forward/backward/total task analysis)
Tactic
Chaining is an applied behavior analysis that involves forward, backward, and total task
analysis. The process works by identifying and comprehending the pattern of a task, whereby an
individual then comprehends the merits of completing the task (Slocum & Tiger, 2011). In total
tasks, a person learns the pattern of a task and completes it without delay or hindrances. Chaining
would be implemented by first identifying the task that needs to be broken down (Slocum &
Tiger, 2011). For example, a math problem that involves addition and subtraction could be used
for this purpose. The procedure would involve breaking down the task into smaller steps. The
process would involve identifying the first number, the operator, the second number, and so on.
The teacher or therapist would then model the first step and have Mike complete the remaining
steps. The process would continue until Mike could complete the entire task independently.
To implement backward chaining, the teacher or therapist would initially complete all
steps except for the final one, which Mike would complete. Gradually, he would complete the
second to last step until he could complete the entire task independently. Total task analysis
would involve breaking down the task into smaller steps and teaching all steps at once. This
approach would be appropriate for more straightforward tasks that do not require as many steps
(Slocum & Tiger, 2011). Materials required for chaining include a task analysis chart or visual
aids to help Mike understand the sequence of steps. The teacher or therapist would implement
the chaining procedure.
4
Educational and Social Significance; Previous Instructional and Behavioral History of the
Student
Chaining is significant educationally because it can help students like Mike learn
complex skills or behaviors by breaking them down into manageable steps. It is also significant
socially because students who struggle with complex skills can become frustrated or anxious
when they cannot complete them (Lilly, 2020). Chaining can help build confidence and improve
social-emotional well-being. Mike has previously received support in math and reading but has
yet to respond well to previous interventions. Chaining may be more effective for him because it
breaks down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps that he can understand and complete
(Lilly, 2020). Previous tactics implemented for Mike may have included general classroom
support or remedial reading and math interventions. These approaches may have been ineffective
for Mike because they did not break down the task into smaller, more manageable steps. Mike’s
previous behavioral history has yet to be discovered, but it is important to note that he may
become frustrated or anxious when he struggles to complete tasks. Chaining can alleviate some
of this frustration by breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
5
References
Slocum, S. K., & Tiger, J. H. (2011). An assessment of the efficiency of and child preference for
forward and backward chaining. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44(4), 793–805.
https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2011.44-793
Lilly, K. (2020). Chaining Techniques: A Systematic Literature Review and Best Practice
Recommendations.
6
Application Project 2 Outline
•
Mike Quagmire is a 9-year-old Caucasian American boy from Los Angeles, California
•
Mike has been attending a public school since kindergarten
•
Mike’s verbal functioning is at grade level, but his reading and math skills are below
grade level
•
The learning behavior to be addressed by chaining is the development of a task sequence
to complete a complex skill or behavior
•
Chaining is an applied behavior analysis that involves forward, backward, and total task
analysis
•
To implement backward chaining, the teacher or therapist would initially complete all
steps except for the final one, which Mike would complete
•
Chaining is significant educationally because it can help students like Mike learn
complex skills or behaviors by breaking them down into manageable steps