What should you do once the student can give the correct response consistently?

When a student has demonstrated the ability to give the correct response consistently, the most effective approach is to provide the reinforcer after a few correct responses. This technique is known as intermittent reinforcement. By reinforcing the student after several correct responses, you help maintain their motivation and engagement while also encouraging the behavior to continue over time.

Intermittent reinforcement can strengthen the learned behavior because the student does not know exactly when they will receive reinforcement, which can lead to greater persistence in the behavior. This strategy is especially beneficial in preventing over-reliance on continuous reinforcement, where the student might expect a reward every time they respond correctly, which could diminish motivation or lead to frustration if the reinforcement is not always forthcoming.

Other strategies, such as providing reinforcement after every correct response, could lead to dependency; reducing all levels of assistance immediately could overwhelm the student or result in confusion, and increasing the difficulty of tasks suddenly might set the student up for failure or frustration. By gradually increasing expectations while using a strategic reinforcement schedule, the student can continue to build skills and confidence in their abilities.