Parsla Vintere, Nancy S. Hemmes, Bruce L. Brown, & Claire L. Poulson (2004).
Gross-motor skill acquisition by preschool dance students under self-instruction procedures.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
37, 305-322.
The effects of two training procedures---(a) modeling and praise and (b) self-instruction,
modeling, and praise---on complex gross-motor chain acquisition for preschool dance class
students were evaluated. Six girls participated in the study. A multiple baseline design across six
gross-motor chains with a secondary group comparison for treatment order effects was used. Both
procedures were effective in teaching the gross-motor chains. Nevertheless, for 4 of the 6
participants, the self-instruction procedure produced a faster acquisition rate in at least two of
the three comparable pairs of gross-motor chains. Furthermore, very early in gross-motor chain
acquisition, for five of the six gross-motor chains, the self-instruction condition was associated
with faster response acquisition.
DESCRIPTORS: acquisition, dance, gross-motor chains, modeling, self-instruction, training procedures