Using naturalistic procedures to enhance learning in individuals with autism: A focus on generalized teaching within the school setting

Children with autism often have difficulty successfully applying newly acquired skills to novel situations. Naturalistic teaching procedures have been developed to help address this problem with generalization. These naturalistic procedures promote generalization through the use of natural consequences, diverse training, and the incorporation of mediators. The purpose of this article is to define these tactics and then describe and review three popular naturalistic teaching approaches: incidental teaching, pivotal response training, and script-fading. The article will also review the research support for these procedures and conclude with a discussion of implications for research and practice.