Time Delay Prompt Fading is a technique used to promote independent responding by gradually increasing the time between the delivery of an instruction and the presentation of a prompt. The idea is to give the learner more opportunities to respond independently before receiving help. Over time, as the learner becomes more successful, the delay is increased, encouraging less reliance on the prompt.
Example
A teacher is teaching a child to name colors. Initially, the teacher asks, “What color is this?” and immediately says, “Red” to prompt the correct answer. As the child starts responding correctly, the teacher increases the delay before saying “Red,” allowing the child to answer on their own. Eventually, the prompt is delayed long enough that the child responds independently before the teacher says anything.