What

i s Chaining?
Chaining
is an instructional strategy that breaks a task
down into small steps and then teaches each step
sequence by itself. There are two types of
within the
chaining:
forward and backward.
Forward chaining teaches a task by starting from the
first step and mastering each step until the last one is
and all steps are mastered.
completed

Who does it work for?

Chaining is best used for students with autism at any
age. However, it can practically work for anyone who
has trouble completing complex tasks because it
simplifies the process into an easy-to-follow set of
steps.

chaining is almost exactly the same except it

Backward
starts from the last step and moves backward toward

the first step.

Benefits:

Helps students break down complex tasks into a series

of steps that are easy to follow

Encourages students to acquire a level of
independence


It is easy
to monitor the progress of a student
regarding a certain task

Tips:
Use p ositive reinforcement to link the chaining
process together
Provide a visual representation of the routine such as
ladder graphic showing each step of the routine from
top to down
Try to limit verbal prompts to just the first step so the
student does not become prompt dependent, instead
try to give direction of what you want the student to
do (the whole task) and allow them time to figure out
the next step of the process
Consider the pre-requisite skills of the participants and

Steps for Implementing Forward Chaining:

1. Encourage the student to complete the first step independently and p rovide assistance if necessary

2. When the first step is mastered and the student does n ot require assistance, begin teaching the next step so

the student is learning the second step and attaching it to the first step.

3. Once the first two steps are mastered, move on to the third step and teach it in conjunction with the
previous steps. Complete this process until all steps in the sequence are mastered and the student can
demonstrate the entire routine without assistance

Steps for Implementing Backward Chaining:

1. Encourage the student to complete the last step independently but provide assistance if necessary.

2. When the last step is mastered, p rovide assistance until the student is able to independently perform the
step before the last one.


3. Complete this process of mastering steps until the student has mastered each step down the ladder of the
routine. The student should be able to demonstrate each step of the routine independently by the end of the

chaining process.

References:
Rayner, C. (2011). Teaching students with autism to tie a shoelace knot using video prompting and backward

chaining. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 14(6), 339-347.
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.
Smith, G. J. (1999). Teaching a long sequence of behavior using whole task training, forward chaining, and

backward chaining. Perceptual And Motor Skills, 89(3 Pt 1), 951-965.