Cues‐pause‐point language training: Structuring trainer statements to provide students with correct answers to questions

This study assessed the applicability of Cues‐Pause‐Point language training procedures in teaching students to obtain information from the statements of others. Two mentally retarded subjects, one of whom was echolalic, received training on one set of stimuli but not on another. During training the subjects were encouraged to remain quiet before, during, and briefly after the presentation of statements and then verbalize (i.e., answer a question) using the verbal cue(s) that had been presented in the statement. Correct responding reached 100% to the trained stimuli and both subjects' responding improved to the untrained stimuli. Posttests revealed that subjects used the trainer's statements to answer novel questions. The results suggest that Cues‐Pause‐Point procedures may be useful in teaching severely retarded individuals the functional use of observing and listening to others' verbal behavior.