Simple Sentence Structure offers a variety of activities: Optimized Instruction, Training by Set/Level, Testing, and three Supplemental Activities. Although each activity can be customized in different ways, we recommend Optimized Intervention for most users.

Optimized Intervention®

Optimized Intervention is the most efficient and effective way to train Subject-Verb-Object word order. Students work through four sentence sets: Contrasting Verbs, Contrasting Objects, Contrasting Subjects, and Reversibles. Using sophisticated built-in strategies, the program constantly monitors a student's performance and then automatically adjusts the lesson delivery to best suit a student's needs. By continually making decisions about how to guide the learning process, Optimized Intervention makes training faster and more effective.

Here’s how it works...
Optimized Intervention begins with a probe test to determine what material the student doesn't already know. Probe testing begins with the Set 1: Contrasting Verbs. If the student correctly identifies the first six targets, or eight out of ten targets, the next set of target pictures is introduced.

Once the student cannot identify three target pictures in one of the four sentence sets, training begins. The entry level of training is determined by the results of the probe test. Optimized Intervention has three levels of training. Level 1 offers instruction, cuing to the correct answer, and feedback. Level 2 offers instruction and feedback. Level 3 has no instruction or cuing, but does offer feedback. At some levels of training, "wackie" animations are used to reinforce correct answers. At other levels of training, correct answers are reinforced with "reversible skits" which expose students to enriched language and prepare them for the Reversibles activity.

During a session, the program automatically adjusts the level of training of each sentence pair based on a student's performance. In addition, Simple Sentence Structure continually evaluates a student's performance and looks for evidence that the student has working knowledge of the concept being trained. When 80% of the stimulus pairs are eligible for Level 3, Criterion Testing begins. If the student is able to identify 16 of the 20 pictures without instruction or cuing, that sentence set is considered mastered and the program begins to probe test the next sentence set.

At the end of a session, all performance data is saved so that students can continue their next lesson exactly where they left off. By specifically targeting material that has not been learned and no longer training material that has been mastered, Optimized Intervention maximizes the available learning time and guarantees success.

Training by Level
This activity can be used for training on a single level (1-3). At each level, you can customize different features of the lesson. For instance, you can select a simple black background or a full scene background. You can choose "wackies," enriched reinforcement, or no reinforcement at all. Two types of cuing are available and text can be on or off.

Following is a description of each level:

Level 1 presents one picture in the center of the screen with a cue over it. The narrator provides instruction (e.g. "The girl is riding her bike."). Then the picture locates either left or right with a cue over it and a second picture appears beside it. When the narrator asks the student to find a target, the correct picture must be selected to get reinforcement. The first incorrect response is followed by cuing. The second incorrect response is followed by reinstruction.

Level 2 presents one picture in the center of the screen and the narrator provides instruction (e.g. "The man is pushing the car."). Then the picture locates either left or right with no cue and a second picture appears beside it. When the narrator asks the student to find the sentence, the correct picture must be selected to get reinforcement. The first incorrect response is followed by cueing. The second incorrect response is followed by reinstruction.

Level 3 presents two pictures on the screen and the narrator asks the student to identify one of them (e.g. "Find...'The girls are tickling their mother.'"). No instruction or cueing is provided. If the student answers correctly, reinforcement is provided. The first incorrect response is followed by cueing. The second incorrect response is followed by reinstruction.

Testing
This activity can be used to conduct a pre- or post-test. Two pictures appear on the screen and the student is asked to identify one of them. No instruction, cue, or reinforcement is provided.

Supplemental Activities
These activities provide additional exposure to the four sentence sets without requiring a student to identify the target pictures. Each activity can be run independently, but can also be used as the "End of the Session Activity" to supplement training after the allotted time has expired.

Sentence Introduction
This single switch activity presents one picture set at a time. Two pictures are presented on a simple black background. The first picture is highlighted and the second picture is dimmed. The narrator asks a question related to the first picture (e.g. "What is this man doing?"). When the student responds, the narrator answers the question (e.g. "This man is washing his dog.") Then the first picture dims and the second picture is highlighted. Then the narrator asks a question related to the second picture (e.g. "And what is this man doing?"). When the student responds, the narrator answers the question (e.g. "This man is carrying his dog.").

Slide Show
This single switch activity presents two pictures at a time. Wiz appear on a full-scene background with his slide projector and the narrator asks, "What will Wiz show us today?" Two pictures appear on the projector screen. One picture is highlighted and the second picture is dimmed. The narrator asks a question relating to the first picture (e.g. "Who is washing this baby?") When the student responds, the narrator answers the question (e.g. "The father is washing this baby.") Then the first picture dims and the second picture is highlighted. The narrator asks a question related to the second picture (e.g. "Now who is washing this baby?"). When the student responds, the narrator answers the question (e.g. "The mother is washing this baby.").

Reversible Routines
This activity exposes student to the enriched reversible reinforcements. First, the Wiz appears and the narrator asks a question like "What will Wiz show us?" When student makes a response, several characters appear and perform an animated skit (e.g. "The monster is washing the boy."). Then several more characters appear and subject and object of the first sentence are reversed (e.g. "Here, the boy is washing the monster.").