Definition
Prompt dependency is when a person comes to rely on cues or prompts, verbal, gestural, or physical, to perform a skill, rather than doing it independently. It often results from prompting that is not faded over time.
Why It Matters
Recognizing prompt dependency guides teaching toward fading support and building genuine independence, and toward respecting autonomy. It is a caution against over-prompting, however well intended.
Common Misconception
Prompt dependency is not the learner's fault or a lack of ability. It usually reflects how a skill was taught, and it points to a change in teaching, fading prompts, rather than more of the same.