What is incidental teaching?

Incidental teaching is a strategy used in special education to teach skills in a naturalistic and spontaneous manner. In this model, the teacher takes advantage of daily opportunities to teach, such as during playtime or by using items found in the child's environment. The teacher identifies the child's area of need and integrates instruction into the child's daily routines, making it a part of their natural environment. The goal of incidental teaching is to increase the child's motivation to learn, provide opportunities for generalization of skills, and promote language development and social interaction. This technique is often used with children with autism or other communication disorders. Incidental teaching has been found to be effective in increasing language skills, social communication, and overall academic performance.