Which process involves breaking a task into sequential steps to achieve the overall task?

Which process involves breaking a task into sequential steps to achieve the overall task?

• A. Chaining
• B. Planning
• C. Task Analysis
• D. Scaffolding

Answer: (C)

Task analysis is the process of breaking a task into sequential steps that must be performed to complete the whole task. This breakdown creates a clear step-by-step map that guides instruction, helps identify prerequisites, and informs how to prompt and reinforce each part of the task. That's why it's the best choice here: it explicitly describes decomposing a complex behavior into components arranged in the order needed to reach the goal. This foundation enables effective teaching methods like chaining, where you link the steps into a continuous sequence, or scaffolding, where supports are provided step by step. Planning is broader and focuses on the overall approach rather than detailing the sequence, so it doesn't capture the specific act of listing every step. For example, when teaching tying a shoelace, task analysis would list steps such as picking up the lace, crossing, looping, pulling tight, and tying; these steps then guide which prompts to use and when to fade them.

Task analysis is the process of breaking a task into sequential steps that must be performed to complete the whole task. This breakdown creates a clear step-by-step map that guides instruction, helps identify prerequisites, and informs how to prompt and reinforce each part of the task. That's why it's the best choice here: it explicitly describes decomposing a complex behavior into components arranged in the order needed to reach the goal. This foundation enables effective teaching methods like chaining, where you link the steps into a continuous sequence, or scaffolding, where supports are provided step by step. Planning is broader and focuses on the overall approach rather than detailing the sequence, so it doesn't capture the specific act of listing every step. For example, when teaching tying a shoelace, task analysis would list steps such as picking up the lace, crossing, looping, pulling tight, and tying; these steps then guide which prompts to use and when to fade them.