Evaluating the efficiency of behavioural skills training and the teacher performance rate and accuracy measure

Purpose This study aims to compare Behavioural Skills Training (BST) and the Teacher Performance Rate and Accuracy Measure (TPRA) on the time and sessions required for new teaching assistants to implement two instructional protocols. Design/methodology/approach This study used a counterbalanced, multiple-treatment design across participants to compare the cumulative supervisor training time and number of sessions required to train each participant to mastery. Each participant learned two instructional protocols (voice conditioning and auditory matching) under BST and TPRA. Findings Both BST and TPRA were effective in training these new staff in the complex intervention protocols. However, individual variance was significant. Overall, TPRA required fewer minutes to mastery than BST and slightly fewer sessions. Research limitations/implications The small sample size (four participants) and limited baseline data (one session) warrant caution in interpreting the results. Practical implications Both BST and TPRA resulted in effective staff training with complex procedures. Practitioners may choose either approach or combine their most effective components. TPRA may be slightly more efficient at the group level and can also serve as a flexible tool for monitoring ongoing staff performance. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to directly compare BST and TPRA in terms of efficacy and efficiency in staff training.