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Introduction
The present study explores the effectiveness of precision teaching (PT) as a method to improve specific motor skills in individuals with Dravet syndrome (DS). This complex neurological condition requires targeted pedagogical approaches. DS represents an uncommon type of epilepsy that begins in childhood and is marked by recurrent and extended seizures along with psychomotor and neurological impairments. These complications can significantly disrupt social interactions and adaptive behaviours (Brunklaus et al., 2012; Steel et al., 2017; Vascelli et al., 2021; Vascelli and Berardo, 2022).
The effectiveness of PT in enhancing motor skills in individuals with intellectual disabilities is supported by various studies. Vascelli et al. (2020) explored the effects of Big 6 + 6 skills training on the daily living skills of an adolescent with intellectual disabilities, noting significant improvements. Abd Aziz et al. (2022) used video modelling to improve manual dexterity in students with learning disabilities, offering a perspective on using PT and related methods to improve specific skills. Bryson and Zea (2023) examined the effects of motor fluency on dressing tasks and the reduction of escape behaviours, suggesting that PT may help reduce challenging behaviours while improving practical skills. Vascelli et al. (2023) demonstrated how using PT can improve daily living skills in adolescents with intellectual disabilities, emphasising the role of repeated practice of component motor skills in increasing the frequency of issuing composite daily living skills.
In PT, analysis of the relationship between components and composite skills is crucial. This approach focuses on developing and strengthening specific skills (components or element skills), which combine to form more complex and global skills (composite or compound skills). A study by Twarek et al. (2010) shows that repeated practice of component motor skills improves speed and accuracy in performing composite daily life skills in autistic children. This result confirms that refining individual components can significantly impact global skills, supporting the idea that acquiring smooth, automated skills in smaller tasks facilitates mastery of more complex skills (Twarek et al., 2010; Vascelli et al., 2020). These studies illustrate how the analysis and training of component skills in PT are critical to improving more complex composite skills, providing a basis for targeted and effective educational and therapeutic interventions.
When working with people with disabilities, it...