RBT Exam PrepThe short answer: A skill acquisition plan is the supervisor's written recipe for teaching a skill: the target, materials, teaching procedure, prompting, reinforcement, mastery criteria, and data method. The RBT implements it exactly as written, collects data, and reports progress or concerns. RBTs do not write, modify, or declare mastery of plans.
What is inside a skill acquisition plan
| Component | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Target skill | The observable, measurable behavior being taught |
| Materials and setup | What you need and how to arrange it |
| Teaching procedure | The steps: discrete-trial, naturalistic teaching, chaining, or shaping |
| Prompting and fading | The prompt hierarchy and when to fade it |
| Reinforcement schedule | What to deliver, and how often |
| Mastery criteria | When the skill counts as learned |
| Generalization plan | How the skill spreads to new settings and people |
| Data method | How to measure and record progress |
Read the target first, then the procedure, then the data method. If any piece is unclear, clarify with your supervisor before the session, not during it.
Your job: implement as written
"As written" is the most tested phrase in this domain. It means the plan is the authority, not your judgment in the moment. Run the trials the way the plan describes, deliver the prompts in the order specified, reinforce on the schedule given, and record data the way the plan says.
When something is not working, you do not fix the plan. You collect data showing it is not working and report it. That data is what lets the BCBA fix it properly, and it is also what protects you: you followed the plan, and the numbers tell the story.
Prompting and fading inside the plan
Plans specify a prompt hierarchy, most-to-least or least-to-most, and when to fade. Follow the fading steps on the schedule in the plan, not when you feel the client is ready. Fading too fast creates errors; fading too slow creates prompt dependence.
If the client is stuck at a prompt level, document the pattern across sessions and report it rather than inventing a new prompt level. Stuck data is valuable data; improvised prompting is just noise.
The lines you do not cross
Reporting back: data, not opinions
"He did great today" is not a report. "Completed 8 of 10 trials independently at the current prompt level; errors clustered on step 3" is. Objective session notes and verbal updates built on your data are what supervisors need to make decisions.
The 3rd edition's documentation domain rewards exactly this habit. Every plan you implement is also a writing exercise: can you describe what happened so precisely that someone who was not there can see it?
- Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification page, Behavior Analyst Certification Board, covers eligibility, application, and examination requirements
- Examination information, Behavior Analyst Certification Board, covers authorization, scheduling, and exam delivery
- BACB certification exams, Pearson VUE, covers test center scheduling and appointments
Last reviewed: October 7, 2026 against the BACB RBT 3rd edition task list.