Is it true that you should never contrive teaching situations in Natural Environment Training?

In Natural Environment Training (NET), the purpose is to create learning opportunities within the natural context and everyday life of the individual. The assertion that one should never contrive teaching situations is not entirely accurate. In fact, contriving teaching situations can be beneficial and sometimes necessary to ensure that the learner has the opportunity to acquire new skills in a meaningful and contextually appropriate way.

By deliberately arranging certain situations or environments, the therapist can help facilitate specific learning experiences that may not happen organically. This is particularly important when working with learners who might require more structured guidance to engage with their environment or to generalize skills across different contexts. Thus, while the goal of NET is to utilize natural occurrences, introducing designed interactions to teach certain skills can enhance learning outcomes.

It's essential to maintain the balance between natural learning and strategic intervention to make the most of teaching opportunities in a way that supports the learner's development.