Which technique involves providing physical guidance only as needed throughout a task?

The correct choice highlights the technique of graduated guidance, which specifically refers to a method of providing physical assistance to a learner only to the extent that it is necessary to facilitate their performance of a task. This technique is designed to promote independence by gradually reducing the amount of physical guidance provided as the learner becomes more proficient.

The approach allows the learner to engage in the task actively, while the instructor supports them just enough to help them succeed without taking over the entire activity. As the learner improves, the amount of physical guidance is systematically decreased, encouraging self-reliance and skill mastery. This fosters both learning and confidence in performing the task independently, as they are allowed to experience success on their own.

Other prompting techniques, such as gestural prompts, involve different forms of assistance, like using hand signals or cues without physical contact. Prompt fading focuses on gradually decreasing the level of assistance or cues across trials but does not specifically emphasize physical guidance. Stimulus prompts involve changing the environment or materials to help evoke the desired behavior, which differs from the direct physical assistance provided in graduated guidance.