Verbally governed definition
Verbally governed means more than stating rules, even rules that describe effective teaching. In our view, inoculating the teacher against the effect of reinforcers provided by the students, can be accomplished only if the teacher (a) can verbalize the rule; (b) can determine whether a specific behavior is or is not consistent with the rule (i.e., observing); and (c) can actually perform behavior that is consistent with the rule (i.e., performing). As a result, our training is conducted in a way that attempts to strengthen all three of these skill sets: the verbal, the observer, and the performer. For a highly skilled teacher, all three skill sets seem to interlock in a fluid system of verbally governed teaching.