Evaluating Success

To see if your teaching is working, you can conduct probes, as needed. This will help you determine if the learner can make independent choice selections and if the selections are purposeful.

Independent choice occurs when the learner chooses without prompts. Purposeful choice-making is determined by observing if the learner chooses one option more frequently than another. Below are some tips that will help you evaluate your success.

• Select 10 consecutive choice opportunities for each choice pair.
• Record each time the learner makes an independent (+) choice. Continue to keep record until 10 consecutive opportunities are completed for each choice pair.
• Calculate percentages for independent responses by adding up the total number of independent choice responses within each pair and divide by 10.
• Success for independent choice-making means that the learner has selected at least one option within a choice pair 80% of the time.
• Success for purposeful choice-making means that the learner selects one option within a choice pair 80% of the time.

Click HERE for a sample data sheet.

Was Maggie Successful?

Above data sheet helps us to determine if Maggie can make independent and purposeful choices.

Success for independent choice-making
Maggie successfully made independent choices 80% of the time for all three choice pairs!

Success for purposeful choice-making
Maggie did not demonstrate a strong preference in choice pair 1 or 3, as demonstrated by the individual choice percentages below 80%. Although it appears that she may be making purposeful choices for milk (60% of time) and brush (70% of time), it is difficult to be sure. In this case, you might change the choice pairs. For example, milk and brush might be offered with less desired activities to see if Maggie demonstrates increased preferences for the milk or the brush. As illustrated on the data sheet, Maggie did demonstrate a strong preference for legos (80% of time) instead of blocks (0% of time).

In summary, Maggie made independent choices across different choice pairs and was beginning to show patterns of purposeful choice selections! Once these basic skills have been mastered, learners are ready to expand choice-making opportunities throughout the day and across a variety of options.

Now that you know how to evaluate choice-making, click HERE for a blank data sheet that you can use to determine your learner’s success!