Evaluation

To ensure that generalization takes place, evaluation should take place not only during teaching sessions, but also within other settings, with all those with whom the child communicates, and with a wide range of instructional materials. Data should be collected frequently, weekly at minimum, to make certain that the child is making progress. In some situations it would be helpful to collect data within each teaching session. If the data do not show improvement, another strategy should be considered or the method of delivery should be assessed to judge if changes are necessary.

Data Collection: Initial Lessons

When assessing a child’s skills, data should not be collected in the middle of a teaching session or the adult will be uncertain if the student truly learned the objectives or is simply displaying short-term memory skills. Instead, probe data should be used (McGee, Krantz, & McClannahan, 1985). Whereby data collection takes place before a teaching session begins and in the setting in which prior teaching has taken place. The order of presentation of the materials should be random, so the adult can be sure that the child has not simply learned a pattern of responding. The child may receive reinforcement (e.g., praise, edibles), but it should not be connected to the correctness of responses (e.g., provide praise for following directions). When collecting probe data, unlike in the middle of a teaching session when the adult would wait for the child to initiate the session by showing interest in an item with a gesture or verbalization, the adult initiates the data collection session by asking the child elaboration questions (e.g., “where is the juice?” might be asked to check for use of prepositions).

Correct responses occur when the child uses a correct elaboration spontaneously or within approximately 5 seconds of the adult’s question (McGee, Krantz, & McClannahan, 1985). For example, the child sees the cookies on the shelf and says, “I want the chocolate cookie.” The following exchanges would also be recorded as a correct response:

Example 1:
Adult: “Where is the juice?”
Child: “In the cup.” “On the table.”

Example 2:
Adult: “What shape are the cookies?”
Child: (2-second pause) “Square cookie.”

Errors are those exchanges in which the child does not respond, responds more than approximately 5 seconds after the adult’s question, or responds incorrectly (e.g., asks for a circle cookie when the cookies are squares). In the case of an error during data collection, the adult would not prompt a correct response and the child would not receive the item. It is important to keep the data collection sessions short to prevent frustration.

The following data collection sheet is useful in collecting probe data (click here for data collection sheet in PDF format).

Data Collection: Checking for Generalization

Few skills are useful if children do not generalize their use to settings, materials, and communicative partners other than those in which the skills were initially taught. In addition to collecting data at the beginning of teaching sessions, therefore, it is essential also to collect data on the child’s generalization of the skills. Teaching and testing for generalization must be planned.

Example: Asa was initially taught colors through the use of toy trains. He previously learned how to label favorite toys and would initiate sessions by asking for “train” at free play. His teacher, Ms. Alexander, then taught him to label the colors of train cars by asking, “what color car?” until he consistently asked for “yellow train car.” To promote generalization of expressive color labeling, Ms. Alexander set up sessions using different colors of gummy bears, toy cars, blocks, and crayons. Starting with gummy bears, Asa’s favorite candy, Ms. Alexander offered them as an after lunch snack. In order to teach color labels, when Asa said, “Gummy bear, please,” Ms. Alexander asked, “What color?” Once Asa was consistently asking for, “Blue gummy bear,” the teacher moved on to working on the same skill at art time, withholding paints and crayons until Asa asked for them by saying, “Purple paint."

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