Reduce interrupting adults who are talking
When to use this goal
For students who break into adults' conversations or phone calls with their own news or requests. Base the choice on event counts. The replacement is a wait signal (a hand on the adult's arm or a card) and waiting for the adult's nod.
- Baseline
- Count interruptions for 5 days and note what the student needed. Teach the wait signal with practice. Write an operational definition first (what counts as the impulsive response and what counts as using the strategy), and teach and practice the strategy before measuring it. Look at when and why the impulsive response happens (excitement, wanting a turn, wanting to be first, avoiding a wait) and adjust the setting too: shorter waits, more turns, and quick acknowledgment of the student's ideas.
- Tips
- Adults answer the wait signal fast, especially at first. Urgent needs (sick, hurt, unsafe) are never interruptions. Track signals used too.
- Limits
- Adults' responses drive success. Relates to pragmatic language goals for conversation.
Original IEP Atlas template based on general measurement principles; not copied from any goal bank. ID ef-ic-026.
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Goal
By the annual IEP review date, during the school day, when adults are talking with others or on the phone, the student will reduce interrupting an adult who is talking to someone else (speaking to the adult before a pause or nod) to no more than 2 times per school day, using the wait signal and waiting for the nod, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily.
Baseline: 9 times per school day.
- Condition
- Observable behavior
- Criterion
- Measurement method
Measurability check11 of 11 met
Met: Observable behavior. Stated as an action.
Met: Condition. Stated.
Met: Unit fits the behavior. Frequency fits this behavior.
Met: Explicit criterion. Number and unit stated.
Met: Mastery rule and schedule. Both stated.
Met: Method produces the metric. Frequency (event) recording gives frequency data.
Met: Review timeframe. Stated.
Met: Baseline and target compatible. Same unit, change in the right direction.
Met: Aligned with area of need. Still about Impulse Control & Inhibition.
Met: Level of support. Defined.
Met: Blanks filled in. Nothing left to fill in.
Checks structure and wording only. Whether the goal fits the student is the team's call.
Short-term objectives (optional)
When are objectives required?Required for students on alternate assessments (34 CFR §300.320(a)(2)(ii)); some states require them for everyone.
Paste into your IEP system
Most district systems have a separate box for each part of a goal. Copy them one at a time, or all at once as labeled text.
- Area of need
- Executive Function - Impulse Control & Inhibition
- Baseline
- 9 times per school day.
- Annual goal403 characters
- By the annual IEP review date, during the school day, when adults are talking with others or on the phone, the student will reduce interrupting an adult who is talking to someone else (speaking to the adult before a pause or nod) to no more than 2 times per school day, using the wait signal and waiting for the nod, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily.
- Timeframe
- By the annual IEP review date
- Condition
- During the school day, when adults are talking with others or on the phone
- Behavior
- The student will reduce interrupting an adult who is talking to someone else (speaking to the adult before a pause or nod), using the wait signal and waiting for the nod
- Criteria
- No more than 2 times per school day, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days
- Evaluation method
- Frequency recording
- Schedule
- Daily
Copied as plain text, with straight quotes and plain dashes.
Matching data sheet
Frequency & rate tracker. Records the count and the observation length.
Frequency & rate tracker
Frequency- Student label:
- Target:
- no more than 2 times per school day
- Mastery rule:
- on 4 of 5 consecutive school days
- Collection schedule:
- daily
- Method:
- Frequency (event) recording
- Data collector:
Goal: By the annual IEP review date, during the school day, when adults are talking with others or on the phone, the student will reduce interrupting an adult who is talking to someone else (speaking to the adult before a pause or nod) to no more than 2 times per school day, using the wait signal and waiting for the nod, on 4 of 5 consecutive school days, as measured by frequency recording collected daily.
| Date | Observation period (start–end) | Minutes observed | Activity / context | Count (tally) | Rate per minutecount ÷ minutes (only if periods vary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preview shows 4 of 12 rows.
- Count each occurrence of the defined behavior per school day.
- Keep the observation length the same each session. If it varies, compare rate per minute, not raw counts.
- Write the behavior definition at the top of the sheet so all data collectors count the same thing.
The CSV opens in Excel or Google Sheets, with formulas. Sheets print blank; no student data is stored.