What following adult directions involves
- Starting a one-step direction within seconds of hearing it once
- Following directions from the group, from unfamiliar adults, and in specials
- Transitioning to the next activity, stopping a preferred one, or switching tasks on request
- Stopping an action on the stop cue
- Accepting no, a correction, or a planned consequence without arguing
- Asking a clarifying question or asking permission instead of ignoring or acting
Baseline and measurement considerations
- Score a direction only if it was delivered once, after gaining attention, and was something the student can do; a repeated direction is a prompted trial.
- Use latency when the student follows eventually but slowly, opportunities when the question is whether they follow at all, and task-analysis for routines like lining up or errands.
- Separate preferred from non-preferred directions on the data sheet; the gap between them is often the real goal.
- Record the student's response to a repeat (follows, refuses, asks) so comprehension problems are not scored as refusal.
- Collect data in the settings where directions fail, not only in the classroom where they work.
Progress-monitoring methods used in these templates
- Opportunity (trial) recording: Each planned or naturally occurring opportunity is recorded as correct/independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.
- Latency recording: The time between a cue (such as a direction) and the start of the response is timed.
- Direct observation: An adult observes and records the defined behavior during a specified activity.
- Task-analysis checklist: A routine is broken into ordered steps; each step is recorded as independent, supported, or not completed.
- Duration recording: The length of time a behavior lasts is timed from a defined start to a defined end.
How each measure works
- Opportunity (Trial) Data: Number of opportunities in which the behavior is demonstrated, out of a fixed number.
- Latency Recording: Time from a cue (such as a direction) to the start of the response.
- Task Analysis: Number of routine steps performed independently.
- Duration Recording: How long a behavior lasts, from a defined start to a defined end.
Matching data sheets
Each template links to a blank sheet built for its measure. You can also download these sheets on their own:
- Opportunity tracker: Records each opportunity as independent, prompted, or not demonstrated.
- Latency tracker: Times the gap between a cue and the start of the response.
- Task-analysis checklist: Marks each step of a routine as independent, with support, or not completed across sessions.
- Duration tracker: Times how long a behavior lasts and compares it with the target duration.
Common mistakes when writing following adult directions goals
- Writing "will comply with adult directions 80% of the time" without saying what counts as a direction or as following it.
- Counting directions that were repeated three times as followed.
- Using a directions goal to require the student to tolerate something unsafe or unwanted; refusing an unwanted touch is self-advocacy, not noncompliance.
- Ignoring the function: a student who refuses hard work needs a break request, not only a compliance goal.
- Delivering corrections publicly and at length, then scoring the arguing that follows.
- Requiring eye contact as part of the response.