Why We Collect Data: Measurement Is the Foundation of Progress

"He seems to be improving" is a sentence we hear a lot, but it isn't enough to base a decision on. Without measurement, a plan becomes a collection of impressions. With measurement, it becomes a learning tool that gets better week after week.

What do we measure?

Every goal has a measure that suits it. The ones we use most:

• Frequency: how many times did the child request something independently during the session?
• Accuracy: the percentage of correct responses out of all attempts.
• Prompt level: did they complete the step independently, with a gesture, or with full guidance?
• Duration and latency: how long did the task take, and how long before they started?

From the sheet to the graph

Data recorded in the session turns into a simple graph that shows the trend: rising, flat or falling. The graph saves us from arguing and keeps the conversation with the family clear: this is what happened, and this is what we'll do.

Decision rules

We agree on clear rules in advance. For example: if a goal hasn't progressed within a set number of sessions, we change the teaching strategy or split the goal into smaller parts. When the learner reaches the mastery criterion, we move to the next goal and start generalising the skill to new situations.

How to read your child's report

You don't need a scientific background. Look at three things: the direction of the line, the current prompt level, and the goals mastered since the last report. If anything isn't clear, ask us; transparency is part of our work.

What isn't measured isn't improved, and what is measured gets celebrated.