Duration/Latency Observations

This observation assignment will be to either observe and record the duration of a behavior or the latency of a behavior. Both kinds measure how long something takes, but in slightly different ways. You can chose one of the ways to measure how long something occurs for your assignment.

Duration

Duration measurements are taken when you want to know how long a child exhibits a certain behavior (i.e. off task, talking to others) or how long it takes a child to do a specific behavior (i.e. complete seatwork, finish a puzzle). Each of these is collected and summarized slightly differently.
If you are interested in how long a child exhibits a specific behavior, you behaviorally define that behavior and then, in a specified time span, you record exactly how long each occurrence of that behavior lasts in that specified time. It is also important to define the beginning and end of each occurrence of the behavior so you know when to begin and when to end timing. It is best to have a stop watch to do this, but you can use a wall clock or your watch if it has a second hand. Also be sure you sit where you can see the clock, if you use the wall clock, and the child.
To summarize the data, you add up all the lengths of time of occurrence of the behavior and divide by the length of time you observed, and you get a percentage of time that the child spent in that behavior.

Example:

Behavior: Jerry plays in his desk when the teacher is talking. Beginning when he puts his hands in the desk and ending when he has hands on top of desk.
Observer: Linda
Time observed: 30 minutes
Activity: Teacher talks about dinosaurs and tomorrow's field trip

Start: 10:30

Activity	Time playing in desk	Consequences
Teacher talking about dinosaurs	5 min. 35 sec.	Teacher asks Jerry to listen
Teacher asking about what kids know about dinosaurs	2 min. 40 sec.	Teacher asks Jerry questions
Boy next to Jerry asks Jerry question	3 min. 4 sec.	Kid laughs at object Jerry takes out of desk
Teacher talking about expected behavior on field trip	6 min.	Teacher says Jerry will not be able to go on field trip if he doesn't listen

End: 11:35
Summary of data: Total amount of time (17 min. 19 sec.) divided by  length of observation (35 minutes).
Jerry was playing in his desk 49% of the time.

If you are interested in how long it takes a child to do a specific activity or behavior, you behaviorally define the behavior and then you record the exact amount of time it takes the child to do that behavior or activity, each time it occurs in a designated time span. Here you must choose a time span that the behavior will occur in several times (half a day, four hours, for five days in a row, etc.). You must also define when the behavior begins and ends.
To summarize this data, you add all the amounts of time together and then divide by the number of observations and you get an average amount of time that it takes a child to do that activity or behavior.

Example:

Behavior Definition: Amy takes a long time in getting dressed for school in the morning.
Observer: Linda
Time Observed: Every morning, six days, Start time: when called for breakfast
End time: when sitting at breakfast table, fully dressed

Day Observed	Amount of Time	Comments
Monday	25 min. 40 sec.	called her 3 times
Tuesday	45 min. 33 sec.	Missed school bus
Wednesday	5 min. 32 sec.	Favorite breakfast
Thursday	38 min. 50 sec.	Threatened no breakfast
Friday	20 min.
Saturday	28 min. 42 sec.	called her 5 times

Summary of data: Total of amount of time (164 min. 27 sec.) divided by number of observations (6)
Amy takes an average of 27 min. 7 sec. to get ready in the morning.

Latency Observation

For a lantency observation you are interested in how long it takes a child to comply with a request. You behaviorally define the compliance problems you are going to observe, then, at each request by the teacher, parent, etc. you record the amount of time it takes the child to comply or to complete the task they are requested to perform.
To summarize the data, you take each amount of time you recorded and divide by the number of times recorded and you get an average of the amount of time it takes the child to comply with a request.

Example:

Behavior: When asked to start his work, Aaron says no, slams his books and throws his pencil.
Observer: Linda
Activity: Beginning of any assignment. Start when asked to do an activity. End when child begins working.

Request	Time to Comply	Comments
Start your math seatwork.	5 min. 6 sec.	said no, prompted 2 times
Time to begin reading the story for today.	15 min. 23 sec.	threw paper on floor and pencil at teacher
Come up to the reading circle.	2 min. 43 sec.	right before recess
You should be working on your dinosaur paper	9 min. 54 sec.	yelled at teacher, threatened with time out
Begin working on the spelling words	12 min. 3 sec.	threw paper, yelled at teacher, tipped desk over

To summarize total amounts of time (45 min. 9 sec.) and divide by number of observations (5).
Aaron takes an average of 9 min. 2 sec. to begin his work.