LAB 2: TALLY EVENT SAMPLING

Lab 2: Tally Event Sampling

Alyssa Ayers, Connar Hurst, & Lauren Salome
Michigan State University

LAB 2: TALLY EVENT SAMPLING

Introduction:
The purpose of our assessment is the follow up on a concern about the childs social
skills. Our concern is about our focal childs social development, and how they are different from
his peers in the classroom. We as a group will collect information about our focal child and two
others around the same age to compare. We were to observe the social interactions of three
children closely related in age in the 24 month classroom. We focused on one individual child
and observed how his social skills differed from the other two children. For one hour, in ten
minute intervals, we used a tally event sampling assessment to record how many times we saw
the three children initiating contact, accepting initiation, rejecting initiation, ignoring initiation,
and acting aggressively towards other peers and teachers.
Our goal as a group was to observe the children and document their social interactions,
and then compare our findings specifically for our focal child. We were interested in identifying
any social challenges our focal child displayed during our time of observation. From there, we
would assess those challenges and determine new social goals for the child, and determining
ways that teachers could help the child reach those goals.
The children we observed were in Ms. Davis 24 month classroom. We observed all three
children in two locations: outside on the playground, and in the classroom. Outside the three
children spent most of their time in the sandbox, and on the bike path. Playground 2 has a large
sandbox with a sidewalk around the perimeter.
Inside the classroom, the three children explored the whole classroom throughout the
observation; snack, art, loft area, free play, and sensory table.
We observed Child A who is 36 month old male, Child B is a 30 month old female, and
Child C is a 34 month old female.

LAB 2: TALLY EVENT SAMPLING

For this observation we used a tally-event sampling table. According to Losardo and
Syverson (2011), Event sampling is an assessment tool used to record dimensions of a behavior
such as frequency, duration, and latency. The observer will record when a targeted behavior
occurs (p.34). We used this tool as a way to document short intervals of time while observing
the three children. The tally-event sampling chart allowed us to have a visual of what the
children were doing at different times, and how their social skills compared to one another. The
data we collected allowed our group to further discuss what steps were next in the social
development of the children, and how we as professionals could help the children reach their
new social goals.

Data: Tally-Event tables from each observation:

Observer: Alyssa Ayers
Purpose of Observation: Observe and document 3 children and their social interactions
Classroom Observed: Davis, Outside on Playground 2
Date & Time: 9/30/15, 8:30-9:30 AM
Focal Child A: Male, 36 Months
Child B: Female, 30 Months
Child C: Female, 34 Months

Initiate
Contact
with peer
Focal Child A
Time: 8:30

Focal Child A
Time: 9:00

Accept
initiation
from
peer

Child B
Time: 8:40
Child C
Time: 8:50

Initiate
contact
with
teacher

Reject
initiation
from peer

|||
|

||

Accept
initiation
from
teacher

|
|

||||
||

Reject
initiation
from
teacher
||||

|
|

Ignore
initiation
from
peer

Ignore
initiation
from
teacher

Aggression
toward peer

Aggression
toward
teacher

LAB 2: TALLY EVENT SAMPLING

Child B
Time: 9:10

Child C
Time: 9:20

Other notes: Reject initiation by finding a new toy or activity or by walking away.

Observer: Connar Hurst

Purpose of Observation: Observe and document 3 children and their social interactions
Classroom Observed: Davis, 24 month classroom
Date and Time: 9/30/15, 9:30-10:30 AM
Focal Child A: Male, 36 months
Child B: Female, 30 months
Child C: Female, 34 months
Initiate
contact
with
peers
Focal Child A
9:30-9:40

Initiate
contact
with
teacher

Child B
9:40-9:50

Child C
9:50-10:00

|||

Focal Child A
10:00-10:10

Child B
10:10-10:20

Child C
10:20-10:30

Accept
initiatio
n from
peer

Accept
initiatio
n from
teacher

|
|||

||

|||

Reject
initiation
from peers

Reject
initiation
from
teacher

Ignore
initiation
from peer

Ignore
initiation
from
teacher

Aggression
toward peer

Aggression
toward
teacher

||

Other notes: Child A- eating snack, he accepted more goldfish from peer, he initiated kicking the
chair during snack. Child B- went with teacher and sat on couch to read a book, crawls under loft
and holds a child until teacher comes over, during clean-up she walks by a shelf and swipes her

LAB 2: TALLY EVENT SAMPLING

arm against toys making them fall off. Child C- initiated teacher to play with the box activity,
collected items to put in box.

Observer: Lauren Salome

Purpose of Observation:Observe and document 3 children and their social interactions
Classroom Observed: Davis
Date and Time: 9/29/15, 3:00-4:00 PM
Focal Child A: Male, 36 Months
Child B: Female, 30 Months
Child C: Female, 34 Months

Initiate
contact
with peer

Initiate
contact
with
teacher

Accept
Initiation
from
peer

Accept
initiation
from
teacher

Focal Child A
Time: 3:00

|||

Child B
Time: 3:10|

||

Child C
Time: 3:20

||

Focal Child A
Time: 3:330

Child B
Time: 3:40

||

Child C
Time: 3:50

||

Reject
initiation
from
peer

Reject
initiation
from
teacher

Ignore
initiation
from
peer

Ignore
imitation
from
teacher

Aggressi
on
towards
peer

Aggressi
on
towards
teacher

||

|
|

Summary & Interpretation

Looking at all three of our observations, we were able to look at how each childs
interactions with peers and teachers change or stay consistent. We noticed many of the
interactions fell on the left side of the chart, meaning that all three children initiated and accepted
interactions from both teachers and peers, instead of showing aggression towards others. After

LAB 2: TALLY EVENT SAMPLING

reviewing our data, we believe that the strong display of accepting and initiating social
interactions among the three children, was due to the children being the oldest in their class.
Focal Child A displayed numerous times when he was accepted initiation from the
teacher, which compares with Child C being alike. We were able to observe this when the teacher
was engaged in the childs experience, and was offering toys or other ideas to scaffold their play.
We observed this happening during free play both inside and out. Comparing Child A to children
B and C, staying on the left side of the chart, initiating and accepting, he was is comparison and
didnt display much difference, When comparing the right side of the chart, we observed no
aggression, ignoring, or rejection from Child A, but wasnt the same for Child B and C. These
results may be that Child A spent a majority of his time staying close to the teacher, while Child
B and C were interacting closely with other peers.
Reviewing the tally-event sampling chart and the Infant/ Toddler curriculum, Child A
showed that he is right at the development stage where he is able to regulate his behaviors in
responses to other childrens boundaries. We noted that as he tried to initiate an interaction with a
peer and the peer was not interested, meaning the other childs body language showed that he did
not want to interact at the moment, Child A was able to understand this signal and walk away.
Another example, Child A walked over to the art table where three children were painting with
leaves. Child A watched as another child used the leave to put paint on her paper. The adult said,
Child A when there is a spot open, I can help you with a smock and get you a piece of paper to
paint on. Child A stood closely to the table until a child was done. The teacher assisted him with
putting on his smock and gave his paint and a piece of paper. Referring to the CDC Milestone
Checklist, it states that at the age of three children should take turns during activities. Child A
was able to display this behavior during the observation.

LAB 2: TALLY EVENT SAMPLING

Follow-Up Recommendation:
As a group, we have determined that our focal childs social development is average for
his age. For the most part, he accepts and initiates contact from teachers and peers and also
reveals when he wants to be by himself. To better support his social development, we believe
that Child A could more readily accept initiation from peers by acknowledging when another
child approaches him. We did not observe much aggression, but he at times when another child
would initiate contact, he would just continue what he was doing and ignore the other child. We
noticed that the child had difficulty accepting initiation from others during solitary play. We
believed that he was absorbed in his task that he simply did not want to respond to the peer
trying to make contact. In order to increase his accepting behaviors, we determined that an adult
in the room could be observant to when Child A showed a lack of response to another student.
The adult could intervene by providing a script for him to let the other child know that he is
wanting to play by himself for the moment. This would also promote positive social interactions
with the other children because they would not feel as though they were being rejected when
Child A did not respond to their attempted contact. Examples include; role playing in make
believe play and participating in games and activities that require cooperation of peers. We also
believe that teachers should continue to collect data on his social skills. These results should be
shared with his parents and other professionals in the classroom so they know how to help him
achieve the social goals set for him. By doing this, the stakeholders or the people involved,
would be; the focal child, his parents, the teachers, and the other children in the classroom.

Reflection:
After comparing our data from our observations and determining social goals for our
focus child, we have concluded that the tally-event sampling assessment is an effective tool for

LAB 2: TALLY EVENT SAMPLING

determining the frequency of a behavior in a specific time frame. Tally-event sampling was a
quick and easy way to record data in an objective manner, that we were able to compare at a later
date. We determined that this assessment tool would be beneficial to see if children show a
particular behavior at a specific time during the day.

Reference

Important Milestones: Your Child At Three Years. (2014, March 27). Retrieved October 2, 2015.

Losardo, A & Syerson, A. Alternative approaches to assessing young children. United States.
H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc.