Whole Interval Guide

Why Whole Interval Recording?

You chose Whole Interval because the behavior is too rapid or continuous to count each instance AND you want to increase it.

Whole Interval underestimates occurrence - it only marks intervals where the behavior happened the entire time. This conservative measurement makes it the right choice for behaviors you want to increase: any improvement in the data reflects real progress.

TallyFlex’s Inverse Approach

Traditional whole interval recording requires watching a timer, counting intervals, and marking each one manually. TallyFlex flips this: tap only when behavior stops.

How It Works

Tap the tile once to start tracking. TallyFlex creates all interval placeholders based on your configured interval count, then auto-advances through them.

After you start tracking, TallyFlex handles:

• Interval timing (no manual timers)
• Interval counting (no tracking “was that interval 7?”)
• Automatic ✓ marking when you don’t tap

You only:

• Tap once to start tracking
• Watch for when the target behavior stops
• Tap when it does

Why This Reduces Cognitive Load

Traditional method: Watch student → Watch timer → Remember interval count → Decide if sustained → Mark result → Reset timer → Repeat

TallyFlex method: Watch student → Tap if behavior stops

You spend your mental energy on teaching and observing, not managing timers.

Best Practices

Define “interrupted” clearly before your session:

• ❌ Too vague: “Off-task”
• ✅ Clear: “Eyes directed away from worksheet for 3+ seconds OR hands not in contact with materials”

Start with longer intervals (2-5 minutes) until you’re comfortable, then shorten for more detailed data.

Enable interval notifications to confirm you haven’t missed a late-interval interruption.

When to Use Whole Interval

Decision tree logic: Use when the behavior happens too frequently or continuously to count each instance AND your treatment goal is to increase it.

Best for behaviors to INCREASE that already occur frequently:

• On-task during independent work
• Seated appropriately during instruction
• Hands to self during transitions

Consider alternatives for rare behaviors (less than 50% of the time) - you’d be tapping constantly. Use Duration or Frequency instead.

What’s Next?

• Recording Methods - Overview of all 7 data collection methods
• Active Session Interface - Full session tools guide
• Session Summary - Review interval data after sessions

Need Help?

Questions about whole interval recording? Email support@tallyflex.com for assistance.