Free Generalization Probe Sheet
A free printable generalization data sheet for probing a skill across settings and people. Score each probe and note maintenance, or type into the fillable PDF, then export to Excel to summarize by setting.
- Generalization & Maintenance Probe
- Default criterion: 80% accuracy in 3 of 3 sessions
- Free printable PDF
- Fillable in browser
A generalization data sheet checks whether a mastered skill holds up outside the setting where it was taught, across new people, places, and materials. Record the setting or person, the date, and the score for that probe, then note whether the skill was maintained. This generalization data sheet exists because a skill that only works with one teacher at one table is not really mastered yet.
Probes are brief, unprompted checks rather than teaching sessions. Present the opportunity, score the response without helping, and move on, since the point is to measure transfer, not to build the skill. Vary the setting and the person on purpose, because generalization only shows up when the conditions differ from training. Note the specific conditions so a gap, like a skill that fails at home, is easy to see.
Reading down the settings column tells you where a skill travels and where it stalls. A target that scores well with the classroom teacher but drops with a substitute needs generalization programming, not more drilling. The default criterion here is 80 percent across three of three probes, a strict maintenance-style rule the team can adjust. Export to Excel to summarize probe scores by setting for a progress review.
When to use it
Use a generalization probe once a skill looks mastered in teaching, to confirm it transfers to new people, places, and materials and holds over time. It suits BCBAs and teachers verifying that a goal is truly met rather than bound to the training conditions.
Customization tips
- Vary the setting, person, and materials deliberately, since that variation is the whole point of a probe.
- Keep probes unprompted so the score reflects transfer rather than teaching.
- Use the fillable PDF when staff prefer to record probes on a screen.
- Export to Excel to summarize scores by setting and flag where generalization is weak.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a generalization data sheet?
- It records probes of a mastered skill across new settings, people, and materials to check whether the skill transfers beyond where it was taught. Each row captures the conditions, the score, and whether the skill was maintained.
- What is the difference between generalization and maintenance?
- Generalization is whether a skill transfers to new people, places, or materials. Maintenance is whether it lasts over time after teaching stops. This sheet touches both with a score column and a maintained column, and some teams track them separately.
- How is a probe different from a teaching trial?
- A probe is an unprompted check that measures whether the skill is there, with no teaching during it. A teaching trial builds the skill with prompts and feedback. Mixing the two contaminates the data, so keep probes clean.
- How many probes do I need?
- Enough across varied conditions to trust the result, often a small set spread over different people and settings. The default here is three of three probes at the criterion, which is strict on purpose. Adjust the number to fit the goal and the risk of a false pass.
- When should I run generalization probes?
- Run them once a skill looks mastered in the teaching setting, to confirm it is not bound to one person or place. Probing too early measures teaching rather than transfer, so wait until acquisition data supports mastery.