Assessing Students for Instruction

Mercer ch. 3

Steps for Individualized Programming

1. Assess to identify target skill or content

2. Determine factors likely to facilitate learning

3. Plan instruction 4. Begin daily data-managed

instruction

Assess to identify target skill or content

Determine what to teach the student To identify target skill you must first

assess Determine scope and sequence of the skill

(identify terminal behavior and prerequisite skills)

Determine long/short term objectives

Determine factors likely to facilitate learning

Focus on HOW to teach the student Look at environmental variable that

influence achievement Systematic observations – look at ABC’s Formal assessment Criterion tests Rating scales Interviews Alternative assessments

Plan instruction

Look at what to teach in step 1 Combine with how to teach in step 2 Constant monitoring of student

progress

Begin daily data-managed instruction

Is the student making adequate progress through the teach – test – teach cycle

If not consider 4 options Repeat same instructions Modify instructional procedures Introduce a new teaching strategy Change to an earlier task

Stages of Learning

Acquisition Proficiency Maintenance Generalization Adaption

Data Collection

Recording systems Permanent product - outcomes of

behavior Observational recording systems

event recording - counts interval recording - counts time sampling - counts duration - temporal latency - temporal

Permanent Product

Recording tangible items or environmental effects that result from a behavior; for example written academic work

80% Correct

Spelling Test

1. Tangible

2. Environmental

3. Behavior

4. Academic

Event recording

Recording a tally or frequency count of behavior as it occurs within an observation period; an observational recording procedure

Assignments Day Due Completed 1 5 // 2 6 /// 3 6 //// 17 9

Interval recording

An observational recording system in which an observation period is divided into a number of short intervals. The observer counts the number of intervals when the behavior occurs

+ - + + - -- + + + + -Number of

intervals attending

Total number of intervals

Time sampling

An observational recording system in which an observation period is divided into equal intervals; the target behavior is observed at the end of each interval

40 minutesNumber of intervals

on task

_________________

Total number of intervals

+ - + - + + - + + -

Duration

Recording the amount of time between the initiation of a response and its conclusion; an observational recording procedure

Observation time:11:00 – 11:30

Duration Min.Start Stop11:04 11:08 411:11 11:16 511:21 11:23 211:26 11:30 4

Latency

Recording the amount of time between the presentation of the cue and the initiation of a response. Latency

Signal Begin(Minutes)

11:02 11:05 3 11:03 11:06 3 11:01 11:02 1 11:04 11:07 3 10:59 11:01 2 12

Simple Line Graph

Set of boundariesaxes

x-axis - abscissa, horizontaly-axis - ordinate, verticalAxes are drawn in a ratio of 2:3

If y = 2, then x = 3

Abscissa

The x-axis serves as the boundary of the graph.

Shows how frequently data were collected during the period represented on the graph.

The right boundary of the graph ends at the last session. Horizontal line – bottom boundary

Ordinate

Vertical line serves as the left-hand boundary of the graph.

The label identifies the target behavior and kind of data that is being reported.

Simple line graph

High School Student Detentions

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1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th QtrGrading Periods

2003-2004

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East

Alternative Grading

“I see many of you anticipated a pop quiz today.”

Concerns in Grading

Assigned grades have different meaning to teachers, school counselors, parents, and students

Teachers’ concerns about standards of performance for students with accommodations

Classroom teachers’ concerned that inclusion of students with disabilities in their classroom might result in decreased standards for all students

Concerns Cont.

In the 1990s research in secondary schools found 60% students with disabilities were graded using the same criteria as their peers without disabilities

Most students with disabilities are passing their courses, but receiving much lower grades than peers without disabilities

High percentage of students with LD who received poor grades over a period of time, drop out

Grading Options

Letter/Number Grades Most common method Does not accurately convey the feedback for areas of improvement and how

much a student has learned Progress Checklists

Contain criterion related goals assessing students at a starting point

Provides feedback to parents & students on progress Can be time consuming

Contracts Provide feedback on what goals are accomplished Does not provide feedback when unsuccessful in reaching goals

Work Samples Accurately displays progress and product but may not show

precise growth in process By itself, will not give a student direction for improvement – need

input from teacher

Grading Options Cont.

CBAs Directly assess mechanical skills (rote facts, rules, sequences),

tests basic skills not concepts Effectively show progress by using graphs

Mastery Levels Divides content into subcomponents with pretests to create a

minimum performance standard and posttests to examine mastery

Multiple Grading All grades are averaged together Doesn’t give information on how to improve

Portfolios Contains works in progress Focus on meaningful, personal learning goals

Rubrics Provide criteria describing student performance at various levels

of proficiency

Common Assessment Accommodations

TimingExtended timeAlter time of dayAdminister test over several sessions and daysAllow frequent breaks

PresentationAudiocassetteLarge printRepeated directionsSign language assistanceBrailleMagnification

SettingSmall-group administrationHospital administrationStudy carrelSeparate roomHomebound

ResponseDictate to scribeSign language assistanceBraille writerWord processor