Assessing Studentswith Special Needs

Outline

• Fundamentals • Assessing Young Children• Informal Classroom Assessment• Formal Assessment

Resources

• johnvenn.com – Dedicated to assisting teachers with student assessment.

• Download – This Presentation– Classroom Assessment Resource

Guide for Teachers

Compare and Contrast

Informal Assessment

FlexibleDynamicIndividualizedContinuousProcess-BasedProgress Measuring

Formal Assessment

StructuredStaticStandardizedEpisodicProduct-BasedKnowledge Testing

Assessing Young Children

• Developmental Assessment– Definition– Characteristics

Assessing Young Children

• Questions Teachers Ask – What is normal development?– Is the child following the normal

pattern?– If not, why not?– What do we do about it?

Assessing Young Children

Principles of Developmental Assessment– Lower skills precede higher skills– Maturation– Teachable moments– Skipping developmental stages– Play is a child’s work

Assessing Young Children

• Using Developmental Scales (Checklists of Skills)

• Learning Accomplishment Profile (LAP)

Fine Motor Writing Skills

Dev Age Description Pre Post

36 Copies Circle

48 Copies Cross

54 Copies Square

54 Copies simple words (cat)

60 Copies Triangle

72 Copies Diamond

72 Copies letters b, d, p, g

“One test of the correctness of an educational procedure is the happiness of the child.”

Maria Montessori (Italian Physician and Educator. 1870-

1952)

Informal Classroom Assessment

• Checklists and Charts• Curriculum-Based Measurement• Portfolio Assessment

Informal Classroom Assessment

Definition A variety of flexible, non-standardized

procedures for measuring student performance, achievement and progress.

Informal Assessment Procedures

As teachers we use informal assessment every day in our classrooms when we

•Observe student behavior•Find an error pattern in a student paper•Interview a student•Grade student homework•Give a teacher-made test•Use checklists to measure progress

Informal Assessment

Has many different namesTeacher-made testingClassroom-based assessmentCurriculum-based assessmentCurriculum-based measurementAuthentic assessment

Informal Assessment

Provides a direct link between assessment and teaching.

Informal Assessment

Efficient (fast and easy)Effective (precise)

Informal Assessment

Time Requirements Reliability Validity

In Preparation Low

High

HighIn Class Low

In Analysis Low

Informal Assessment

Time Requirements Reliability Validity

In Preparation High

High

HighIn Class High

In Analysis High

My Favorite Informal Assessments

In my teaching I use many different kinds of checklists as informal measures of student behavior, achievement, performance, progress, and growth.

Checklists of Reading Skills

Oral Reading

Observations

Comments1 2 3

1. Reads expressively

2. Reads clearly (pronunciation)

3. Reads at an appropriate rate

4. Reads for meaning

5. Observes punctuation

6. Not easily frustrated

7. Attempts unfamiliar words

8. Uses morphological skills

9. Uses context clues

10. Displays good comprehension11. Other notable behaviors (specify)

Diagnostic Checklist of Oral Reading

Student _________________ Teacher ______________Grade Level of Passage _____ Date ______________

Silent ReadingObservations

Comments1 2 3

1. Points to individual words

2. Runs a finger under each line

3. Runs a finger down the page

4. Whispers words

5. Says words aloud

6. Moves head while reading

7. Holds book too close

8. Holds book too far away

9. Reads too slowly

10. Reads too quickly

11. Other notable behaviors (specify)

Diagnostic Checklist of Silent ReadingStudent ___________________ Teacher ______________Grade Level of Passage _______ Date ______________

Reading Comprehension

Observations

Comments1 2 3

1. Answers factual questions about the passage

2. Classifies, categorizes, & summarizes the passage

3. Makes inferences & predictions based on the passage

4. Answers valuative questions about the passage

5. Critically analyzes the passage

6. Other notable behaviors (specify)

Diagnostic Checklist of Reading Comprehension

Student ___________________ Teacher _____________Grade Level of Passage _______ Date ________________

How to Make a Checklist

• Checklist of ADHD Behaviors• Checklist of Autism Spectrum

Disorders

ADHD SymptomsSymptoms of Inattention 

Symptoms of Hyperactivity

Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat   Leaves seat in classroom in which remaining seated is expected   Runs about or climbs too much in inappropriate situations   Has difficulty playing quietly   Is 'on the go' or acts as if 'driven by a motor'   Talks too much  

Symptoms of Impulsivity

Blurts out answers before questions have been completed   Has difficulty waiting his or her turn   Interrupts or intrudes on others (such as butting into conversations)

 

Symptoms of Hyperactivity

Behavior Yes No

Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat  

Leaves seat in classroom in situations in which remaining seated is expected  

Runs about or climbs too much in inappropriate situations  

Has difficulty playing quietly  

Is 'on the go' or acts as if 'driven by a motor'  

Talks too much  

Symptoms of Hyperactivity

Behavior NeverSometimes Often

Very Often

Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat  

Leaves seat in classroom in situations in which remaining seated is expected  

Runs about or climbs too much in inappropriate situations  

Has difficulty playing quietly  

Is 'on the go' or acts as if 'driven by a motor'  

Talks too much  

Symptoms of Hyperactivity

BehaviorObserv

1Observ

2Observ

3Observ

4

Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat  

Leaves seat in classroom in situations in which remaining seated is expected  

Runs about or climbs too much in inappropriate situations  

Has difficulty playing quietly  

Is 'on the go' or acts as if 'driven by a motor'  

Talks too much  

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Impaired ability to make friends with peers

Impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others

Absence or impairment of imaginative and social play

Stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language

Restricted patterns of interest (abnormal in intensity or focus)

Preoccupation with certain objects or subjects

Inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals

Teacher Parent Assistant

Impaired ability to make friends with peersImpaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with othersAbsence or impairment of imaginative and social play

Stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language

Restricted patterns of interest (abnormal in intensity or focus)

Preoccupation with certain objects or subjects

Inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals

Checklists for Students with Severe Disabilities

Using Task Analysis

Use checklists (rubrics) to make grading complicated assignments easy.

Informal Assessment

Curriculum-Based Measurement

What is CBM

A method we use as teachers to find out how well our students are progressing in basic academic areas such as math, reading, writing, and spelling.

How does CBM work?

When CBM is used, each child is tested briefly each week or so. The “tests” generally last from 1 to 5 minutes. The teacher counts the number of correct and incorrect responses made in the time allotted to find the child’s score.

First Grade Word-Identification

Fluency

two

for

come

because

last

from ...

Teacher: Read these words.

Time: 1 minute.

Informal Assessment

New informal assessment strategy Especially helpful in identify students with special needs

Ideal for measuring progress or lack of progress with struggling students

40

Sarah’s Progress on Words Read Correctly

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Wo

rds

Re

ad C

orr

ect

ly

Sarah Smith Reading Fluency

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

41

Jessica’s Progress on Words Read Correctly

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Wo

rds

Re

ad C

orr

ect

ly

Jessica Jones Reading Fluency

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

• Sarah is responding well to the reading instruction.

• Jessica is not responding well.

43

Jessica’s Progress with TutoringW

ord

s R

ead

Co

rre

ctly

Jessica Jones Reading Fluency

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

44

Johnathon’s Progress on Words Read Correctly

Wo

rds

Re

ad C

orr

ect

ly

Jessica Jones Reading Fluency

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

“Identification models that include RTI will lead to better achievement and behavior outcomes for students with LD and those at risk for LD.”

Lynne and Doug Fuchs, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University

Informal Assessment

Assessing Young Children Checklists – My favoriteCurriculum-Based Measurement –

identify students with learning disabilities by measuring response to instruction

Assessing Studentswith Special Needs