Chapter 7: Assessment Chapter 7: Assessment

Group Work – Key pointsGroup Work – Key points 1.1. Role of assessment, who does it? (pp. 183-Role of assessment, who does it? (pp. 183-

186)186)2.2. Components of assessments (pp. 186-190) Components of assessments (pp. 186-190) 3.3. Keys to assessment, important terms and Keys to assessment, important terms and

parental involvement (pp. 188, 189, 190)parental involvement (pp. 188, 189, 190)4.4. Alternative assessments & issues of formal Alternative assessments & issues of formal

tests (pp.190-194)tests (pp.190-194)5.5. IEP, IEP form, trouble spots and parental IEP, IEP form, trouble spots and parental

involvement (pp.198, 199, 202, 204)involvement (pp.198, 199, 202, 204)6.6. IEP steps #1 - 5. (pp. 199-204) IEP steps #1 - 5. (pp. 199-204) 7.7. In-School Team and how teachers In-School Team and how teachers

collaborate (pp. 205-208)collaborate (pp. 205-208)8.8. Case studies Case studies andand formal case study (pp. 184, formal case study (pp. 184,

193, 194)193, 194)9.9. Case studies (pp. 197, 201, 206)Case studies (pp. 197, 201, 206)

Role of assessment (pp.75-77)Role of assessment (pp.75-77) reveals insight into abilities, reveals insight into abilities,

intelligence, strengths, needs, and intelligence, strengths, needs, and behaviours of the students in question behaviours of the students in question

collects information into an collects information into an exceptionality and influences future of exceptionality and influences future of the program/ instructionthe program/ instruction

assessment happens everyday (e.g. assessment happens everyday (e.g. monitoring behaviour, observing, monitoring behaviour, observing, tests)tests)

Role of assessment (pp. 75-77)Role of assessment (pp. 75-77) assessments should identify needs assessments should identify needs

and strengths and special needs and strengths and special needs studentsstudents

assessment information is collected assessment information is collected through a number of sources and a through a number of sources and a variety of assessment strategies variety of assessment strategies

The process for assessing student The process for assessing student with special needs is more extensive with special needs is more extensive and thorough, producing IEPs and thorough, producing IEPs

Who does it? (pp. 77)Who does it? (pp. 77)

Assessments should be done by Assessments should be done by teachers and continues throughout teachers and continues throughout school career school career

other people who assess students other people who assess students include: special education teachers, include: special education teachers, psychologist, speech pathologist etc. psychologist, speech pathologist etc.

Components of assessments Components of assessments (pp. 78-81) (pp. 78-81)

Assessment information collected Assessment information collected includesincludes What the student has been doing? (by What the student has been doing? (by

classroom observations)classroom observations) Systematic collection of student workSystematic collection of student work Discussion and information sharing with key Discussion and information sharing with key

person, e.g. parents, other teachersperson, e.g. parents, other teachers TestingTesting

Informal testsInformal tests (by teachers), e.g. (by teachers), e.g. observations, rating scales and observations, rating scales and checklistschecklists

Components of assessments (pp. 78-81) Components of assessments (pp. 78-81)

Formal TestsFormal Tests assessment battery - formal assessmentassessment battery - formal assessment intelligent (IQ) tests (WISC IV) intelligent (IQ) tests (WISC IV) projective tests – psychological test - inner projective tests – psychological test - inner

feelings, e.g. InKblot test (what you see)feelings, e.g. InKblot test (what you see) academic achievement test (by teachers), academic achievement test (by teachers),

used as screening test in special education used as screening test in special education diagnostic tests – suggest areas of diagnostic tests – suggest areas of

remediation, pre-test for a unit remediation, pre-test for a unit Test of cognitive ability Test of cognitive ability (memory, (memory,

problem solving, and reasoning) problem solving, and reasoning)

Components of assessments (pp. 78-81) Components of assessments (pp. 78-81) Developmental and readiness testsDevelopmental and readiness tests to to

determine the ability, e.g. to screen gifted determine the ability, e.g. to screen gifted RatingRating scales, inventories, and checklists scales, inventories, and checklists

for attitudes, self-esteem, behaviour, learning for attitudes, self-esteem, behaviour, learning skills, etc.skills, etc.

Interviews/ Informal CommentaryInterviews/ Informal Commentary teachers and parents- face to face, - anecdotal teachers and parents- face to face, - anecdotal

current/ intimate informationcurrent/ intimate information

Medical Information – from doctorMedical Information – from doctor - identifies special needs, hard to attain - privacy - identifies special needs, hard to attain - privacy Reports by other Professionals -psychologistReports by other Professionals -psychologist

Keys to Assessment (p. 80)Keys to Assessment (p. 80)  1.1. Has the assessment used a broad Has the assessment used a broad

spectrum of sources (e.g. Parents, spectrum of sources (e.g. Parents, teachers and OSR)teachers and OSR)

2.2. If test instruments have been used, are If test instruments have been used, are they valid (test what it is intended) and they valid (test what it is intended) and reliable? reliable?

3.3. Is the examiner properly trained in the Is the examiner properly trained in the administer and interpret tests? administer and interpret tests?

4.4. Was the assessment individually tailored? Was the assessment individually tailored? (student’s culture, language, age and/or (student’s culture, language, age and/or physical abilities)physical abilities)

Keys to Assessment (p. 80)Keys to Assessment (p. 80)  5.5. Was the assessment ecological? It must Was the assessment ecological? It must

examine the student in relation to whole examine the student in relation to whole environment or situation (classroom, environment or situation (classroom, home).home).

6.6. Does the assessment imply or recommend Does the assessment imply or recommend responses, e.g. remediation or enrichment?responses, e.g. remediation or enrichment?

7.7. Do key people in the life of the student Do key people in the life of the student (e.g. parents) acknowledge that the (e.g. parents) acknowledge that the assessment has sampled genuinely assessment has sampled genuinely representative factors?representative factors?

1.1.   

Parental Involvement (p. 81)Parental Involvement (p. 81)QQuestions for parent interviewuestions for parent interview::

What are your concerns regarding your What are your concerns regarding your child’s learning/behaviour at school?child’s learning/behaviour at school?

How does what we do at school affect How does what we do at school affect him at home?him at home?

Has she had particular success in the Has she had particular success in the past with a strategy or program?past with a strategy or program?

What other reports do you have that we What other reports do you have that we may need to be aware of?may need to be aware of?

What goals do you have for your child?What goals do you have for your child? Method of communication?Method of communication?

Alternative assessments Alternative assessments (pp. 81-83)(pp. 81-83)

Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA) Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA) -measuring students performance according -measuring students performance according

to curricular expectationsto curricular expectations -make sure that they achieve basic -make sure that they achieve basic

academic skills and content knowledge academic skills and content knowledge outlined in curriculum outlined in curriculum

Authentic Assessment Authentic Assessment collection of data based on real situations collection of data based on real situations

where students are engaged in an where students are engaged in an interactive fashioninteractive fashion

allow for integration of information learnedallow for integration of information learned

Alternative assessments Alternative assessments (pp. 81-83)(pp. 81-83)Portfolio Assessment Portfolio Assessment collection of students work that represents collection of students work that represents

growth and development growth and development

Ecological Assessment Ecological Assessment examine context in which a student learns  examine context in which a student learns  

Learning Style Assessment Learning Style Assessment how a student learnshow a student learns

Dynamic Assessment Dynamic Assessment what and how a student can be taught and what and how a student can be taught and

what strategies to use what strategies to use

Issues in using formal tests Issues in using formal tests (pp. 83-85) (pp. 83-85)

power of test mystique power of test mystique aging of published tests (1940s and 1950s).aging of published tests (1940s and 1950s). bias and tacit discrimination against lower bias and tacit discrimination against lower

socio-economic groups, diverse cultures socio-economic groups, diverse cultures group tests are meant to be a machine scoregroup tests are meant to be a machine score potential for misinterpretationpotential for misinterpretation tests are usually timed, hard for deep/slow tests are usually timed, hard for deep/slow

thinkersthinkers misunderstanding “standardized”misunderstanding “standardized” generalized test results generalized test results