Assessing Students

with 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 Formal Assessment

Flexible Structured
Dynamic Static
Individualized Standardized
Continuous Episodic
Process-Based Product-Based
Progress Measuring Knowledge 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 names
Teacher-made testing
Classroom-based assessment
Curriculum-based assessment
Curriculum-based measurement
Authentic 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 High
In Class Low

In Analysis Low
 Informal Assessment

Time Requirements Reliability Validity

In Preparation High

High High
In 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
 Diagnostic Checklist of Oral Reading

Student _________________ Teacher ______________

Grade Level of Passage _____ Date ______________

Observations

Oral Reading 1 2 3 Comments

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 comprehension

11. Other notable behaviors (specify)
 Diagnostic Checklist of Silent Reading
Student ___________________ Teacher ______________
Grade Level of Passage _______ Date ______________

Observations
Silent Reading 1 2 3 Comments

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 Reading Comprehension

Student ___________________ Teacher _____________

Grade Level of Passage _______ Date ________________

Observations
1 2 3
Reading Comprehension Comments

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)

 How to Make a Checklist
• Checklist of ADHD Behaviors
• Checklist of Autism Spectrum
Disorders
 ADHD Symptoms
Symptoms 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
Some Very
Behavior Never times Often 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
Observ Observ Observ Observ
Behavior 1 2 3 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 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
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
Teacher: Read two
these words. for
Time: 1 minute. come
because
last
from
...
 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
 Sarah’s Progress on Words
Read Correctly
Sarah Smith Reading Fluency
180
Words Read Correctly

160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

40
Jessica’s Progress on Words Read
Correctly
Jessica Jones Reading Fluency
180
Words Read Correctly

160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

41
• Sarah is responding well to the
reading instruction.
• Jessica is not responding well.
Jessica’s Progress with Tutoring

Jessica Jones Reading Fluency

Words Read Correctly

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

43
Johnathon’s Progress on Words
Read Correctly
Jessica Jones Reading Fluency
Words Read Correctly

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

44
“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 favorite
Curriculum-Based Measurement –
identify students with
learning disabilities by
measuring response to
instruction
Assessing Students
with Special Needs