Special Education Credential of Competency Standard

1
Special Education Credential of Competency
Standard 8Assessment

• PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special
  Education
• Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance
  Network (PaTTAN)
• February 11, 2009

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Pennsylvanias Commitment to Least Restrictive
Environment (LRE)

• Recognizing that the placement decision is an
  Individualized Education Program (IEP) team
  decision, our goal for each child is to ensure
  IEP teams begin with the general education
  setting with the use of Supplementary Aids and
  Services before considering a more restrictive
  environment.

3
District, IU, Preschool Agency Policy
Your local districts policies regarding
paraeducator job descriptions, duties, and
responsibilities provide the final word!
4
Standard 8 Assessment

• K1 Rationale for Assessment
• K2 Assessments in reading
• K3 Assessments in mathematics
• S1 Demonstrate basic collection techniques as
  directed
• S2 Make and document objective collection
  techniques as directed

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Agenda

• Foundations of assessment/progress monitoring
• What makes an assessment objective?
• Reading assessments/progress monitoring and data
  collection practice
• Mathematics assessments/progress monitoring and
  data collection practice

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Learner Objectives

• As a result of your engagement in this training,
  you will be able to
• 1. Describe the rationale for assessing student
  progress in learning reading and mathematics
• 2. Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate reading
  and mathematics assessments.
• 3. Describe what makes an assessment objective
• 4. Demonstrate basic assessment/progress
  monitoring data collection techniques

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What Assessment Used to Be

• Testing after instruction to determine grades,
  and using standardized test scores to see how
  students compared with others nationwide
  (McMillan, 2008).

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What Assessment is Now

• Process of gathering information (data) about
  what students know and are able to do in order to
  make instructional decisions

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What is Assessment/Progress Monitoring?

• An information-gathering process that is guided
  by questions and that culminates in decisions
  that have an effect on an individuals life
  (Birsh, 2006).
• Process of gathering information that will enable
  instructors to make informed decisions about
  students and their performance (Meese, 2001).
• Educational assessment helps drive informed and
  effective instructional practices (Meese, 2001).

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Assessment is Objective

• Objective means gathering data and recording it
• Without being affected by personal bias or
  prejudice
• Without guessing about reasons behind the data
• Without judging if it is good or bad
• Only recording data that are measurable and
  observable

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The PA Academic Standards/Assessment Connection

• Define the essential knowledge, understandings,
  and skills for all students
• School districts are held accountable for
  demonstrating that their students are making
  adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward these
  standards so students have the best chance at
  success as adults

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Intended Purpose of Assessment/Progress Monitoring

• General Education Teachers-What do they already
  know? How are they progressing as I teach? How
  much have they learned after instruction?
• Special Education Teachers-What specific
  instructional strategies will benefit this
  student?
• Principals-How are students in my school doing?
• Parents-How is my student doing in school?

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Definition Evaluation

• Process of interpreting and making judgments
  about assessment information to apply to
  instruction

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Definition Progress Monitoring

• Ongoing process which involves
• Collecting and analyzing
• data to determine student
• progress
• Making instructional decisions based on the
  review and analysis of student data

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• The measurement of a students skills is just as
  important as the teaching of those skills.

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Uses for Assessment

• Determine eligibility for special education
  services
• Determine current skill levels in order to set
  IEP goals and progress toward these goals
• Select appropriate instruction and strategies and
  to determine if our instruction is making a
  difference

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Assessment How do you gather information about
student learning?

• Handout 1
• Brainstorm List the assessments that you use in
  your school. Share with your neighbor.

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Types of Assessment

• Formative
• Summative
• Diagnostic

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Formative Assessments-to inform student
learning

• Ongoing measure of the impact of instruction on
  learning given on a more frequent basis and
  during instruction
• Spontaneous questioning/feedback
• Observation, participation, group work
• Projects, homework
• Quizzes

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Spontaneous Questioning

• Predict Tell me what you think will happen in
  this story? What do you think will happen
  next?
• Apply Background Knowledge Tell me what you
  know about(a topic that will be discussed in the
  reading selection). Has this ever happened to
  you?
• Retell Tell me all about what we just read.
  Tell me two things that you learned from reading
  this?

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Feedback Example

• Point out one thing that was done correctly Yes,
  that last sound in the word mat is /t/.
• Demonstrate the correct way. Watch while I say
  all of little sounds in the word. /m/ /a/ /t/
• Point out the place where a correction was made.
  There are two different sounds here, /m/ and
  /a/, not one.

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Providing Feedback

• Feedback that is specific, targeted, and
  immediate provides the information students need
  to improve.
• It is how students know if their work matches up
  with the standard and what else is needed to meet
  the standard.
• It helps students understand the nature of the
  target or standard as well as the criteria that
  are used for evaluation (McMillan, 2008, p. 146)

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Handout 1Formative Assessments

• In your list of assessments you listed as used in
  your school, which ones would fall under the
  formative heading?
• What are your responsibilities as they apply to
  these assessments?
• Turn to your neighbor and compare

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Summative Assessment-To document student
learning

• Before-after/pre-post
• Serve as a screening tool
• Inform us on whether we meet our objective with
  regard to student progress-exit criteria

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Summative Assessment- Examples

• End of lesson end of unit end of chapter tests
• DIBELS
• Math Scoring Digits Correct
• 4Sight Benchmark (pre/post)
• PSSA/PASA
• GRADE (Group Reading Assessment)
• Gates-McGinitie Reading Tests
• Woodcock Johnson Reading Mastery
• Report cards

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Helping Students Study for the Test

• Read over notes taken in class within 24 hours of
  taking them
• Break tasks into small increments
• Make a plan for studying a little at a time
  rather than cramming the night before
• Review vocabulary words and what they mean in
  context to the topic being studied

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DIBELS Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early
Literacy Skills

• Measurement used to determine if a student in the
  early grades is on benchmark in reading skills.
• dibels.uoregon.edu

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DIBELS

• Assesses
• Naming Alphabet Letters
• Initial Sound Fluency (Phonemic Awareness)
• Phonemic Segmentation (Phonemic Awareness)
• Reading Nonsense Words (Phonics)
• Oral Reading Fluency (Fluency)

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Letter Naming Fluency

• Sample
• W x t V l m n
• S b q R e F a

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Oral Reading Fluency
This student read 97 WRC/3 Errors
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Data Collection

• When you are working with students on
  activities, pay close attention to your students
  responses. When errors are made, note what kinds
  of errors they are making (Glaser, 2006)
• Learn how to record student performance
• Anecdotal notes-tell about your learning session
  with the student
• Checklist-use an observation skill list
• Specific feedback-supervisor may request specific
  feedback
• Correct and error counts-record correct and error
  responses

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Data Collection Phonics Case Scenario Josh

• Oral Reading Fluency
• Students does well
• Student errors
• As per the ORF assessment being read to you,
  make a note of what the student is doing well,
  what errors are being made and if there are any
  other issues you think are important to share
  with the teacher.

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What did you find out?
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4Sight

• Aligned with PA standards and assessment anchors
• Reading and math with baseline and quarterly
  assessments
• Group administered (60 min.)
• Online assessment/database
• Determines reading level
• Aligns with PSSA and performance level score
  ranges advanced, proficient, basic, below basic
• www.successforall.net

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Tips on Administering Assessments

• Make sure students are in a quiet location
• Make sure students have pencils
  availabletypically no erasing on timed 1 min
  tests (cross through).
• Dont provide assistance on assessments unless
  directions allow for it.
• Most assessments are administered cold no
  memorization or practice effect.

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Handout 1Summative Assessments

• In your list of assessments you listed as used in
  your school, which ones would fall under the
  summative heading?
• What are your responsibilities as they apply to
  these assessments?
• Turn to your neighbor and compare

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Diagnostic Assessment

• Pinpoints where instruction needs to begin
  (include basic measures of reading and math
  skills)
• Core Phonics Survey
• GRADE (Grades 9-12) Group Reading Assessment
  Diagnostic Evaluation) GMRT (Gates-McGinitie
  Reading Tests)

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Handout 1Diagnostic Assessments

• In your list of assessments you listed as used in
  your school, which ones would fall under the
  diagnostic heading?
• What are your responsibilities as they apply to
  these assessments?
• Turn to your neighbor and compare

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Reading Assessment Summary

• Assessment is the process of gathering data about
  students and our instruction
• Assessment must be objective-just the facts
• Three types of assessment-formative, summative,
  and diagnostic assist us in learning the facts
• Paraeducators play an important role in gathering
  information and supporting through instructional
  activities

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MathAssessment
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Math AssessmentTwo Approaches
General Outcomes
Specific Skills
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General Outcomes - Examples
Specific Skills Measures - Examples

• The medical profession measures height, weight,
  temperature, and/or blood pressure.
• McDonalds measures how many hamburgers they
  sell.
• General Outcomes approach for reading measures
  Oral Reading Fluency.

• Bone density to measure prediction of growth
  patterns.
• Cost of oranges, apples, and bananas during the
  first week of September
• at Giant.
• Specific Skills approach for reading measures
  segmenting and blending sounds.

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Math Assessment Two Approaches
General Outcomes
Specific Skills

• Appropriate for all students, including learning
  support and at-risk students, working in the
  general education curriculum (reading and math).
• General computation skills are tested
  periodically.

• Appropriate for all students with IEPs,
  particularly those with significant disabilities.
  
• Skills that are being worked on in IEP goals are
  periodically tested.

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How Do We Assess Basic Math?

• General Outcomes- Scoring Digits Correct
• Specific Skills-Periodic Tests of Individual
  Skills From IEP Goals

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What is the Specific Skills Approach?

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Specific Skill Example

• Complete the graph for Jeff. Use this data
• 9/4 55 9/21 63
• 9/7 57 9/25 61
• 9/11 58 9/28 59
• 9/14 60 10/1 62
• 9/18 62 10/5 63

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Graph for Specific Skills

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What is the General Outcomes Scoring Digits
Correct Approach?

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Why Do We Use the Scoring Digits Correct
Approach?

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Digits Correct Scoring

• 4 x 4 16 2 digits correct-1 and 6
• 33 22 55 2 digits correct-5 and 5
• 3x917 1 digit correct-7
• 505
• 458
• 953 2 digits correct-9 and 3

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Lets Look At How We Administer the General
Outcomes Scoring Digits Correct Test or Probe.
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Materials Needed

• Student Test or Probe
• Answer Key (Digits Correct Scoring Guide)
• Stopwatch
• Pencil

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Math Probe Directions

• Place the math probe in front of the student.
• 2a. Say these specific directions to the student
  for the first probe
• Today we are going to learn about a math test
  that you will take every week. This test has all
  kinds of math problems you are learning to do
  this year. This is what the test looks like.
  (Hold up a test). This test has 25 problems.
  You may not know how to do some of the problems.
  Thats OK. . .Just start with problems that you
  know and do them first. Then work on the more
  difficult problems. Try to do your best work.

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Math Probe Directions (continued)
2b. Say these specific directions to the student
for the remaining probes It is time to take
your weekly math test. As soon as I give your
test, write your first name, your last name, and
the date. After youve written your name and your
date on the test, turn your paper over and put
your pencil down so Ill know you are
ready. Modify the directions- I want you to do
as many problems as you can. Remember, start with
problems that are easier for you. Then do the
more difficult ones. Try to do your best work.
Ready. . .Turn your papers over and begin start
timer.
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Math Probe Directions (continued)

• Say Begin and start your stopwatch when the
  student starts the first problem.
• 4. Time Limit Grade 1 2 minutes Grade 2 2
  minutes Grade 3 3 minutes Grade 4 3
  minutes Grade 5 5 minutes Grade 6 6 minutes
• 5. After the designated time is completed, say
  Stop and place a bracket ( ) after the last
  problem solved.

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Scoring

• Circle the digits that are not correct
• Count the number of digits correct
• Figure out the number of digits correct per
  minute

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Scoring Digits Correct
EXAMPLES
12 1454 672 16 (2 digits
correct) 817 (3 digits correct)
54 2675-27 -1089 27 (2 digits
correct) 1586 (4 digits correct)
11 digits total in 2 min.
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11 digits in 2 minutes 11 divided by 25.5
digits per minute
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Eddies Progress

• Digits correct per minute
• 11/14 14 (baseline)
• 11/20 12
• 11/28 16
• 12/4 14
• 12/11 12
• 12/19 18
• 1/16 - 20
• 1/22 - 18
• 1/28 20

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Eddies Progress
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What Do We Count ?

• Fractionsall the digits in both the numerator
  and the denominator
• ½ 2 digits
• 3/32 3 digits
• 56/1035 digits
• Remainders-Count the digits unless the remainder
  is 0
• 34 r. 0 2 digits
• 546 r. 32 5 digits
• Do not count erased answers
• Do not count illegible answers

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Math Probe PracticeScoring Digits Correct
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Answer Key
Handout 4 (cont.)

• A---35
• B---3472
• C---713
• D---6
• E---5
• F---104480
• G---27
• H---18
• I---402
• J---7/11

• K---3/5
• L---777

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Handout 4 (cont.)
Digits correct per minute
5
8
Digits correct per minute
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Answer Key
Handout 5 (cont.)

• A---106,190
• B---14,945
• C---3
• D---170 R 1
• E---9 15/11 10 4/11
• F---3
• G---1/9

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Handout 5 (cont.)
Digits correct per minute
10 4/11
11
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Learner Objectives

• As a result of your engagement in this training,
  you will be able to
• 1. Describe the rationale for assessing student
  progress in learning reading and mathematics
• 2. Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate reading
  and mathematics assessments.
• 3. Describe what makes an assessment objective
• 4. Demonstrate basic assessment/progress
  monitoring data collection techniques

68
Work Cited

• Birsh, J. (2005). Multisensory teaching of basic
  language skills (2nd ed.). Baltimore Paul H.
  Brookes Publishing Co.
• Glaser, D. (2006). Parareading A training guide
  for tutors. Longmont, CO Sopris West
• McMillan, J. (2008). Assessment essentials for
  standards-based education (2nd ed.). Thousand
  Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
• Meese, R. L. (2001). Teaching studies with mild
  disabilities Integrating research and practice
  (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA Wadsworth/Thomson
  Learning.

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Upcoming Events- Afterschool Videoconferences
415-615 pm

• March 10, 2009-Standard 9 Professional and
  Ethical Practice
• April 28, 2009-Standard 10 Collaboration

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Upcoming Events- Afterschool Videoconferences
415-615 pm

• Registration is available on the PaTTAN website
• www.pattan.net
• Click on the online registration button.

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Bureau of Special Education Pennsylvania Training
and Technical Assistance Network
Edward G. Rendell
Gerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed.
Governor

Secretary Diane Castelbuono, Deputy
Secretary Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education John J. Tommasini, Director Bureau of
Special Education
Contact Information Name of Consultant, Email
address www.pattan.net