Assessing Reading Using an MBE Framework

1. Assessing Reading Using an MBE Framework HT820 Rachel Currie-Rubin April 14, 2014

2. Thank you and introductions How many of you… Are former teachers or administrators? Are interested in going into teaching or administration? Are interested in becoming researchers? Are unsure of your plans after HGSE? Have taught or researched reading?

3. Agenda • Traditional Reading Assessment • Reading Assessment using an MBE framework • Discussion- case a. What are implications of using this framework for instruction? b. What are implications of using this framework for research?

4. Questions What are traditional reading assessments, and what do they tell us? How might reading assessments look different if they are informed by an MBE framework? What are the implications for instruction or research when we use an MBE framework for assessing reading?

5. What does it take to read? C-A-T Cats are my favorite animal. Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids with strong flexible bodies, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teeth adapted to killing small prey. Cats senses fit a crepuscular and predatory ecological niche. Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice and other small animals. They can see in near darkness. They can see in near darkness. Like most other mammals, cats have poorer color vision and a better sense of smell than humans.

6. Traditional Reading Assessment Phonological Processing Phonological Awareness Phonological Memory Rapid Naming Decoding Fluency Comprehension

7. Generally Reading Assessment isn’t done in isolation… Cognitive assessments looking at verbal skills, visual spatial skills, working memory skills, processing speed are also conducted. Assessors often try to connect these skills to understand underlying challenges students face.

8. Example Alice B. has strong verbal skills, strong visual spatial skills, and strong working memory skills BUT she has relatively slow processing speed. Strong verbal skills often strong comprehension skills Combination of strong verbal skills and visual spatial skillsoften strong decoding and sight word reading Strong working memory often strong comprehension skills, ability to decode longer words Slow processing often slow rapid naming, slow reading speed (fluency)

9. But aren’t these component skills related to what’s going on in the brain?YES!

10. Articulatory Visual(?) Auditory/visual(?) What about memory, processing speed, comprehension? Do all “dyslexic brains” think alike?

11. Variability in our reading brains -Any one area “responsible” for a component of reading may be responsible for reading difficulty OR -Connections among areas could be responsible for reading difficulties. There may be patterns among people with reading difficulties BUT reading difficulties can arise from different route causes.

12. Cognitive Framework • Academic abilities such as reading are complex and multifaceted. • Multiple reading subskills /cognitive skills are critical for reading • Reading can break down because of deficits in any one area or because of weaknesses in multiple areas. • The relationship between cognitive skills and academic abilities changes as children develop.

13. Working Memory The ability to do mental work with information in short-term memory.

14. Each sense has a short term memory

15. Our prefrontal cortex helps with the manipulation part

16. Early word decoding network and working memory

17. Fluent single word reading vs. disfluent single word reading

18. When a reading weakness arises, we might ask: What is going on with… Prefrontal executive functions Spatial and verbal short-term memory 3) Functional connection between executive and short-term memory in different areas

19. Visuo-spatial Prefrontal Verbal

20. Implications for assessment Assessment can’t just look at Phonological processing Decoding Fluency Comprehension

21. Nor can assessment just look at Visual skills Verbal Skills Processing Speed Working Memory

22. It needs to look at… Visuo-spatial Prefrontal Verbal

23. 1) Prefrontal executive functions • Cognitive Flexibility, Executive Function, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Working Memory. 2) Short-term memory • Verbal short-term memory, Visuo-spatial short term memory 3) Connection between executive and short-term memory • Processing Speed, Working Memory.

24. Example

25. Example

26. So what? If we know “where” the difficulty in reading arises, what are the implications for instruction? If we know “where” the difficulty in reading arises, what are the implications for research?

27. Questions to ponder… Can you work on these subskills (i.e., verbal working memory) or must you work on the “larger” skill (i.e., the reading skill)? If we find that students have difficulty in some but not all areas implicated in reading, what does that mean about a single diagnostic label? Do labels make sense? Why or why not? How are these same subskills (verbal working memory, visuo-spatial working memory etc.) implicated in other subject areas? If we find that students with reading difficulties struggle with these underlying cognitive skills, can we say that a child has a “reading disability” or a “nonverbal learning disability”? How could thinking from a cognitive framework change our understanding of disability?

28. Questions What are traditional reading assessments, and what do they tell us? How might reading assessments look different if they are informed by an MBE framework? What are the implications for instruction or research when we use an MBE framework for assessing reading?

29. Thank you