Diagnostic Assessment Reports Specific Learning Difficulties

1. Diagnostic Assessment ReportsSpecific Learning Difficulties NADO Conference July 2006 Claire Jamieson

2. Scope of DfES Guidelines 2005 • Diagnostic Criteria • The assessment process • Recommended tests • Report writing • Qualifications of assessors NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

3. Time frame • From September 2005: Practising Certificates available from Patoss • Required from 2007 – 2007: • Practising Certificate • Recommended report format • Recommended tests • From 2008 – 2009: training courses adapted to incorporate DfES guidelines NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

4. The Follow-up • National Committee for Standards in SpLD Assessment, Training and Practice • Short form:SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

5. Remit of SASC • standards for training • criteria for organisations wishing to award practising certificates • guidance for continuing professional development • approval of courses NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

6. Obtaining a Practising Certificate(specialist teachers) • Route 1: eligibility for AMBDA or full membership of Patoss • Route 2: Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) or experience (APE) • Route 3: Additional training required NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

7. LAs • expect Guidelines to be followed 2005-2007 LA officers should continue to accept reports from assessors as previously • Reports post 16 should be accepted unless many years have elapsed • IQ assessment only needed once • From 2007 LA officers will expect to see DfES guidelines reflected in reports NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

8. Eligibility • students with specific learning difficulties are eligible for the DSA regardless of whether they are mildly or seriously affected • the purpose of funding support is to enable students to reach their academic potential • the support (and cost of support) provided should vary according to need NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

9. Specific Learning Difficulties • dyslexia • dyspraxia • dyscalculia • ADHD NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

10. Common features of SpLDs • genetic / hereditary component • influenced by environment • affects ability to learn, study, acquire literacy / numeracy skills • effects change over time NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

11. DiagnosticCriteria • history of learning difficulty • persisting difficulties / differences • underlying causal weakness • exclusion of other factors NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

12. Underlying Ability / IQ • discrepancy between IQ and attainment NOT necessary for diagnosis • information about underlying ability IS important within the context of intervention and learning strategies NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

13. Educational Context Main focus of diagnostic assessment: • the effect of the specific learning difficulty on the student’s ability to learn and study The extent to which the specific learning difficulty constitutes a disability can only be judged within an educational context NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

14. Diagnostic Assessment Reports Should: • provide evidence of SpLD according to the diagnostic criteria in slide 11 • include both quantitative and qualitative information • be based on the administration of recommended tests NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

15. To be assessed All three areas should be covered: • attainment in literacy (or numeracy if focus is on dyscalculia) • underpinning cognitive skills • underlying ability (verbal and non-verbal) (if not previously assessed) NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

16. Assessment of literacy 1: Reading • single word reading • prose reading (rate, accuracy and comprehension) • non-word reading NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

17. Assessment of Literacy 2: writing • spelling • handwriting speed and legibility • free writing speed • grammar and punctuation • written language expression (coherence etc) NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

18. Underpinning cognitive skills • working memory • processing speed • awareness and processing of speech sounds • motor skills (dyspraxia) • visual processing (memory, visual / motor skills) NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

19. Underlying ability • Verbal: vocabulary; verbal reasoning • Non-verbal: visuo-spatial skills; non-verbal reasoning NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

20. Report format 1 • cover sheet including assessor statement • summary of findings: Statement of SpLD • background information (history) • test conditions • literacy attainment • underlying ability NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

21. Report format 2 • cognitive processing (underpinning skills) • other relevant information • conclusion • recommended support • appendices (summary of scores) NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

22. Evidence at a glance Key information will be found: • on the summary sheet • in the conclusions • on the sheet summarising test scores NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

23. Assessor Statement 1(required from 2007 / 2008) The author of this report • holds a current practising certificate • certifies that this assessment has been conducted and the report written in accordance with the Working Group 2005 DfES Guidelines for Assessment of SpLDs in Higher Education NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

24. Assessor Statement 2 • name: • signature: • the author is a qualified psychologist / specialist teacher holding an approved qualification • qualification held and awarding institution: • current Practising Certificate number and issuing body NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

25. Tests Standardised • Relates performance to that of others • Age-related scores not appropriate for adults • Standardised scores usually based on 100 as mid-point of average range • Average for HE population likely to be higher NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

26. Non-standardised tests • Give further qualitative information • Allow assessor to explore performance in more detail NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

27. WRAT Reading and Spelling • Graded, single word tests • Standardised score • 100 is mid-point of average range • Average range is 85 – 115 • Errors should be analysed in addition to quotation of scores NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

28. Non-word reading tests • Reveals decoding ability • Highlights weakness in application of phonic knowledge • Poor performance is diagnostically significant for dyslexia NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

29. Tests of auditory working memory • Digit Span (recalling sequences of digits in forward and reverse order) • Letter Number Sequencing (WAIS III) • Mental Arithmetic (these tests also rely on phonological skills) NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

30. Tests of phonological processing(speech sounds) • Rapid naming • Non-word repetition • Spoonerisms Information about phonological processing may also be gained through analysis of spelling and reading errors and from performance in tests of auditory working memory NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

31. Underlying ability (IQ) 1 • Wide Range Intelligence Test WRIT (open) Vocabulary & Verbal Analogies Matrices & Diamonds • Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence WASI (closed) Vocabulary & Similarities Block Design & Matrix Reasoning NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

32. Wechsler Adult Intelligence ScaleWAIS III UK (Closed) • Verbal Comprehension: 3 tests • Perceptual Organisation (non-verbal): 3 tests) • Working Memory (auditory ): 3 tests • Processing Speed: (2 tests) 3 further tests for Full Scale IQ score NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson

33. Further information • DfES Working party Report on the Assessment of SpLDs in Higher EducationJuly 2005 • Minutes of SASC Committee meetings • Documents arising from SASC meetings • www.patoss-dyslexia.org NADO 2006 Claire Jamieson