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Some quotes on assessment. “ Responding to the understandable demands for more accountability, almost every school in the land is morphing into a test-taking factory ”. ~ Robert Reich, Professor of Public Policy, University of California July 2000, New York Times. Essential questions….
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Some quotes on assessment “Responding to the understandable demands for more accountability, almost every school in the land is morphing into a test-taking factory” ~ Robert Reich, Professor of Public Policy, University of California July 2000, New York Times
Essential questions… • How do general education student assessments contribute to special education decisions? • What information sources are used to identify and plan for students with special needs? • How are curriculum-based probes used to make special education decisions?
Concept: Assessment as feedback Feedback: the process in which part of the output of a system is returned to its input in order to regulate its further output.
Individual reflection: • Ways you prefer to receive feedback… • Ways you prefer NOT to receive feedback… Connect
Small group discussion: • What are the similarities and differences in how we would like to be assessed? • How does this compare to how we are assessed? how we assess our students? Attend
Imagine… • Draw an image that represents the role of assessment in the teaching process… Image
The Assessment Process • Assess: to describe and to compare to criteria • Test: to determine how many criteria have been met • Grade: to assign a value to that accomplishment Inform
How Assessments Affect Decision Making • Six areas of decision making: • Screening • Diagnosis • Program placement • Curriculum placement • Instructional evaluation • Program evaluation
Information Sources Used for Programming • Five information sources: • High-stakes achievement tests • Standardized achievement tests • Group-administered • Individually administered • Psychological tests • Alternate assessments • Curriculum-based assessments
A closer look at standardized assessments… • Review your group’s assessment • What “feedback” will it provide? • What academic or cognitive abilities does it assess? • What ages or grade levels is it appropriate for? • Look for any potential biases in the assessment practice
Kinds of Curriculum-Based Assessments • Probes of basic academic skills (reading, math, or writing) • Probes of content-area knowledge and learning strategies (vocabulary knowledge, prerequisite skills, textbook reading, note taking) inform
Probes of Academic Skills • Classified by how students take in and respond to information • Three suggestions: • Identify information in classroom • Select representative skills, not all skills • Keep level and scoring consistent
Probes of Academic Skills • Probes of reading skills • Probes of written expression skills • Probes of math skills
Probes of Content-Area Knowledge and Skills • Probes of prerequisite skills • Measures of independent learning skills
Probes of Prerequisite Skills • Identify critical content or skills • Identify entry-level content or skills • Develop probe to measure skills • Give probe to current classes • Consider factors beyond score
Measures of Independent Learning Skills • Direct observation checklists • Analysis of student products • Student self-evaluation
Using Probes for Special Ed Decisions • Peer comparison in screening • Fluency and accuracy in diagnosis • Skill mastery and curriculum placement • Monitoring progress and instructional evaluation
Activity: hear-write probe (aka spelling test) • Number your paper from 1 – 12 • You will have 5 seconds to spell each word practice
And the correctly spelled words are… • moccasin • mayonnaise • religious • liquid • inoculate • accommodate • vacuum • imposter • consensus • diarrhea • broccoli • occasion
Practice finding the “cut off” point(pp140-141) • Record your score on a sticky note • Place sticky notes on board in sequential order • Find the median • Divide the median in half to find the cut off point (usually 6-12%)
Curriculum-based probes in your content area… • In your small groups discuss: • Any direct observations of curriculum-based probes • A specific example (real or hypothetical) of the use of curriculum-based probes in your field placements extend
Small group sharing of examples of curriculum-based probes • Is the example a: • Probe of academic skills? • probe of content-area knowledge and skills? • probe of prerequisite skills? refine
Exit slips…3 -2 – 1… • 3 things I learned about how assessment in special education • 2 things I learned about curriculum-based probes • 1 question about assessment that I still have… perform