11
Checklists for needs based assessment
Checklists for needs based assessment
Using Data from High-Stakes Testing in Program Planning and Evaluation
This article intends to help school psychologists understand the nature of high stakes tests, methods for analysing and reporting high stakes test data, standards for tests and program evaluation, and application of appropriate practices to program planning and evaluation.
Best Practices in Making Assessment Accomodations
This chapter reviews laws and policies governing assessment accommodations in diagnostic assessment and educational accountability contexts and then describes principles and concepts that should guide assessment accommodation decisions and practices.
Best Practices in Educational Accountability: High-Stakes Testing and Educational Reform
This chapter is designed to help school psychologists understand high-stakes tests and their results to better partner in schools' efforts toward accountability and reform movement, federal policies promoting accountability and reform, measures of student performance and educational accountability, the stakes associated with assessments, unintended consequences of assessment, and activities school psychologists may consider to help schools respond to accountability, high-stakes testing, and reform.
Classroom Assessment: Minute by Minute, Day by Day
The article presents examples of how to use assessment in order to support learning. It introduces recent research findings concerning assessment for learning and how it can be applied to classroom teaching. The authors discuss about assessment for learning techniques and strategies and provide examples of how to make them work in the classroom.
Joint Action Project
The presentation provides a general description of the Joint Action project. This project has been carried out by a team of psychologists and teachers in the Peder Lykke School, in Copenhagen. The project focuses on the joint responsibility between school and home and the cross curricular actions to be taken by teachers, pedagogues, the school management, PPR (educational psychological advisory service), the social and health services administration to assess pupils with behavioural disorders and help them to participate in the process of learning. Teachers are provided with concrete tools to handle children with special needs and to support them in terms of pedagogical working methods. The PPR (also called educational-psychological advisory services) has developed alternative service methods of advice and supervision of a class or a pupil's social life. Some of these tools and strategies are discussed in the presentation.
The project Experiential Education: Concepts and experiences at the level of context, process and outcome
The document introduces a new educational model for pre-school: the Experiential Education (EXE). This educational model in the area of elementary education developed in Flanders and in the Netherlands in 1991. The basic insight within the EXE-theory is that the most economic and conclusive way to assess the quality of any educational setting (from the pre-school level to adult education) is to focus on two dimensions: the degree of ‘emotional well-being’ and the level of ‘involvement’ of pupils in the process of learning. The paper provides useful guidelines for practice.
Assessment in Inclusive Settings. Translating the P scales
This brief paper has been produced as a result of project participants’ general interest in the English development of the P scale performance descriptions. The paper is to introduce colleagues in the European Agency’s assessment project to the development of the scales, their implementation and some of the lessons learned.
Opportunity to Learn Resources
A list of resources collected by Jeffery P. Braden, PhD in 2005. Jeff Braden is Professor of Psychology and Interim Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at North Carolina State University. He has directed school psychology programs at NC State, University of Wisconsin—Madison, San Jose State, and the University of Florida. Jeff has presented more than 300 papers at state, national, and international meetings and published more than 160 articles, books, book chapters, and other products on assessment, school psychology, intelligence, and deafness. Jeff Braden has worked internationally as a keynote speaker, researcher and expert witness in a variety of places including Queensland and New South Wales (Australia), Dublin (Ireland), Athens (Greece), and Amman (Jordan). He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, invited member of the Society for the Study of School Psychology. He has chaired the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Psychological Tests and Assessments, worked with the Research Institute for Secondary Education Reform (RISER) for youth with disabilities, studied the treatment utility of assessment for educational consultation. Most recently, Jeff completed an evaluation of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction pilot program to implement a Response to Intervention process using problem-solving.
The Quality of Learning: assessment alternatives for primary education
Why and how we assess our pupils has an enormous impact on their educational experience and consequently on how and what they learn. This paper provides a critical review of the assessment system in England in the light of evidence and practice. The report forms part of the Review's research survey strand, which consists of thirty specially-commissioned survey of published research and other evidence relating to the Review's ten themes. This survey relates to Curriculum and Assessment.
Primary Curriculum and Assessment: England and Other Countries
This report offers a comparative analysis of primary curriculum and assessment policy in England compared to other countries. The purpose is to enhance understanding of England's curriculum and assessment priorities by providing an account of the ways in which primary curriculum and assessment policy in England conforms to and deviates from international trends.
Quality Standards in Educational Services for Children and Young People with Sensory Impairment
This circular sets out guidance on the provision of educational services for children and young people with sensory impairment. In the attempt to address and overcome barriers to learning, to support diversity and inclusion and to narrow the gap in inequalities a series of quality standards are being developed to assist service providers in delivering high quality support for children and young people with sensory impairment. These standards are to be used as benchmarks against which services provided can be evaluated by LEAs by using the self-evaluation tool.
Are standards rising in English primary schools?
The officially reported impressive rises in standards in mathematics and English in primary schools since 1995 are challenged. The article looks at the increases from four different perspectives. First, the general pattern of change is considered. Secondly, the statutory test data are compared with the results from several different studies. These indicate a complex pattern with clear rises in standards, but not as strong as the official data suggest up to 2000. Since 2000 the official data have shown little change and this is largely confirmed by independent tests. Thirdly, the standard setting procedures are considered and mechanisms by which the observed patterns could have been produced are set out. Finally, parallels are drawn with the experience in Texas where an apparently remarkable set of data was shown to be largely illusory. A case is made for an independent body to be set up with the express and sole purpose of monitoring standards over time.
A rationale for a different model of assessment for pupils with the most complex needs in Wales
This paper outlines the rationale for the adoption of a different assessment model for pupils with complex needs and discusses some of the issues arising from the extension of the National Curriculum 'best fit' summative assessment model to pupils working below National Curriculum level 1. In order to support teachers and other staff in setting appropriate individual targets for pupil development, Routes for Learning was developed using a different assessment model. A description of the Routes for Learning is also provided.
Routes for Learning
This presentation provides a brief description of the Routes for Learning assessment model. It consists of a new model developed in Wales to assess pupils with complex needs. Routes for Learning provides a more holistic view of learners and takes into account the idiosyncratic learning of these young people, who may, due to physical, intellectual and sensory difficulties, take a different range of learning pathways. This model of assessment focuses on key areas of learning such as communication, social interaction and cognitive skills. It gives indications on how to record evidence of learning for those students with more profound learning difficulties and who show very subtle learning progress. The presentation also gives an outline of the Routes for learning pack and how it can be used.
RtI & Data-Driven Instructional Planning Resources
A list of resources collected by Jeffery P. Braden, PhD in 2007.
Schools' Use of Data in Teaching and Learning
The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to conduct a study of primary, secondary and special maintained schools in England to assess the use of data in teaching and learning. www.dfes.go.uk/research
SENCO Update issue 94
This issue of SEN Update provides a brief description of the European Agency project of Assessment in Inclusive Settings and of the ‘Young people’s views on inclusive education’, Lisbon Declaration (2007). It also includes information about SENCOs and their roles as accredited teachers; A new inquiry which looks at parental confidence in SEN assessment; The Governing body’s functions relating to the role of the SENCO; ‘Beyond Bricks and Mortar’: an alternative approach to SEN provision; SENCO status: what the select committee recommended in 2006; Education and Skills Committee recommendations on the role of the SENCO (2006); Keeping children with disabilities safe and the Government plans for action to help keep children safe; Provision for pupils with dyscalculia by Michael Farrell.
The changing role of the SENCO
Following a decade of growing concern about the role and status of SENCOs in mainstream schools in England, the government has reviewed its regulations and training to ensure that SEN support in schools is as effective as possible. Christopher Robertson summarises some of the policy milestones that have influenced practice in schools and local authorities and the important changes about to take place. The issue also provides a series of references to further readings in the area of inclusive education and special needs education, with a particular focus on assessment.
SENCO Update issue 47
This issue of SEN Update provides information about Assessment of learning: summative assessment under scrutiny. It also includes information about Primary strategy: implications for SENCOs; Effective coordination is key to promoting social inclusion; Mainstream and/or special schools: the debate intensifies; Connexions Service: being aware of what's on offer; Is too much testing bad for pupil health and progress?; Developing inclusive early years education: sign language for all by Ann Tucker; and New inspection framework places a high value on self-evaluation.
SENCO Update issue 46
This issue of SEN Update provides information about Assessment for Learning. It also include information about SEN provision - LEAs struggle to support schools; Most primary schools lack staff with SEN qualification; New guidance on support for children with disabilities; NC - disapplication in KS4; Getting truants back to school; Case in point: Including pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools; Research news: NHS and schools - working together to improve mental health; Research news: Playing for Success continues to score; Perspective: How well do you PARRC? (Planning, Assessing, Recording, Reporting and Celebrating progress) by Maria Landy; Professional update: Transition planning: getting it right.
A Summary of Research on Assessment Issues
Much of the research in this document refers to summative tests/examinations. However many of the principles will apply to the use of p levels/national Curriculum levels as summative assessments. The points made about ensuring consistency of teacher assessment may also be of interest. This summary contains key points from the following publications: - The role of teachers in assessment of learning - Assessment Reform Group; - Teaching & Learning Research Project - Assessment of Significant Learning Outcomes; - Summary of findings and recommendations from NFER Schools' Use of Data in Teaching and Learning by Catherine Kirkup, Juliet Sizmur, Linda Sturman and Kate Lewis (National Foundation for Educational Research); - Harlen, W. (2007) The Quality of Learning: assessment alternatives for primary education. (Primary Review Research Survey 3/4), Cambridge: University of Cambridge Faculty of Education; - Harlen, W. (2007) Assessment of Learning London: Sage.
Provision and specific approaches to the assessment of pupils with profound/multiple learning difficulties and the implications/impacts on teacher training in Norway
The presentation indicates current challenges and procedures concerning the assessment of pupils with profound learning difficulties in Norway and their impact on teacher training. The author highlights the need for further support to be given to teachers. Teacher training should include assessment courses.
The fly’s eye view. A critical friend’s view of the programme so far
This presentation provides some interesting reflections on the second phase of the project on assessment in inclusive settings. By showing the main data collected by the project participants, it identifies the main project findings and suggests plans to move ahead. The presentation was given during the Odense meeting on April 15th 2008.
