School Psychologists' Assessment Practices with English Learners: Recommendations to Increase Accurate Identification

School Psychologists' Assessment Practices with English Learners: Recommendations to Increase Accurate Identification PDF Author: Lisa Ann Miller
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 138

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Book Description
This action research project engaged school psychologists to address a problem within a specific school district: to accurately identify English Learner (EL) students with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). School psychologists are responsible for conducting comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations with students to determine if they have a disability. SLD, the most common eligibility category for which they assess, is broadly defined as a discrepancy between a child's cognitive potential and achievement. Unlike other categories of eligibility that are medically determined--such as deafness, blindness, or traumatic brain injury--SLD is somewhat subjective and abstract. When a student is acquiring a second language, SLD determination becomes more abstract than with English-only students. A reason for the increased complexity is the fact that some second language acquisition traits overlap with SLD traits (Harris, Sullivan, Oades-Sese, & Sotelo-Dynega, 2015; Sullivan, 2011). For example, an EL student might struggle with reading comprehension, paying attention, and following directions. Those traits are also true for a student with SLD. Consequently, despite good intentions, it is possible that a student can be misclassified with or without a SLD if he/she is are also an EL. My study aimed to identify strategies school psychologists could use in their assessment practices with EL students to reduce the potential of misclassification. Through participatory action research, participants named three recommendations: obtain information about the student's oral language profile through direct observations of the student during non-structured time and consultation with speech therapists, adjust test administration protocol to allow the student maximum opportunity to understand the directions rather than rigid adherence to standardized administration, and organize a panel of colleagues who are proficient in second language acquisition to provide case consultation with school psychologists on their evaluations with EL students. Results from my study also revealed how participatory action research can be an effective approach to address disproportionate special education data in a school district. I believe the effectiveness of this approach is rooted in the organic and exploratory nature of action research design. The school psychologists self-identified existing practices that might be causes for misclassification of Hispanic students made eligible with an SLD. Then, the participants collaborated on actions to ameliorate the problem. Ultimately, the participants addressed the problem without the need for top-down mandates.

School Psychologists' Assessment Practices with English Learners: Recommendations to Increase Accurate Identification

School Psychologists' Assessment Practices with English Learners: Recommendations to Increase Accurate Identification PDF Author: Lisa Ann Miller
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 138

Get Book Here

Book Description
This action research project engaged school psychologists to address a problem within a specific school district: to accurately identify English Learner (EL) students with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). School psychologists are responsible for conducting comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations with students to determine if they have a disability. SLD, the most common eligibility category for which they assess, is broadly defined as a discrepancy between a child's cognitive potential and achievement. Unlike other categories of eligibility that are medically determined--such as deafness, blindness, or traumatic brain injury--SLD is somewhat subjective and abstract. When a student is acquiring a second language, SLD determination becomes more abstract than with English-only students. A reason for the increased complexity is the fact that some second language acquisition traits overlap with SLD traits (Harris, Sullivan, Oades-Sese, & Sotelo-Dynega, 2015; Sullivan, 2011). For example, an EL student might struggle with reading comprehension, paying attention, and following directions. Those traits are also true for a student with SLD. Consequently, despite good intentions, it is possible that a student can be misclassified with or without a SLD if he/she is are also an EL. My study aimed to identify strategies school psychologists could use in their assessment practices with EL students to reduce the potential of misclassification. Through participatory action research, participants named three recommendations: obtain information about the student's oral language profile through direct observations of the student during non-structured time and consultation with speech therapists, adjust test administration protocol to allow the student maximum opportunity to understand the directions rather than rigid adherence to standardized administration, and organize a panel of colleagues who are proficient in second language acquisition to provide case consultation with school psychologists on their evaluations with EL students. Results from my study also revealed how participatory action research can be an effective approach to address disproportionate special education data in a school district. I believe the effectiveness of this approach is rooted in the organic and exploratory nature of action research design. The school psychologists self-identified existing practices that might be causes for misclassification of Hispanic students made eligible with an SLD. Then, the participants collaborated on actions to ameliorate the problem. Ultimately, the participants addressed the problem without the need for top-down mandates.

School psychologists' assessment practices with bilingual and limited-english-proficient students

School psychologists' assessment practices with bilingual and limited-english-proficient students PDF Author: Salvador Hector Ochoa
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 26

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Book Description


RTI Approach to Evaluating Learning Disabilities

RTI Approach to Evaluating Learning Disabilities PDF Author: Joseph F. Kovaleski
Publisher: Guilford Publications
ISBN: 1462550444
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
From leading authorities, this indispensable work is now in a revised and expanded second edition, presenting state-of-the-art tools and procedures for practitioners. The book shows how to use response to intervention (RTI) to evaluate K–12 students for specific learning disabilities (SLD). The second edition gives increased attention to optimizing the instructional environment in the context of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). Procedures are described for screening at-risk students; using RTI to intensify instruction in reading, writing, and math; identifying SLD; determining eligibility for special education; and planning individualized education programs. Case examples and pointers for practice are woven throughout. In a convenient large-size format, the book includes reproducible tools that can be downloaded and printed for repeated use. New to This Edition *Incorporates contemporary perspectives on SLD, upgraded procedures for implementing an MTSS, new approaches to measuring RTI, and enhancements in using classroom observations. *Chapter on best practices in academic screening, including important dos and don'ts. *Separate chapters on using RTI for reading, written expression, and mathematics. *Chapter on RTI and special education law, focusing on what practitioners need to know. This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series, edited by Sandra M. Chafouleas.

Learning disabilities screening and evaluation guide for low- and middle-income countries

Learning disabilities screening and evaluation guide for low- and middle-income countries PDF Author: Anne M. Hayes
Publisher: RTI Press
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 50

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Book Description
Learning disabilities are among the most common disabilities experienced in childhood and adulthood. Although identifying learning disabilities in a school setting is a complex process, it is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries that lack the appropriate resources, tools, and supports. This guide provides an introduction to learning disabilities and describes the processes and practices that are necessary for the identification process. It also describes a phased approach that countries can use to assess their current screening and evaluation services, as well as determine the steps needed to develop, strengthen, and build systems that support students with learning disabilities. This guide also provides intervention recommendations that teachers and school administrators can implement at each phase of system development. Although this guide primarily addresses learning disabilities, the practices, processes, and systems described may be also used to improve the identification of other disabilities commonly encountered in schools.

Special Education Considerations for English Language Learners

Special Education Considerations for English Language Learners PDF Author: Else V. Hamayan
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781934000113
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This important guide shows how to determine appropriate interventions for ELLs with academic challenges. It includes extensive new discussions of RtI and standardized testing used for diagnostic purposes and and reviews consequences for ELLs. The ensuring a continuum of services model featured in the book is a strong collaborative framework that takes teams of educators step-by-step through gathering information about and implementing effective interventions for ELLs with learning difficulties.

Effective Assessment for Students With Special Needs

Effective Assessment for Students With Special Needs PDF Author: Jim Ysseldyke
Publisher: Corwin Press
ISBN: 1544334338
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 123

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Book Description
At last, a practical guide to the what, how, when, and where of effective assessment! When determining whether or not a student should receive special education services, what the specific nature of the student′s instruction should be, or the extent to which a student is making educational progress, it is critical to know not only what sort of assessment method is most appropriate, but how, when, and where it should be administered. Including a pretest, posttest, and key vocabulary terms, Effective Assessment for Students With Special Needs helps educators make these weighty decisions with highly practical information such as: Formal and informal methods of data collection When to use various assessment practices and what they can show an evaluator Standards for conducting assessments to ensure accuracy Using data to make decisions about the education of students with disabilities and those who are gifted and talented

Essentials of Processing Assessment, 3rd Edition

Essentials of Processing Assessment, 3rd Edition PDF Author: Milton J. Dehn
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119691338
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
A critical handbook for practitioners and clinicians engaged in processing assessments In the newly revised third edition of Essentials of Processing Assessment, a team of distinguished practitioners delivers an expert framework for planning, conducting, and interpreting an assessment of psychological processes. Emphasizing a pattern-of-strengths-and-weaknesses (PSW) perspective, the book offers an overview of evidence-based interventions for various psychological processes. In the book, readers will review cognitive processing theories, apply a PSW model for specific learning disability (SLD) identifications, review the relationships between psychological processes and specific kinds of achievement, and detailed information on how to assess 14 different processes covered in the model. Readers will also find: Step-by-step guidelines and worksheets that walk readers through the analysis and interpretation of test results Strategies for identifying students with specific learning disabilities Information about major cognitive and memory scales, as well as scales designed for processing assessment An essential handbook for psychologists and other practitioners and clinicians engaged in processing assessments of children and adults, Essentials of Processing Assessment, 3rd Edition will earn a place in the libraries of anyone seeking to make more accurate diagnoses and identify more effective treatments.

Reading Intervention Case Studies for School Psychologists

Reading Intervention Case Studies for School Psychologists PDF Author: Melissa Coolong-Chaffin
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000936643
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 340

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Book Description
Reading Intervention Case Studies for School Psychologists provides vivid, real-world examples of school-based interventions targeting students’ phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension in reading. This book offers a rich variety of applied reading interventions in school settings , spanning strategies such as incidental teaching, word boxes, peer tutoring, taped words, story mapping, and beyond. Each case includes thorough descriptions of the specific area of concern, detailed intervention protocols, data collection and analysis methods, and tips for ensuring social acceptability and treatment integrity. School psychologists, along with related professionals in special education, general education, and speech-language pathology, will come away with new insights into this comprehensive set of well-researched and frequently applied reading interventions.

Assessment Practices Used by School Psychologists with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Assessment Practices Used by School Psychologists with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Educational evaluation
Languages : en
Pages : 78

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Book Description


Desk Reference in School Psychology

Desk Reference in School Psychology PDF Author: Lea A. Theodore
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190092343
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 881

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Book Description
The Desk Reference in School Psychology provides practitioners, academics, and students with a compendium of current, evidence-based, and state-of-the-art best practices in education and psychology. This comprehensive, detailed, and empirically supported resource renders the Desk Reference an ideal, practical go-to guide for all school-based professionals, including classroom teachers, counselors, social workers, and school psychologists.