Hilary

Here is a breakdown of my Observation hours and schools: Linda Bell- 2 hours Mark Shouldis- Bucks County Head Start 12 hours (visited 2 Head Start Schools, Bensalem and Johnsville and interviewed administrative dept.) Kim Guido- Childrens fitness instructor 4 hours Raquel Henson- TSS from Foundations, worked with her and a student with Autism 1 hour every week since November 2009. Still on going. Susan Bowes- TSS/ Childrens art theropist. Visited 3 of her clients. 1 hour each=3 hours I will give the signed copy to Dr. Bell If you need any other info. please let me know! Thanks, Hilary

Hilary Henwood Chapter 6

=** ESSAY QUESTIONS **=

1. When assessing for school performance problems, what recommendations are given for the use of norm-referenced standardized tests, criterion- referenced tests and curriculum-based measurement? Group tests are not normally recommended for students with special needs. Group tests are known to underestimate what a child can and cannot do. Criterion and Curriculum tests are generally used after a norm reference test.

2. Why are testing accommodations allowed for students with special needs in state- and district- wide tests? Name 6 common testing accommodations. The Federal Law requires all students with an IEP to have special accommodations when taking any state or district wide test. It is up to the IEP team to determine what accommodations are needed. Six common accommodations are: to give the student assistance before testing begins, the environment where test is taken, directions of the assessment, assistance used during testing, use of technology during assessment, any changes in the format of the assessment.

3. Besides administering individual achievement tests to students, what are other ways to establish a student’s school performance strengths and challenges? Good communication with parents and counslers. Have access to students files or previous records. Talking directly to the student.

4. When choosing an academic achievement test to determine school performance problems, what features of the test would you look at to determine its appropriateness for your student? To make sure the test is age appropriate. To have the test cover appropriate content.

=GREAT JOB! 10/10 POINTS EARNED.= Hilary and Kathryn**

William and the Challenges of Second Grade **

This activity contains 3 questions.  1. Ms. Trapp comes to you, the resource specialist at your school, to consult about William, a student in the second grade. From the information given to you by Ms. Trapp, complete the Prereferral Intervention Checklist on pages 32–33 in your textbook. What other modifications or accommodations could Ms. Trapp try while waiting for the special education assessment to occur? PreReferral Intervention Checklist

Name:William Age 7 Date Teacher Ms. Trapp Grade 2nd grade

1. AREAS OF CONCERN: William’s scores in mathematics are below average. He has difficulty following directions and completing class work. William is also disruptive in class.

2. WHAT KINDS OF STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM?

A. RECOREDS REVIEW AND CONFERENCE

Teacher recommends student for further assessment.

B. ENVIRNMENTAL MODIFICATIONS

Classroom pace has been modified and slowed down.

C. INSTRUCTIONAL Visuals and prompts have been used, along with rewards for completed work and good behavior.

D. MANGEMENT Ms. Trapp observes William to look for academic and behavior improvements.

3. WHAT METHODS ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN?

William enjoys computer time, therefore it is used as a reward if he completes his work and exhibits good behavior in the classroom.

4. WHERE DOES THIS STUDENT STAND IN RELATIONSIP TO OTHERS IN CLASS, GROUP OR GRADE REGARDING SYSTEMWIDE TESTS, CLASS AVERAGE BHEAVIOR, COMPLETION OF WORK, ETC?

William scores average on his group reading tests, but has difficulty with mathematics. William becomes very confused and has trouble remembering things such as number facts.

STUDENT BEHAVIOR: William does not complete assignments and is often disruptive to the class.

CLASS OR GROUP/GROUP/CLASS BEHAVIOR

William has difficulty working independently in a classroom setting.

5. IS THE CONCERN GENERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTILUAR item, A SUBJECT, OR PERSON? William’s weakness is in math, but his behavior is consistently disruptive throughout the school day and at home.

6. IN WHAT AREAS, UNDER WHAT CONDITION, DOES THIS STUENT DO BEST?

Minimal improvement when William had computer time.

7. ASSISTANCE REQUESTED (OBSERVATION, MATERIAL, IDEAS, ETC)

Screening for special education services.

2. Ms. Trapp refers William's mother to you to explain the assessment process. William's mother wants William to be assessed for both academic and behavior difficulties. Explain the assessment process and discuss what the assessment team members do. William has been identified as possibly needing special education services. You as a parent must give consent. The process begins with a step by step procedure by identifying the potential problem. We have tried classroom modifications and they have not been successful. The next step in this process is having an assessment team evaluate William. If it is determined that William requires special education services, an Individualized Education Program (or IEP) will be developed for William by his team, which includes teachers, parents, and other professionals.

3. As you prepare to work with the assessment team, reflect on the assessment questions you have about William at this point. How does the layout of the classroom affect William’s behavior? How does William interact with his peers? Does William’s weakness in math correlate with his feelings on the subject? Does he dislike math? Does his behavior affect his intellectual performance? 


 * William **

This activity contains 3 questions.  1. The assessment team begins to collect information about William. It is determined that you and the psychologist will interview William's mother together. What questions would you have for her regarding William's strengths, interests, and challenges? What activities does William enjoy at home? During what activities does he exhibit positive behavior? What discipline methods does the parent use at home?

2. In order to provide support to the classroom teacher, Ms. Trapp, you observe William in the classroom for a thirty-minute period during language arts instruction and later for a thirty-minute period during math instruction. What information could you glean from this type of observation? Observation is occurring during a subject in which he has average performance (language arts) and below average performance (math). The information we would gain is how his behavior shifts from one subject to another.

3. William's mother asks you about the next steps in the IEP process and when William will start receiving services. She wants to know how long William will be receiving special education services. How would you respond to her concerns? William’s IEP will begin as soon as possible after his assessment team has developed it and approval from his parents is obtained. His progress will be monitored and evaluated once a year William’s IEP will be evaluated every three years or upon request from his parents. At that time, it will be determined if he is still eligible for special education services.

ESSAY (2 paragraphs for each)
 * __GOOD JOB 8/10 POINTS EARNED. PLEASE REVIEW YOUR INCORRECT ANSWERS.__**

1. Why is there a need for different types of assessment? What problems would arise if only formal tests or informal measures were available? The importance for different assessment they are ongoing process it helps with each phase of the students with disabilities. teachers gather information then identification and referral,then to determine of eligibility plan a program for that child,then to implemented and evaluation .these kind of programs are to insure that students with disabilities receive and continue as long as the child need and required. The problems that could arise if only formal tests or informal measures are available Both phases of assessment are considered more useful information but formal assessment are structured and there are specific guidelines like scoring and interpretation of the results. The most common is standardized tests which is referred to as norm referenced test. these test are designed for groups and academic subjects and intellectual performance the results of these test are standard scores and what percentile ranks.

Informal assessments are used to determine current levels and it also document the student progress.Informal procedures are less structured teachers might give a test that the students have study for the week. Informal measures are designed by the teacher not by commercial publication. There are nt guild line for informal assessments. Informal assessments does not mean that it is appropriate for all students with disabilities, it can at times have a barrier for students in a group to take a test, these tests can be timed or it may required reading and writing skills. In that case formal measures are needed.

2. Explain why it is important that educational decisions about students with disabilities are made by teams, rather than by a single individual. The team may include parents, counselors, teachers and specialists who can bring a different perspective who can contribute their expertise to make a central decision.

3. IDEA 2004 requires that teams take into consideration the student's involvement with (and progress in) the general education curriculum. What are the implications of this requirement for general education teachers? Are they likely to become more involved in planning programs for students with disabilities? General education teachers will have more involvement with planning programs for students with disabilities. Teachers will be involved with the students IEP and how these students will participate in state and district assessments for school achievement.

4. Although federal special education laws require that assessment procedures be non-biased, bias does happen. What are some of the reasons for bias, and what can be done to improve current practices ? Some reasons for bias testing is having an untrained examiner administer a test. If the tester has strong beliefs about a certain group of students, they may fail to see the students as individuals. Some recommendations are: make an effort to enlist the students motivation and interest by helping them feel as comfortable as possible while testing. If possible the tester should be someone who is familiar to the student.

5. Why is it important to plan educational programs based on individual student profiles rather than based on diagnosed conditions such as mental retardation or autism? A broad range of special ed. services are available depending on the students needs- not their diagnosis. The student may need speech or physical therapy.

Hilary Henwood

1. Assessment is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. True

2. The term assessment means the same as testing. False

3. Assessment practices in special education are identical to assessment practices in the medical model. False

4. IDEA 2004 is the current federal law that regulates special education services. True

5. Prereferral strategies attempt to solve school performance problems of individual students. True

6. Screening assessments are much more thorough than eligibility assessments. True

SHOULD BE FALSE
7. Students with disabilities tend to show better performance on group tests than on individual tests. True

SHOULD BE FALSE
8. The team approach is recommended in federal special education laws but not required. True

SHOULD BE FALSE
9. Students who have a school performance problem related to a disability are eligible for special education services. False

SHOULD BE TRUE
10. At minimum, the student's eligibility for special education services must be evaluated every five years. False

1. All of the following are abuses of assessment procedures with the exception of B b) Assessment by a team of professionals

2. Assessments were created in the early 1900s for the purpose of D d) All of the above

3. Which of the following is not a part of the definition of educational assessment? B b) Used for decision-making purposes

USED TO EST THE CAUSE OF DISABILITY
4. Which one of the following statements describes the goals of No Child Left Behind? C c) Equity in educational opportunities, innovative instructional practices, school choice, qualified teachers

===Accountability for student performance, focus on what works, reduce bureaucracy, empower parents === 5. Which one of the following statements is not accurate? C c) The student’s abilities or disabilities are the sole focus of the assessment

6. Screening is B b) A large-scale data collection activity to quickly identify students who may need further study

7. A student is eligible for special education services when D d) The second and the third answers

8. All of the following are informal assessment strategies except D d) Norm-referenced tests

9. Parents are important members of the assessment team because D d) All of the above

10. Parents must receive progress reports on IEP goalsC c) At least as often as report cards are issud) At least annually at an IEP meeting

Hilary Henwood Chapter #1 Key Terms

Assessment: The process of gathering info. to make legal instructional decisions about the provision of services to students with disabilities.

Measurement: A scale for quantifying psychological dimensions such as aptitude, attitude and achievement.

Test: Samples of students behavior collected under standard conditions.

Bias in Assessment: When discrimination can be a possibility during test administration and scoring.

Computer Adaptive Testing: A computer test where not all test items are presented to all students. Certain items are selected based upon the students performance.