Understanding psychometric and educational assessment methods in the context of dyslexia and/or other specific learning differences and barriers to literacy

Understand how patterns associated with dyslexia and/or other specific learning differences and barriers to literacy are reflected in the results of underlying ability tests.

• Concepts of underlying ability: - verbal compared with abstract/non-verbal cognition, differing views of underlying ability such as inherited versus acquired
• Assessment of underlying ability: underlying ability tests and profiles associated with major learning differences (specific and general)
• Verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests available to teachers and/or specialist teachers.

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  Explain concepts of underlying ability.

• 1.2

  Explain how underlying ability is measured.

• 1.3

  Describe expected patterns of scores associated with dyslexia and/or other specific learning differences and barriers to literacy in underlying ability tests.

Understand types of assessment procedures available to assess for the presence of dyslexia and/or other specific learning differences and barriers to literacy.

• Standardised tests compared with informal procedures
• Tests of ability compared with attainment
• Normative tests compared with criterion-referenced or curriculum-based tests
• Impact of cultural/environmental factors and learning opportunities on test performance, including English as an additional or other language; Impact of health and motional factors (including tester/testee relationship) on test performance
• Relative value of ‘snapshot’/one-off assessment compared with formative assessment over time
• Defining features of standardised tests: - prescribed materials, administration and scoring
• Relevance of size of sample and nature of population on which test was developed
• Standardisation and norms
• Reliability and validity of tests
• Normal distribution curve, mean and standard deviation
• Raw scores and derived scores: standard scores, percentiles, scaled scores
• Correlation coefficients – probability and significance
• Standard error of measurement; confidence intervals; prevalence
• Relative value of screeners, computerised testing and individualised full diagnostic assessment.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Analyse assessment procedures including:

  
  
  • standardised tests;
  • diagnostic tests
• 2.2

  Explain information given in test manuals, including:

  
  
  • technical terminology;
  • statistical data.

Understand the importance of selecting appropriate published tests and assessment procedures for dyslexia and/or other specific learning differences and barriers to literacy.

• Technical information: purpose and nature of test, sample size and population where norms were developed, age range of test, validity of test, reliability (including extremes of age range), scoring systems (mean and standard deviation), materials needed and instructions for administration (individual/group)
• Individual and group tests appropriate to the age and ability of learners covering:

       o Reading – word level (non-words, graded and high-frequencywords): recognition       compared with phonemic decoding; accuracy and fluency

      o Reading – text level: silent and oral reading; comprehension, accuracy andfluency

     o Writing – word level: spelling (graded and high-frequency words)

     o Writing – text level: spelling; fluency; handwriting; punctuation; grammar; structure         and content

      o Numeracy skills – knowledge and recall of number facts; mental arithmetic; mathematics language; life skills

• Verbal and non-verbal ability
• Phonological processing – phonological awareness, phonological memory and rapid naming
• Auditory sequential and working memory
• Speed of visual processing
• Visual motor integration.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Critically compare tests and procedures for use in assessing:

  
  
  • literacy attainments;
  • numeracy attainments;
  • attributes associated with dyslexia and/or other specific learning differences and barriers to literacy.
• 3.2

  Analyse impact of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on test performance.

• 3.3

  Justify selection of tests and assessment procedures to suit specific assessment situations.

Understand how to work within professional and ethical frameworks in relation to assessment.

• Sensitivity to and respect for feelings oflearner
• Safeguarding the learner
• Confidentiality and security of assessment data and personal information concerning those assessed, ensuring compliance with the current legislation
• Importance of professional liability/insurance.

Assessment Criteria

• 4.1

  Analyse expected ethical standards and professional practice in assessment.

• 4.2

  Explain how tests to determine the presence of dyslexia and/or other specific learning differences and barriers to literacy are administered within a professional and ethical framework.

Understand how to interpret quantitative and qualitative outcomes of assessments.

• Differences between underlying ability, attainment and cognitive processing
• Comparing the differences between standardised scores obtained from assessments with background information, strategies used and behaviour observed during the assessment.

Assessment Criteria

• 5.1

  Describe expected patterns of scores and outcomes from assessments associated with dyslexia and/or other specific learning differences and barriers to literacy, including:

  
  
  • attainment tests;
  • underlying ability tests;
  • diagnostic assessments.
• 5.2

  Explain relationships between quantitative data and qualitative information obtained from assessments.

• 5.3

  Evaluate benefits of quantitative data and qualitative information obtained from assessments.