Assessment Across Specialist Areas This artefact compares assessment tools used across the 7 specialist areas of the

Specialist Teaching Program. It is based on information shared by students on the program through the forum thread Domain 6 goal to have a discussion with specialists in different areas, set up by Hayley Pemberton on 3rd September 2013. From when the thread was set, up until 29th September 2013, 157 postings have been made covering all the specialist areas on the program. This resource has provided a wealth of information, discussion and clarification to inform this comparison. The method used for comparing the assessment tools involved creating a table listing all the tools mentioned in the forum and noting which specialist areas these were used in. The tools are classified into diagnostic, literacy, numeracy, behaviour and social, and others.

RTLB D i a g n o s Lexia (Primary/Secondary) Lucid COPS (Cognitive Assessment Primary) Lucid LASS (Cognitive Assessment Secondary) McAlpine Scales : identification of Special Abilities

EI

ASD

CEN

Gifted

Deaf

Vision

ti c

SPELD WISC IV Gough-Kastler- Roper Phonemic Awareness Test Aston Index ( 5-14 yrs) screening/diagnosis language difficulties B4 School hearing and vision tests Dyslexia Screening Tony Attwood- Australian Scale for Aspergers Syndrome Functional Vision Assessment TAPS- auditory screening tool

L it e r a c y

Running Records/ PM Bench Marks Probe Star asTTle Burt PAT ESL Literacy Program For Writing Van Asch: Reading and Writing Schonell

Peters South Australian Spelling JOST- Junior Oral Language Screening Test Peabody- Developmental Motor Scales (Oral Language 0-5 Years) Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test EVT: Expressive Vocabulary Test Bracken Basic Concept Scale ( Oral Language 2-8 years) Phonological Assessment ( Gail Gillon or Yolanda Soryl) Sight Word Knowledge Pseudo Word Test ( Joy Allcock) 6 Year Net Observation Survey Hilton Reading Much More Than Words: Speech/ Language Reading Eggs Articulation Test Language Processing Test Overall Teacher Judgements Literacy (OTJs) M NUMPA ( Primary)

a t h e m a ti c s

PAT ( primary and secondary) GLOSS JAM I-CAN Consumer Maths Mathletics Overall Teacher Judgements Maths (OTJs)

B e h a v i o u r / S o c i a l

WEISS- functional Impairment Rating Scale ADHD- Fraces Steinberg Kari Dunn Buron A 5 could make me lose control ( anxiety) ABC: Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequences records of behaviour TIES: The Instructional Environmental System FBA: Functional Behavioural Assessment Connors Behaviour Checklist ABAS: Adaptive Behaviour Assessment Systems ABA: Applied behavioural Analysis Sociogram Tracking Sheets

Interactive Drawing Self-Monitoring Plans ( Older Children) Steven Covey: Circle of Influence Piers-Harris: Child Self-Concept Scale (7-18yrs) Work Potential Assessment Self-Esteem Assessment Bounce Back : assessment for circle time Existing School Records and Assessments O t h e r s Teachers Notes/Data Work Samples National Curriculum Exemplars Observations Parent/teacher interview or surveys Student Interviews or surveys Narrative Assessment CRSSAC Expanded Curriculum Frameworks ( Literacy and Numeracy) P-Levels 9 (UK below level 1 of the curriculum) Portfolios Checklists

Anecdotal information Ecological assessments Holistic Assessments Te Kotahitanga observation cycle sheet Te Wahariki Te Whare Tapa Wha IEPs IQ Test Ravens Matrices ( Alternative to standard IQ test) SCERTS assessment Carolina Curriculum ( Pre-Schoolers with special needs) St Gabriels Curriculum ( Hearing Impaired) AEPS: The Assessment, Evaluation and Programming System Floor Time Interest Inventory Oregon Project ( hearing and vision) Technology Assessment Learning Media Assessment (LMA)

Ages and stages ECO-Maps ( graphic representation of family) Adaptive Daily Living Orientation and Mobility Assessment Auditory Memory Test Daniel Ling 6 Sound Test Specialist Assessments(SLT, Auditory, Vision)

Analysis
The following points of interest were noted from the table: RTLBs used the widest range of tools reflecting the diverse range of learning needs they deal with in their role. The majority of forum responses were from RTLBs which may have also increased the range of tools mentioned. In the learning areas of Numeracy and Literacy standardised, summative tools such as Running Records and NUMPA were used across the widest number of specialist areas. This may be a reflection of the number of children with diverse needs now in mainstream classrooms and being assessed using the same tools as their peers. In the General category IEPs and Narrative Assessments were used by the largest number of specialist areas, reflecting the effectiveness of these tools across a range of diverse learning needs. Informal assessment methods of questionnaires, interviews, discussions, observations and surveys were in common use by many specialist areas. Hearing and vision specialists tended to use more assessment tools specific to these particular disabilities. Diagnostic tools also tended to be more focused on the specific need of the learner.

Conclusion
This forum has reinforced the value of collaboration cross different specialist areas. The enormous number of assessment tools available means that no one person can know of, or be familiar with, every tool. Consultation with specialists from other areas will help ensure access to , and guidance about, the most appropriate tool for the needs of an individual child. To not share knowledge of assessment with other specialists could mean denying the child an opportunity that could open up a new and highly appropriate learning pathway. The work in this domain has introduced me to the CRSSAC Expanded Curriculum Frameworks (Literacy and Numeracy) which I will now be using with one of our children with global needs next term. I also want to explore further the use of Reading Eggs and FBA as tools for assessment that would be relevant to my classroom. Without the knowledge shared between specialists on this forum it would have taken me much longer to come across these tools.

References
A good visual featuring 6 assessment types. (n.d.). Retrieved September 2013, from Educational Technology and Mobile Learning: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/07/a-good-visualfeaturing-6-assessment.html Anderson, M. (2010). Should I Just Decide Where I Think They Are At? Exploring The Literacy And Numeracy Assessment Landscape Of Deaf And Hearing-Impaired Students In New Zealand . Retrieved from http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/10092/4912/1/thesis_fulltext.pdf

Domain 6 goal to have a discussion with specialists in different areas. (n.d.). (University of Canterbury; Massey University;) Retrieved September 2013, from Inclusive Education and Research: http://specialistteaching.net.nz/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=8721 Ecomaps. (n.d.). Using play and the creative arts to. Social Care Institute for Excellence. Retrieved Septemeber 2013, from http://www.scie.org.uk/assets/elearning/communicationskills/cs08/resource/assets/pdfs/Ecomap_guid ance.pdf NZCER. (n.d.). Teacher Observation Scales. Retrieved September 2013, from NZCER: http://www.nzcer.org.nz/pts/teacher-observation-scales The Carolina Curriculum for Young Children. (n.d.). Retrieved September 2013, from Therapro: http://www.therapro.com/The-Carolina-Curriculum-for-Young-Children-C307993.aspx