Identifying Difficulties and Exceptionalities

Jean Johnston 2009 Schull Community College

Incoming assessments

On-going assessments

Diagnostic assessments (in-

house)

Testing by outside professionals,

including the NEPS psychologist

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D.Young Cloze Reading Test 3

Vernon Maths Competency Test(N.France was used up to 2007)

AH2 was used until last yearCognitive Abilities Test 3 (CAT3)

Level E has replaced it

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Purpose is to: Identify those students who might benefit from learning

support

To assist in the organisation of well-balanced mixed-ability groupings

To identify students who might benefit from further testing

To begin to identify students with exceptional ability

To assist in identifying students with dual exceptionality

To provide information to subject teachers about the range of ability in the new first year

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In class assessments

End of term (more formal) assessments

Assessment of skills – reading, spelling, phonics

Group Reading Test (GRT II) (for pre- and post-testing after interventions

such as paired reading)

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MORE IMPORTANT than any other on-going assessment is close observation by subject teachers and SEN team and good, two-way liaison and communication between these teachers

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LASS – Lucid Assessment for Secondary Schools

WRAT 4 Revised Vernon Graded Word Spelling

Test Detailed Assessment of Speed of

Handwriting (DASH) D. Young Non-Reading Intelligence Test Level 3

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Three distinct groupsi. Students with an assessed special

educational need

ii. Students who have not had an assessment by an educational psychologist but whose difficulties have been identified and supported under the general allocation at primary level

iii. Students with a hidden difficulty who seem to be “average” achievers (Often students with dual exceptionality)

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John was assessed as having dyslexia a year before he was due to make the transition to second-level

There was reference in his assessment report to ‘difficulties with language acquisition’

WISC III scores revealed him to be a student of ‘average’ intellectual ability

His WORD scores at 11years and 9 months: Basic Reading: 1%ile Spelling: 3%ile Reading Comprehension: 2%ile WORD Composite: 2%ile

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Incoming Assessments: D. Young Cloze Reading Test 3: R.A.

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N.France Profile of Mathematical Skills: 108 Standard Age Score

AH2: Total, C; Verbal, C; Numerical, C; Perceptual, C

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John was allocated 2.5 hours There was no Laptop Initiative then

but John had the use of the computer with assistive software in the SEN Room

Despite adequate scores in incoming tests, John experienced great difficulties with all literacy skills

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English B* Science B

Maths A CSPE BHistory B Bus. Studies AGeography AFrench D*Technical Graphics BMetalwork B

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WRAT4 Standard Score

Single Word Reading: 80

Sentence Comprehension: 124

Spelling: 81

Math Computation: 95

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Testing by educational psychologist in 5th Year: WIAT II Standard Score Percentile Single word reading : 77 6 Spelling: 88 21 Pseudoword decoding: 65 1

Tested with WASI: verbal 99.7% ile , performance 61%

ile.

Assessment describes him as: “A young man with exceptional ability”

Subject Teacher’s Description: ‘an absolute genius’

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530 PointsIncluding A1 in

EnglishPhysics and Engineering

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Incoming Tests Reading Age: 10.5 N. France Maths: 95 Standard Score AH2: Total C ( Verbal C, Numerical C and Perceptual B)

Anne did have assistance at primary level under the general allocation, but a family decision was made not to avail of support at post-primary level

She managed well in school – average performance. Did adequately in Junior Certificate

Came to attention of SEN/LS early in 5th Year when a subject teacher mentioned that subject specific spelling needed assistance. We then spoke with Language teachers (Irish and French) and both had concerns that Anne would not achieve to her potential in Leaving Certificate because of spelling difficulties

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Word reading 16%ile Sentence Comprehension 42% ile Spelling 7%ile Reading Composite 23%ile

RACE: Spelling and Grammar waiver requested for Leaving Certificate

Note the WRAT percentile in spelling –much lower than the LASS score. Anne was above the cut-off age for LASS (about 12 months) but LASS was used nevertheless because it does still give a very good indication of strengths and weaknesses. Note the relative strength in reading comprehension.

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INCOMING TESTS Reading Age 9.5

Norman France Profile of Mathematical Skills was 99

AH2 was exactly the same as John’s: Total C, C in verbal, C in numerical and C in Perceptual

She was offered and took LS in English (1X 35 minute class per week)

Did not have any extra help in primary school

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Was brought to our attention in third year because there was teacher concern with her spelling in Irish and French

Investigation revealed also that she was having trouble with English spelling and grammar – but was doing higher level English

Testing was carried out

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Word Reading S.S. 83 (13% ile)

Sentence Comprehension S.S. 91 (27% ile)

Spelling S.S. 82 (12% ile)

Reading Composite S.S. 85 (16%ile)

Math Computation S.S. 97 (42% ile)

On the basis of these scores, RACE was granted.

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John, our first student, is an exceptionally able student who has a learning difficulty that has been largely overcome because of his ability

The other two students have difficulties but also have the potential to be exceptionally able

The incoming profiles of these students were similarly ‘average’, with one exception

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Incoming testing did not reveal any learning difficulties in these students, except in Katie’s case where it revealed a reading difficulty – otherwise her scores were also ‘average’

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The two girls described above are coping well with the curriculum

However they are unlikely to achieve their potential without additional supports

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Incoming testing is a useful tool, but is only one part of assessment AND it may often be misleading

Observation and communication are essential to a fuller understanding of a student’s abilities

Academic ability is only one aspect of intellectual ability – many ‘intelligences’ cannot be measured by testing

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Has raised awareness about students with dual exceptionality

Has led to a broader and more effective use of both incoming assessments and of in-house testing

Has resulted in identification of students with exceptional needs and of those with dual exceptionality

Has led to measures being put in place to support both these categories of students

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