Diagnostic Assessment:Salvia, Ysseldyke & Bolt: Ch. 1 and 13

Dr. Julie Esparza BrownSped 512/Fall 2010Portland State University

What are two major expectations for schools in the U.S.?

Excellence Equity

Decisions Made from Assessments

Screening Progress monitoring Instructional planning and monitoring Eligibility for special education Program evaluation Accountability decisions

Quote from Page 9

“Before a student may be declared eligible for special education services, he or she must be shown to be exceptional (have a disability or a gift or talent) and to have special learning needs.”

Gifted and Talented Education is NOT a component of special education and does not receive funding nor protection under IDEIA.

Assess Instruction

Why is it important to assess the learning environment before assessing a student?

Is this important within an RTI Framework?

Assessment is Broader than Testing

Testing is _____________. Assessment includes:

Observations Recollections (anecdotal information) Tests Professional judgment

Assessments Have Improved Methods of test construction Statistical analyses are better We assess new skills and abilities based on

latest theories and research. Assessment practices have broadened

beyond testing. Advances in technology has helped to track

assessment data. Federal laws have put a spotlight on

assessments.

Generally speaking, who does language testing in schools?

LanguageLanguage is defined as a code for a conveying ideas. It

includes the following components: Phonology: hearing and production of speech

sounds Semantics: study of word meanings Morphology: use of affixes to change the meaning of

words; verb tense Syntax: word order to convey meaning Pragmatics: social context in which a sentence occurs Supralinguistics: second order analysis of meaning of

words or sentences (such as looking for sarcasm, figurative language)

What is Communication?

“Communication is the process participants use to exchange information and ideas, needs and desires” (Owens, 2005).

The following slides are taken from a presentation by Dr. Shelly Chabon, PSU

Methods of Communication

Success communication requires: A sender of the message A receiver of the message A shared intent to communicate A shared means of communication

Kudor 2008

Language

“Language is a rule governed symbol system for communicating meaning through a shared code of arbitrary symbols.”

Kudor, 2008

American Speech & Hearing Association (ASHA) Definition of Language

Language is a complex and dynamic system of conventional symbols that is used in various modes for thought and communication. Contemporary views of human language hold that: Language evolves within specific historical, social,

and cultural contexts; Language, as rule-governed behavior, is described by at least

five parameters – phonologic, morphologic, syntactic, semantic and pragmatic;

Language learning and use are determined by the interaction of biological, cognitive, psychosocial, and environmental factors;

Effective use of language for communication requires a broad understanding of human interaction including such associated factors as nonverbal cues, motivation, and sociocultural roles.

Speech

Speech is the oral expression of language.

The act of speaking is highly complex It includes coordination of:

Respiration Phonation Resonation Articulation

Think

Can you have language without speech?

Can you have speech without language?

Can you have communication without language or speech?

The Components of Language

Form Phonology Syntax Morphology

Content Semantics

Use Pragmatics skills

Language Form

Phonology:Rules that govern how sounds are combined to form words & phrases Includes all sounds in a particular

language and the rules for combining them

Phoneme sound

Language Form: Two Components of Grammar Syntax

Organized rules specifying word order, sentence organization & word relationships

Arrangement of words to form meaningful sentences

A collection of rules that specify the order in which words are combined to form sentences in a particular langauge

Morphemes Mean Length of Utterance (MLU)

Analyzing MLU in morphemes is one way to analyze syntactic aspects of child’s syntax

Language Form

Morphology Aspect of language concerned with rules

governing change in meaning Includes rules by which words in a

language are pluralized or inflected

Language Form

Morpheme Smallest unit of meaning

Cannot be subdivided further Used to modify word structures to

change meaning Two types of morphemes

Free Bound

Language Content

Semantics Rules governing the meaning or content

of words and word combinations

Semantic system Includes our lexicon

Lexicon One’s mental dictionary

Language Use

Pragmatics: Rules that govern language use in social situations Use of language in context or as a function

Where an utterance takes place To whom the utterance is directed What and who are present

Knowledge and use of appropriate flow of language Discourse and how utterances are related Narrative and the logical sequence of events

Why Assess Oral and Written Language?

Individuals need ability to converse and express thoughts/feelings.

Language processes and skills underlie subsequent development

Written and oral language tests are administered for special education eligibility as identified by IDEIA.

Tests for Assessing Written and Oral Language

Test of Written Language – Fourth Ediction (TOWL-4)

Test of Language Development: Primary – Fourth Ediction (TOLD-P4)

Test of Language Development: Intermediate – Fourth Edition (TOLD-I:4)

Oral and Written Language Scales