Understanding students' needs : a guide for developing and implementing assessment procedures for students encountering educational challenges

216 Pages·1993·8.6 MB·English

by  Samuels, Marilyn T

Understanding
Students'
NEEDS:
A
Guide for
Developing
and
Implementing
Assessment
Procedures for
Students
Encountering
Educational Challenges
AlbertaEducation
Special Education Branch
Ex
LIBRIS
UNIVERSITATIS
ALBERTVENSIS
UNDERSTANDING
STUDENTS' NEEDS:
A
Guide for Developing and Implementing
Assessment Procedures for
Students Encountering Educational
Challenges
Alberta Education
Special Education Branch
1993
ALBERTA EDUCATION CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Alberta. Alberta Education. Special Education Branch.
Understanding students needs: a guidefordeveloping and implementing assessmentprocedures
'
for students encountering educational challenges.
ISBN 0-7732-1131-4
— — —
1. Special education Alberta Evaluation. 2. Educational evaluation Alberta.
— ~ — —
3. Students Alberta Rating of. 4. Exceptional children Alberta Rating of.
I. Title. II. A guide for developing and implementing assessment procedures for students
encountering educational challenges.
LC3984.2.A3.A333 1993 371.9
Additional copies of this resource may be obtained from:
Learning Resources Distributing Centre
12360 - 142 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5L 4X9
Telephone: [phone]
This document is intended for:
Students
Teachers (K-12) /
Administrators /
•
Counsellors
Parents
General Public
Other
Copyright®1993, the Crown in Right of Alberta, as represented by the Minister of Education.
Alberta Education, 6240 - 113 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6H 3L2.
Permission is hereby given by the copyright owner for any person to reproduce these materials
or any part thereof for educational purposes and on a non-profit basis.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OFALBERTA
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Special Education Branch, Alberta Education, expresses its appreciation to the following individuals
who assisted in the development and production ofthis document.
Author Marilyn T. Samuels, The Learning Centre, Calgary
Project Team Carl Simonson, Project Manager, Special Education Branch, Alberta Education
Elaine Kryzanowski, Special Education Branch, Alberta Education
Barbara Morban, Special Education Branch, Alberta Education
Editors Patricia Cox
Barbara McCord
Desktop Publishing Irene Sorochan
Sandra Mukai
Appreciation is expressed to the following people for their valuable contributions:
Bruce Adams, Alberta Education
Jac Andrews, University of Calgary
Georgia Blackmore, County of Lacombe
George Fitzsimmons, University of Alberta
Richard Conte, The Learning Centre, Calgary
David Ford, Alberta Education
Barbara Gammon, Taber School Division
Doris Gordon, Alberta Education
Alexandra Hildebrandt, Alberta Education
Frank Horvath, Alberta Education
Norma Jensen, Calgary Board of Education
Dick Krenz, St. Albert Protestant Schools
Grace LeBlanc, Alberta Education
Susan Lynch, Alberta Education
Janice McDonnell, The Learning Centre, Calgary
Joe North, Alberta Education
Pat Petrie, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary
Parti Rosher, The Learning Centre, Calgary
Ron Rusk, Camrose School District
Lloyd Symyrozum, Alberta Education
Lin Taylor, Lousage Family Institute, Edmonton
Miriam Trehearne, Calgary Board of Education
Dorothy Ungstad, County of Ponoka
Thelma Wagar, The Learning Centre, Calgary
Leigh Anne Willard, Fort McMurray School District
Other Staff, The Learning Centre, Calgary
Understanding Students Needs: A GuideforDeveloping and Implementing Assessment Proceduresfor
'
Students Encountering Educational Challenges was developed by the Special Education Branch, Alberta
Education, under the direction of:
Harvey Finnestad, Director
Rick Morrow, Deputy Director
Carl Simonson, Coordinator
11
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
i
List of Figures v
List ofTables v
Introduction 1
Basic Premises of the Assessment Model 5
Format 7
Structure 7
Section I Assessment Workbook 11
Chapter 1 Status of Assessment in Your School/Jurisdiction 13
Information About the User 14
Current Assessment Practices 19
Current Policies and Procedures 27
Chapter 2 Definition and Purpose of Assessment 33
Defining Assessment 33
Purpose of Assessment 36
Summary 44
Chapter 3 Working Through the Assessment Process 47
Individual Assessment 47
Group Assessment 71
Summary 78
Section II Issues to Consider in Assessment 79
Chapter 4 Determining Your Philosophy 81
Philosophy of Education 81
Philosophy of Learning 94
Articulating a Philosophy of Education and Learning 105
in
Chapter 5 Deciding Who Will be Assessed 109
Stages in the Assessment Process 109
Factors Influencing the Decision Regarding Who Will be Assessed ... 112
Pre-Referral and Identification Guidelines 114
Chapter 6 Referral and Assessment Planning 117
The Referral Process 117
Developing an Assessment Plan 122
Chapter 7 Assessment Procedures 129
Types of Assessment 130
Test Terminology 142
Types of Tests 148
Issues in Group Administration 153
Test Bias 154
Summary 154
Chapter 8 Assessment Results 157
Assessment Conferencing 157
Assessment Reports 158
Scores from Group Testing 160
Access to School Records 161
Guidelines for Recording and Reporting Assessment Results 162
Section HI Guidelines for Developing Assessment Policy and Procedures 165
Chapter 9 Guidelines for Developing Assessment Policy and Procedures 167
General Considerations 167
Articulating a Philosophy of Education and Learning 169
Pre-Referral and Identification 173
Referral and Assessment Planning 174
Assessment Procedures 176
Guidelines for Recording and Reporting Results 177
Section IV Summary 181
References 189
IV
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Assessment Process 34
Figure 2 Assessment Alternatives 132
LIST OF TABLES
Table Purposes of Assessment 37
1
Table 2 Information Gathered Prior to Referral 52
Table 3 Sample Questions 54
Table 4 Possible Ways to Gather Information 55
Table 5 Possible Questions 59
Table 6a Student A: Possible Assessment Procedures and Personnel 63
Table 6b Student B: Possible Assessment Procedures and Personnel 64
Table 7 Possible Purposes for Follow-Up Testing 77
Table 8 Articulating a Philosophy of Education and Learning 106
Table 9 Stages in the Assessment Process 109
Table 10 Pre-Referral and Identification Guidelines 115
Table 11 Assessment Plan for Student B 124
Table 12 Referral and Assessment Planning Guidelines 127
Table 13 Assessment Alternatives Quiz 130
Table 14 Answers to Assessment Alternatives Quiz 131
Table 15 Informal Assessment Techniques 138
Table 16 Formal Assessment Techniques 142
Table 17 Guidelines for Choosing Assessment Procedures 156
Table 18 Guidelines for Recording and Reporting Results 163
VI