This document discusses different types of academic assessments used to evaluate students, including ability tests, achievement tests, norm-referenced tests, and curriculum-based assessments. It provides details on two specific achievement tests: the WIAT-III and Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Achievement. These tests measure academic skills in areas like reading, math, writing, and oral language. The document stresses the importance of selecting the appropriate assessment based on the purpose of testing and a student's individual needs to inform instruction and interventions.

1. Academic Assessment
SPED 435

2. Achievement Tests

3. Ability Assessment vs Achievement
Assessment
• Ability tests measures a student’s potential. also known as aptitude or
intelligence tests, are standardized batteries, administered by qualified
professionals that assess an individual's overall thinking and reasoning
abilities. Ability tests measure cognitive functioning by evaluating verbal
and nonverbal reasoning, working memory and processing speed. The tests
also assess intellectual strengths and weaknesses.
• Achievement tests are standardized assessments administered by qualified
professionals. They measure levels of academic aptitude in reading,
mathematics, written language and oral language. These tests are used to
determine how well a student is functioning in a specific area. They
highlight academic strengths and weaknesses in key subjects.

4. Norm-Referenced & Curriculum-
Based Assessments
Norm-Referenced
• An assessment designed to measure and
compare individual students’
performances or test results to those of
an appropriate peer group (that is, norm
group) at the classroom, local, or
national level. Students with the best
performance on a given assessment
receive the highest grades.
• generally used to sort students rather
than to measure individual performance
against a standard or criterion.
•
Curriculum-Based
• Is an approach to linking instruction
with assessment. CBA has three
purposes: (1) to determine eligibility,
(2) to develop the goals for
instruction, and (3) to evaluate the
student's progress in the curriculum.
Based on the performance on a CBA
instrument, teachers and other
professionals can specify instructional
goals.

5. Assessment

6. WIAT-III
• The test assesses the academic achievement of children, adolescents, college
students and adults, aged 4 through 85. The test enables the assessment of a
broad range of academics skills or only a particular area of need. There are
four basic scales: Reading, Math, Writing, and Oral Language. Within these
scales there is a total of 9 sub-test scores.
• It can be used to identify the academic strengths and weaknesses
individuals possess as well as inform and aid intervention planning. An
individually administered achievement test such as the WIAT-II can be used
in a variety of settings where there is concern over educational progress. It
can provide meaningful information to assist with diagnostic, eligibility,
placement, and intervention decisions.

7. Woodcock-Johnson III Test of
Achievement
• The tests help teachers and others to determine learning disabilities and
create learning programs appropriate for an individual.
• This test includes both a standard battery and the extended battery.
Standard battery includes tests 1-10 and the extended battery tests 11-22
• The standard battery includes subtests of: reading fluency, understanding
directions, letter-word identification, story recall, math fluency, calculation,
spelling, writing samples, writing fluency, passage comprehension, applied
problems, and story recall-delayed.
• The extended battery subtests include: picture vocabulary, word attack,
editing, oral comprehension, reading vocabulary, academic knowledge,
quantitative concepts, sound awareness, spelling of sounds, capitalization,
and punctuation.

8. Selecting the Appropriate Test
• There are many different things to consider when selecting the appropriate
diagnostic instrument or technique. First of all, what are you testing the
student for? or what is the purpose of the test? Next, it is important to
consider if the technique or instrument used has reliability and validity.
Third, does it give you the information you need for planning (IEP) or
intervention? Fourth, are there specific skills or areas a student may be
struggling in (for example: math) that the test would be useful for.
• It is important for a special education teacher to understand and be able to
administer different types of tests. This is something that is done fairly
often and it has to be done accurately.

9. References
• http://www.education.com/reference/article/curriculum-based-assessment/
• http://www.learnnc.org/
• http://www.ehow.com/