Hall & Frawley (2012) The Educational Diagnostician's Role in the Evaluation of Reading Assessment

1. Presented to the
Louisiana Educational
Diagnosticians Association
September 6, 2012

2. Proposed DSM-5
0 Diagnosis of Specific Learning Disorder is made by
clinical synthesis of the individual’s
0 History (development, medical, family, education)
0 Psychoeducational reports of test scores and
observations and
0 Response to Intervention
0 Using the following diagnostic criteria
American Psychiatric Association
DSM-5 Development, 2012
Proposed Revision May, 2013

3. History
0 History or current presentation of persistent
difficulties in the acquisition of
0 Reading
0 Writing
0 Arithmetic
0 Mathematical reasoning skills
0 During the formal years of schooling (i.e., during the
developmental period).
American Psychiatric Association
DSM-5 Development, 2012
Proposed Revision May, 2013

4. The individual must have at
least one of the following:
0 Inaccurate or slow and effortful word reading
0 Difficulty understanding the meaning of what
is read (e.g., may read text accurately but not
understand the
sequence, relationships, inferences, or deeper
meanings of what is read
American Psychiatric Association
DSM-5 Development, 2012
Proposed Revision May, 2013

5. Avoidance
0 Avoidance of activities requiring
0 Reading
0 Spelling
0 Writing or
0 Arithmetic
American Psychiatric Association
DSM-5 Development, 2012
Proposed Revision May, 2013

6. Further Criteria
0 Current skills in one or more of these
academic skills are
0 Well-below the average range for the individual’s
age or intelligence, cultural group or language
group, gender, or level of education
0 As indicated by scores on individually-
administered, standardized, culturally and
linguistically appropriate tests of academic
achievement in reading, writing, or mathematics
American Psychiatric Association
DSM-5 Development, 2012
Proposed Revision May, 2013

7. Exclusionary Factors
0 The learning difficulties are not better
explained by
0 Intellectual Developmental Disorder,
0 Global Developmental Delay
0 Neurological, sensory (vision, hearing), or
0 Motor disorders.
American Psychiatric Association
DSM-5 Development, 2012
Proposed Revision May, 2013

8. Finally
0 Learning difficulties … significantly interfere with
0 Academic achievement
0 Occupational performance
0 Activities of daily living
0 that require these academic skills, alone or in any
combination
American Psychiatric Association
DSM-5 Development, 2012
Proposed Revision May, 2013

9. Focus is on
0 Word reading accuracy
0 Reading rate or fluency
0 Reading comprehension
American Psychiatric Association
DSM-5 Development, 2012
Proposed Revision May, 2013

10. Early Indicators
0 Learning names of colors
0 Learning names of shapes
0 Learning names of letters
0 Learning nursery rhymes
0 Extensive slurring of words
0 Lack of rhyming ability
0 Lack of word play
The Source for Dyslexia &
Dysgraphia (1999)

11. Early Indicators
0 Difficulty recognizing sound similarities
0 Creating a story based on picture clues
0 Difficulty with spatial terms
The Source for Dyslexia &
Dysgraphia (1999)

12. Milestones
0 Early Childhood
0 Preschool
0 Kindergarten – 2nd grade
0 3rd grade
0 Move from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” skills

13. National Reading Panel:
Five Basic Elements
0 Phonological Awareness
0 Phonics
0 Fluency
0 Vocabulary
0 Comprehension

15. Woodcock Johnson III Tests of
Achievement (WJ III)
0 Reading achievement, including reading
decoding, reading speed, and the ability to
comprehend connected discourse while reading
0 Sight vocabulary, phonics, and structural analysis
0 Reading comprehension, vocabulary, and reasoning
0 Ages 2 – 90+

16. Wechsler Individual
Achievement Test III (WIAT III)
0 Word Reading
0 Reading Comprehension
0 Pseudoword (phonetic) Decoding
0 Ages 5 - 50

17. Woodcock Reading Mastery
Test III (WRMT III)
0 Evaluate struggling readers
0 Identify specific strengths and weaknesses in reading
skills to plan targeted remediation
0 Guide educational selection and placement decisions
0 Screen for reading readiness
0 Determine reading strategies for students with special
needs
0 Ages 4.6 – 79.11

18. Single Topic
0 Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE)
0 Word Reading
0 Individual Administration
0 Ages 6 through 24
0 Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency (TSWRF)
0 Test of Irregular Word Reading Efficiency (TIWRE)
0 Reading Comprehension
0 Individual Administration
0 Ages 3 through 94

19. THE GORTS
0 Gray Oral Reading Tests - 5 (GORT-5)
0 Oral Reading Comprehension
0 Individual Administration
0 Ages 6 through 23
0 Gray Silent Reading Test (GSRT)
0 Reading Comprehension
0 Individual / Group Administration
0 Ages 7 through 25

20. Test of Reading
Comprehension - 4 (TORC-4)
0 Vocabulary, Syntax, Paragraph Reading, Sentence
Sequencing
0 Individual Administration
0 Norm Referenced
0 Ages 7 through 17-11

21. Test of Early Reading Ability
3 rd Ed (TERA-3)
0 Alphabet: measuring knowledge of the alphabet and
its uses
0 Conventions : measuring knowledge of the
conventions of print
0 Meaning: measuring the construction of meaning
from print.
0 Age 3.6 – 8.6

23. Role of RTI

25. Incorporating information for
report writing
0 Assessment
0 Data collection from multiple sources
(e.g., individual, group, standardized, informal, formativ
e, and summative)
0 Evaluation
0 Follows assessment and integrates all data to produce a
student profile to inform decisions about
identification, eligibility, services, and instruction.
Learning Disabilities Association, 2010

26. Combine With
0 Functional measures
0 Including

27. Observation
0 Pre testing
0 During testing
0 Post testing

28. Checklists
0 Use of
0 Limits of

29. Sources of Information
0 Student
0 Parent
0 Teacher
0 Other (e.g. paraprofessionals, counselor, principal)

30. Integrating Multiple Measures of Data
Criterion- Curriculum-Based Norm-
Informal
Referenced Measurement Referenced
•Parent Interview •State Standards •Aimsweb •WIAT III
Oral Expression
•Teacher Interview Assessment •WJ III Ach
•Observation
•Parent Interview
Listening
•Teacher Interview
Comprehension •Observation
•Parent Interview
Basic Reading Skill
•Teacher Interview
•Observation
•Parent Interview
Reading
•Teacher Interview
Comprehension •Observation
•Parent Interview
Reading Fluency
•Teacher Interview
Skill •Observation

32. Determining the
“Appropriateness” of the FIE
0 “Skills”
0 Equality of members
0 Vary in training
0 Analyze the situation through different “lenses”
0 Data complements, not competes
Etscheidt, 2003

33. Determining the
“Appropriateness” of the FIE
0 “Adequacy” - Compliance with IDEA evaluation
requirements
0 Use a variety of assessment tools
0 Use technically sound instruments
0 Utilize non-discriminatory procedures
0 Administer standardized tests validated for the specific
purpose for which they are used
0 Administered by trained and knowledgeable personnel
in accordance with instructions provided by the test
producer
Etscheidt, 2003

34. Determining the
“Appropriateness” of the FIE
0 “Scope” of the evaluation
0 Must be assessed in all areas of suspected disability
0 Should not use a limited selection of assessment tools
0 If there are reasons to suspect additional areas
requiring assessment, then the scope of the evaluation
must be broadened to include assessment in those areas
0 Must be comprehensive enough to address related
services as well
Etscheidt, 2003

35. Determining the
“Appropriateness” of the FIE
0 “Utility” - Provision of sufficient information to
develop the IEP
0 Must determine/identify the educational needs of the
child
0 Must discuss the impact of the child’s disability on
educational performance
0 Must lead to the development of goals and objectives
Etscheidt, 2003

36. NCEDOnline
0 Enhances professional credibility Pat Frawley, Ed.D.
and visibility NCED #0002
0 Represents highly qualified status New Jersey
as an assessment professional
0 Assures parents/school officials of
rigorous opportunities for practice
0 Permits use of credential after Linda De Zell Hall, Ph.D.
name in reports and NCED #0005
correspondence Texas
0 Connects the practitioner with
current trends and issues in the
field of assessment.
0 Visit http://www.ncedb.org/
today!