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The Art of Assessment How do I figure out if my child needs help? The process of identifying how significant your child's issues with reading are can be overwhelming. Thankfully, the process of learning to read is well understood and there are simple screeners you can use to identify how to support your child. Do issues with reading mean that your child has a disability? Not necessarily. But what do you do when you suspect your child has a reading disability? Join us to learn the different levels of assessments you can use to help your child learn how to read. www.ldedutalk.org
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KELLI SANDMAN-HURLEY, ED.D.TRACY BLOCK-ZARETSKY
The Art of Assessment
May 22, 2014
A BRIEF REVIEW ABOUT DYSLEXIA
Reading is not natural Reading has to be explicitly taught Dyslexia occurs in up to 20% of the
general population Dyslexia is genetic
Dyslexia ranges from mild to profound Students with dyslexia need early and
intensive intervention
DYSLEXIA IN THE EARLY YEARS:RISK FACTORS AND EARLY SIGNS
INFORMAL ASSESSMENTS
A parent, sibling, aunt/uncle and or grandparent with dyslexia or suspected dyslexia (or struggled with reading/spelling)
An interest in listening to books but not interested in the letters.
Difficulty learning the alphabet. Perhaps naming letters as numbers. No interest in books at all. Not able to write their own name by Kindergarten. Difficulty with rhyming and playing with words/sounds
HOW TO ASSESS YOUNG CHILDREN Phonemic Awareness is key to identifying potential reading
struggles in young children. The CTOPP-2 can be used with children starting at the age of
four. Example: What sound do you hear at the beginning of the word
bat? What sound do you hear at the end of the word bed? What sound do you hear in the middle of the word cot? Phonemic Awareness is the ability to manipulate language
before sounds are assigned to letters. **Transposing letters is normal through the first grade and
should not be the only red flag for dyslexia.
HOW TO GET CHILD EVALUATED
Informal: You can begin to collect data. Spelling tests, prompted writing, reading scores.
Formal: Children can be diagnosed with dyslexia as early as 5 years old.
You can request an evaluation from the school in kindergarten. You can have your child evaluated by a neuropsychologist Medical doctors do not diagnose dyslexia. Schools do not diagnose dyslexia, but can determine eligibility. It is never too early for an intervention or identification. And, it is never too late.
WHAT SHOULD FORMAL EVALUATION INCLUDE
Background History IQ / Cognitive Ability Phonemic Awareness Phonological Awareness Decoding / Phonics Skills Reading Comprehension – oral and silent Fluency – cold read Spelling Writing samples Observation (if done by school staff)
WORDS OF CAUTION
Do not let the school tell you to wait to see if they outgrow it. This is a common statement, especially about boys.
Vision Therapy screening is not a valid way to evaluate for dyslexia
Irlen Scotopic Sensitivity screening is not a valid way to evaluate for dyslexia
QUESTIONS?
