W2 – Assessment of Dyslexia

Symposium Chair:  Susan C. Lowell, M.A., B.C.E.T., Vice President, The International Dyslexia Association; Chair, Global Partners Program; Adjunct Faculty, Simmons College; Director, Educational Therapy Associates

This daylong symposium will present topics relative to the assessment and diagnosis of dyslexia, a language-based learning disability. Topics addressed will include using the definition of dyslexia as a guide for educational diagnostic assessment, legal issues corresponding to assessment and identification of Specific Learning Disabilities such as dyslexia, and questions to consider when assessing components of reading and written language. The importance of linking assessment to instruction and the need for remediation or specially designed instruction together with accommodations to the regular education program will be presented. The importance of considering co-occurring conditions such as ADD/ADHD will be discussed. Post secondary issues and requirements including assessment, remediation, and accommodation for college and university students and adults will be part of the symposium offerings.

This symposium is appropriate for teachers, administrators, psychologists, educational diagnosticians, and clinicians with an interest in diagnosis and remediation of dyslexia, a language-based learning disability. The afternoon sessions on linking assessment to instruction, co-occurring conditions and comorbidity such as ADD/ADHD and dyslexia, and post secondary, college, and university requirements will be informative for adults with dyslexia, parents, and professionals.

Dyslexia Evaluation: An Educational Diagnostic Approach
Susan C. Lowell, M.A., B.C.E.T., Vice President, The International Dyslexia Association; Chair, Global Partners Program; Adjunct Faculty, Simmons College; Director, Educational Therapy Associates

Using a component model to guide the assessment of dyslexia and reading disorders, assessment will be linked to symptoms of dyslexia and reading disorders. The definition of dyslexia, a language-based learning disability, will be presented. The role of receptive vocabulary, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonological memory, rapid automatic naming, early literacy skills including letter name and letter sound, phonics accuracy and automaticity, decoding, fluency, comprehension, spelling, and writing development in literacy development will be discussed. Discussion will also include the recent special education law, IDEIA, and its criteria for identification and eligibility for remediation and accommodation of diagnosed learning disorders.  Professional and ethical guidelines for use of standardized assessment measures will be reviewed.

Tests of Written Language: Are They Worth the Paper?
Melissa Farrall, Ph.D., SAIF, Mind Matters Inc.

Tests of written language are notorious for their lack of consistency, their limited sample of skills, and for providing scores that may not reflect a student’s ability to be successful in the classroom. After examining theory related to the development of written expression, this talk will review several of the more widely used tests of written language. Tests will be compared and contrasted with respect to their definition of written expression, the use of writing prompts, the balance of skills measured, and how responses are scored. In the end, participants will learn how to select tests and interpret findings with a critical eye as a prelude to making meaningful recommendations.

Tests of Reading Comprehension: The Quest for the Holy Grail
Melissa Farrall, Ph.D., SAIF, Mind Matters Inc.

The field of assessment is rife with complaints about reading comprehension tests (RAND, 2002). Critics claim that reading tests oversimplify the factors that contribute to reading comprehension, and that they do not clearly identify the skills that need to be taught. They note, in addition, that it is not unusual for tests of reading comprehension to be treated as though they were the same despite differences in structure, language, and content. During the course of this workshop, standardized tests will be compared and contrasted from the perspective of the publisher’s view of reading comprehension. We will look at how text selection and the question-types provide a window into the mind of the reader.

Assessment as a Guide to Intervention and Accommodations
Rebecca H. Felton, Ph.D., Reading Consultant, NC Department of Public Instruction and Private Educational Consultant

The ways in which Information gained from assessment of the components of dyslexia informs and guides instruction and accommodations will be presented. Links between assessment of processing skills (such as phonemic awareness, rapid naming, and phonological memory) as well as specific reading skills will be provided.  Case studies, including actual assessment data, will be used to illustrate the use of such data to plan intervention for students at different levels of severity as well as at different points in their school experience. 

Assessment of Attention Problems
Eric Q. Tridas, M.D., IDA President and Director, The Tridas Center

The evaluation of the child with attention problems is challenging because inattention is such a common symptom of many neurodevelopmental and behavior disorders. This presentation will review the practical ways of assessing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the different problems that can mimic this disorder.  We will discuss the frequently used methods of gathering subjective information and its integration with standardize data and structured observations in order to formulate an assessment The presentation will include interview strategies, the interpretation of commonly used behavior/attention assessments and the frequent association with other neurodevelopmental and behavior disorders.

Disability Documentation for High Stakes Testing and Transition to College and Beyond
Loring C. Brinckerhoff, Ph.D., Director, Office of Disability Policy, Educational Testing Service

This practical session will focus on the types of disability documentation including assessment information that is necessary for high school students with IEPs or 504 Plans who are planning to take the SAT/ACT with accommodations as well as high school graduates who are planning to attend college. Disability documentation is the passport to accommodations and the laws are very different between the secondary and postsecondary levels. The presenter will discuss some of the common pitfalls found in disability documentation and what parents, consumers, and evaluators can do proactively provide the documentation that is necessary under the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADA AA) to support accommodation requests.

Question & Answer Period