Report Assessment

SAMPLE ASSESSMENT REPORT

Name: Lisa Smith	School: Floratown Elementary
Date of Birth: 12/ 10/ 89	Teacher: Mary Brown
Age : 10 Sex: Female	Grade: 4.5
Dates tested: Dec. 7,8,11,1999 Jan. 7,10,12, 2000	Examiner: Pat Talley

Reason for Referral

Ms. Mary Brown, Lisa's teacher, referred Lisa for assessment because she is having difficulty in reading, spelling and handwriting. She contributes to class discussions and has made passing grades in mathematics. Lisa is reading in a beginning third grade reader and her spelling book is second grade level. She does most of her class work in manuscript. Her mother is concerned and has given permission for assessment.

Relevant Background

Lisa lives with her mother, grandmother, 7-year-old sister, and 12-year-old brother. They moved to Floratown from another state in October of this school year. Lisa's general health has been good and she has a good attendance record. She passed the hearing, vision, and speech screening tests when she entered Floratown Elementary in October 1999. She was not referred for testing in her former school. Her mother, however, has said that her daughter’s previous teachers indicated that Lisa struggled with reading and spelling. She also said that she has noticed how much more quickly the seven year old sister is learning to read and spell and that Lisa takes much time writing her spelling homework. The medical history indicates there were difficulties during the pregnancy and at the time of Lisa's birth. Mrs. Smith was divorced from Lisa's father in September 1998. Mrs. Smith is employed in a local department store. Her brother and her mother have been significant support for the family, and the grandmother is willing to help Lisa with studies when she is asked.

School Performance

A review of Lisa's school records indicated that her third grade achievement scores from her previous school fell between the 20^th and 30^th percentiles. Her school grades have been average, and she has never been retained or referred for special education testing. She has a good attendance record. In her fourth grade class Lisa is embarrassed to be using a second grades spelling book. She has been placed in a beginning third grade reading book. She is very aware that she has difficulty recognizing words when she reads aloud. She enjoys playing with her classmates at recess and has never been a discipline problem in class. She likes math most of the time and is doing satisfactory work, except for having difficulty with math word problems.

Assessment Questions

Is there a measurable difference in Lisa's performance in reading, spelling, and handwriting as compared to her performance in mathematics? Her vocabulary and oral expression seem to be not unlike that of her classmates. She is able to keep up with math class work, but is unable to do fourth grade spelling or reading. A diagnosis of learning disability will partially depend on determining if a significant discrepancy exists.
Are there basic processing problems in the visual, or auditory, or motor areas which would indicate that her school difficulties are not related to her move to a new school, or due to emotional or behavioral problems?
Is there evidence that her problems are not related to lack of average intellectual ability? Intelligence test scores will be considered along with her processing and achievement scores to help the Placement Team determine whether a significant discrepancy exists between her performance scores and her expected performance scores based on her IQ. Determination of a discrepancy would be used in making a diagnosis of a learning disability.

Testing Observations

Lisa appeared happy to come out of class for the testing sessions and rapport was quickly established. She stayed on task, but asked whether the examiner could read some words for her several times. On the writing assessment she said she did not have a very good handwriting. As she left the sessions she inquired when she could come back again.

Tests and Procedures Used

The following tests and procedures were used: Peabody Individual Achievement Test –Revised (PIAT-R), and Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised), and portions of the following: Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests –R, and Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) The following is a direct link for information on academic achievement tests on this site: achieve.htm. The Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude (3^rd ed.), were given to gather more information about Lisa's memory and motor skills. The Analytical Reading Inventory (4^th Edition), was also given. The school psychologist, Dewey Field, administered the Self-Esteem Index, Test of Written Language-2 (TOWL), Test of Written Spelling-2 (TWS-2) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC- III). (A direct link to information on intelligence tests is indiv.htm) Various informal measures were utilized, including reading of the high frequency basic sight words on The Dolch List. Interviews were held with the classroom teacher, mother, and student.

Assessment Results:

General School Performance

The Peabody Individual Achievement Test-Revised was administered to determine how Lisa's achievement scores compared to the scores of her grade peers. Overall in academic achievement, Lisa is currently functioning within the low average range of performance. The PIAT-R results confirmed that her reading performance is below that expected for her grade. Her spelling standard score of 69 is significantly low when compared to her Mathematics standard score of 95, her General Information score of 95 and her overall aptitude in the average range.

General Learning Aptitude

On the WISC III Lisa had a Verbal IQ score in the range of 102-113, a Performance IQ in the range of 88 to 101, and a Full Scale IQ in the range 96 to 106. The chances that these score ranges include Lisa's true scores are 90 out of 100.The results indicate that Lisa is currently functioning within the average range in verbal abilities, performance abilities, and general intellectual functioning. The chances that these score ranges include Lisa's true score are about 90 out of 100. On the factor-based Index scores of the WISC-III, Lisa's performance falls within the average to high average range on Verbal Comprehension, the average range on Perceptual Organization, and the low average range to average range on Freedom from Distractibility and Processing Speed. The difference of 29 points between Verbal Comprehension and Freedom from Distractibility occurred in only 3.5 % of the standardization sample. The difference of 32 points between Verbal Comprehension and Processing Speed occurred in only 5.7% of the group in the norm.

Specific Learning Abilities and Strategies

On the DTLA-3 her score again showed weakness in the Attention-Enhanced and Motor-Enhanced Composites, earning her lowest subtest score on Reversed Letters, a measure of short-term memory with a motor component. These results are consistent with the information provided in teacher and parent interviews about Lisa's class work and study habits.

Reading

On the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests Lisa's overall performance falls within the low average range. Her comprehension skills appear stronger than her decoding skills. When facing an unknown word in a sentence, Lisa is often able to correctly guess the word by looking at the initial letter and using the context of the sentence. On the Word Identification and Word Attack subtests she showed low average performance. The Analytical Reading Inventory provided information about her oral reading abilities. Her Independent Reading Level is grade1, her Instructional Level is grade 2, her Frustration Level is grade 3. She makes very few comprehension errors until she reaches frustration level. Lisa has not yet mastered decoding many short words with two letter vowel sounds, r-controlled vowels, and syllable division. On the The Dolch List she recognized 97 out of 220 words, with most errors occurring in the second and third grade lists. An analysis of errors will be provided for use in instructional planning.

Mathematics

Lisa's score on the PIAT Mathematics subtest was 3.9, in the average range. Calculating her score at the 68% confidence level, her score would be expected to fall between Grade 3.7 and 4.2. Her classroom teacher indicated this is consistent with Lisa's class work. She has mastered most of her multiplication facts to products of 90, but sometimes forgets to regroup or "borrow" when doing subtraction. She usually keeps up with the math class work, but needs assistance in reading word problems.

Spelling and Written Expression

Lisa scored at the second grade level on the PIAT spelling test which requires the student, on each item, to select the correct spelling from four choices. Lisa scored at the second grade level on this test. To assess her written spelling the WIAT spelling words were dictated, and Lisa also scored below average on written spelling. Her handwriting was large, poorly spaced, and difficult to read.

Lisa's WIAT Spelling Standard score of 72 was compared to her predicted-achievement score based upon her Full Scale IQ of 101. The assessment team found this to be significant at the .01 level and rare. To further assess her written spelling skills, the TOWS-2 was administered and she was observed in the classroom. When observed in the classroom on an assignment to write each word five times, she would write the first letter five times and then the second letter five times and so on until she finished each word. Her compositions are short and hard to read because of her difficulties with handwriting and spelling, nevertheless she is able to express her thoughts in writing. Her performance on the TOWL –2 indicates low average achievement in written language skills. However, on the written sample she shows strengths in Thematic Maturity, Contextual Vocabulary, and Syntactic Maturity. Spelling, capitalization, and punctuation are areas of weakness. Several times during testing she asked for assistance in reading words and sentences.

Lisa is just beginning to learn cursive writing. Cursive writing had not been introduced in her previous school. Samples of Lisa's classroom writing were analyzed for error patterns. In manuscript, her writing is large, and when she copies from the board her writing is more poorly spaced and she sometimes does not keep her writing on the lines. She has particular difficulty writing circular letters as a, o, and e. Lisa's manuscript writing is slow because she lifts her pencil after every stroke and frequently erases. In cursive writing her spacing and letter formation are satisfactory. She does not yet make some letter connections in words and she needs to learn the uppercase cursive alphabet.

Social and Emotional Factors

Ms. Brown, Lisa's teacher stated that Lisa gets along well with the students in the class and enters into playground activities with obvious pleasure. She is respectful to her teachers. On the Self-Esteem Index Lisa's responses in only one of the four areas, perceptions of academic performance, indicated a negative self-concept. An informal inventory given to Lisa showed her least favorite school activities are reading, doing workbooks, and writing spelling words. Lisa stated that she felt "dumb" because she could not read the books that her classmates used.

Mrs. Smith related that Lisa maintains contact with her father by telephone and will spend some vacation time with him. Lisa's uncle includes her in many outings with his family.

Summary and Conclusions

Lisa's relative strengths were seen in Vocabulary, General Information, and Mathematics, all of which were in the average range. She scored in the low average range in Broad Reading on the Woodcock-Johnson-R, and this is consistent with other assessments used. Her scores in spelling were in the below average range on the WIAT written spelling. When class work and subtests involving memory and motor components were examined, it appeared that poor memory, inefficient memorization strategies, and problems in fine motor were handicapping Lisa in spelling and other written work. Discrepancy analysis reveals that Lisa’s achievement in written language is below her expected level for her IQ. For the above reasons the assessment team recommends that the Exceptional Student Education Placement Committee consider Lisa to be eligible for an individualized program for students with learning disabilities in written language, receiving specialized instruction in reading, spelling, and handwriting.

Instructional Recommendations

The Placement Team may want to consider whether it would be advisable for Lisa to have an assessment in visual-motor integration, and possible referral to the Occupational Therapist for instruction in handwriting.
In her program Lisa will need to receive training in strategies for recall of sequences of letters and numbers. This could be a goal in her special spelling program or it could be incorporated into her handwriting program or both.
Lisa will need a structured reading program in sight word recognition, decoding skills, and syllable division. This is an essential key for her success in school and her feelings of self worth.
Handwriting training should emphasize cursive writing because Lisa has the habit of lifting her pencil for every stroke in manuscript, for example, she makes four strokes to write the letter M. Now in mid-fourth grade she must learn a more efficient way to write.
She is expected to continue making progress in math in the classroom, but adaptations will be needed so that she is provided with help in reading word problems in class. Accommodations, if needed, for standardized school testing in mathematics should be addressed in Lisa's Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Currently Lisa has been able to do satisfactory work in science and social studies, and health, despite her reading problems. However, if Lisa is identified as having a learning disability in the area of reading, she can qualify for receiving textbooks on tape through the program of Recording for the Blind-Dyslexic. Phone 1-800-221-4792 for information. All adopted texts can be made available. Books not currently available on tape, will be recorded a chapter at a time and sent to the student as quickly as possible. This can be a very valuable resource, especially when Lisa goes to middle school and reading demands are greater.
The Placement Committee should discuss with Lisa's mother whether she would like for the recommendation to be made in Lisa's IEP for counseling services. Then, if at a later time, it should be considered desirable, Lisa could join a small discussion group with the counselor, or receive individual support.
Lisa's IEP should include provision for modifications in procedures for test administration. Because of Lisa's weaknesses in reading, processing speed, and freedom from distractibility there are several modifications that can be considered. These and other possible methods are described in the text, Assessing Special Students-4^th Edition, by James A. McLoughlin and Rena B. Lewis.

1. Time limits for completing tasks can be removed or extended.

2. The presentation mode may be altered. The test administrator could read items aloud rather than requiring Lisa to read them. For example, when knowledge of social studies or science content is assessed it would be preferable for Lisa to be able to respond orally.

3. The response mode required of the students may be changed. Because Lisa has problems in handwriting and spelling she could respond orally if assessment of writing was not the purpose of the test.

4.The physical location for test administration may be changed. Lisa is sometimes easily distracted and may need to take the test in a more suitable testing room.

If further information about this assessment report is desired, please contact a member of the Assessment Team.

Appendix

Test Scores for Lisa Smith*

Peabody Individual Achievement Test-Revised

Testing Date: December 9, 1999 Age: 10-0

Derived Scores

Grade Score

& Equivalent Range@68% Confidence Level

Standard

Score @ 68% Confidence Level

Percentile

@68% Confidence Level

General

Information

4.0

3.7-4.4

91-99

27-47

Reading Recognition

2.9

2.7-3.1

80-84

9-14

Reading

Comprehension

2.7

2.4-3.0

76-84

5-14

Total

Reading

2.8

2.6-3.0

79-83

8-13

Mathematics

3.9

3.7-4.2

91-99

27-47

Spelling

2.1

2.0-2.3

65-73

1-4

Total Test

3.0

Range 2.9-3.1

79-83

8-13

Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children-Third Edition

Testing Date: December 13, 1999 Age: i0-0

	Score	IQ	%ile	90 % Confidence Interval
Verbal	57	I08	70	102-113
Performance	45	94	34	88-101
Full Scale	102	101	53	96-106
Verbal Comprehension	49	113	81	107-118
Perceptual Organization	38	97	42	90-104
Freedom from Distractibility	14	84	14	78-94
Perceptual Speed	13	81	10	76-91

Test of Written Spelling-2

Date of Testing: January 12, 2000

Age: 10-1

Contrived Subtests	Standard Score
Vocabulary	7
Spelling	5
Style	5
Logical Sentences	6
Sentence Combining	6
Spontaneous Subtests:
Thematic Maturity	10
Contextual Vocabulary	8
Syntactic Maturity	9
Contextual Spelling	6
Contextual Style	5
Composites:
Contrived Writing Quotient	71
Spontaneous Writing Quotient	83
Overall Written Language Quotient	76

*Test Data and other information about Lisa Smith are based on assessment data for a student, Joyce Dewey, described in the textbook Assessing Special Students-4^th Edition by James A. McLoughlin & Rena B. Lewis. Other fictitious material has been added.