Part 2: Explanation of Psychoeducational Assessments – 10 points

Explain in detail what assessments were utilized to evaluate your student’s educational and psychological ability levels. Explain why these assessments were selected, and how they address the need of bilingual learners. Also explain in detail the results. Also include a brief paragraph in which you explain whether or not these evaluations were accepted and what decisions were made regarding the student’s need for special education and related services. In your opinion, were these the best assessments to be used for this student? Why or why not? Connect to the literature of the course.

Guide for Part 2:

Explanation of Psychoeducational Tests

(10 points)

2.1. Identification of Test Tools: 3 points (2 paragraphs)

Describe the psychometrics of the test so that the reader understands what the tool entails.

1. Educational Testing: Introduce the test tool, what it aims to measure, and how. Briefly describe the conditions of the test, i.e., language of testing and any modifications provided for the student during the administration of the test.

2. Psychological Testing: Introduce the test tool, what it aims to measure, and how. Briefly describe the conditions of the test, i.e., language of testing and any modifications provided for the student during the administration of the test.

Most of this information can be found in the Test Manuals.

2.2. PUMI Review of Test Tools: 3 points (2 paragraphs)

Describe design of the assessment regarding the following:

1. Purpose

2. Use

3. Methods

4. Instrument

This may be general to the test, and it should also describe how it pertains to the Language Learner (or does not, according to the Test Manuals). Rely on the theories of the class to interpret these aspects.

2.3 Interpretation of Results: 3 points (1-2 paragraphs)

Describe the results of the test statistically and in prose. How have the tests results been shown about the student’s cognitive and educational abilities and weaknesses? If there is a disagreement between the way the results to were delivered to the family or in the child study team setting, please dedicate one paragraph to explaining these discrepancies.

2.4: Decision and Acceptance: 1 point (1 paragraph)

State any decisions made as a result of these tests. Please state whether or not the student was deemed eligible for special education and or related services and how those services were to be delivered. If there as any disagreement on behalf of the student’s family, please include it here and any result of the disagreement as well.

Additional points for Part 2: An additional 1 point is reserved for correct grammar and readability.

Sample Part II:

The educational testing tool used to evaluate Jose was the Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Achievements (WJ IV). According to Woodcock-Johnson IV Technical Manual (2014), the test is designed to measure “general intellectual ability; broad and narrow cognitive abilities as defined by contemporary Cattell- Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory, including oral language, reading, mathematics, writing abilities, and academic domain-specific aptitudes; and academic knowledge” (p. 1). The Woodcock- Johnson IV also “retains the focus on psychometric quality that has been associated with the previous editions of Woodcock-Johnson batteries” by providing a “large, nationally representative norming sample” from the entire US population (Woodcock-Johnson IV Technical Manual, 2014, p. 2).

The entire Woodcock Johnson IV is “organized into three distinct batteries to facilitate a broad range of tailored and comprehensive assessments by one or more assessment professionals.” (Woodcock-Johnson IV Technical Manual, 2014, p. 8). The three subcategories are cognitive abilities, oral language and achievement. The achievement portion of the WJ IV test of achievement includes 20 different tests that measure academic achievement in reading, math, written language, science, social studies and humanities (Woodcock-Johnson IV Technical Manual, 2014). In reference to testing accommodations, according to the Woodcock- Johnson IV Technical Manual (2014), “test instructions are written in clear, concise language without high vocabulary demands, making them appropriate for young children and individuals who are English language learners (p. 57). The manual states the test is provided in Spanish in the oral language. According to the Woodcock- Johnson IV Technical Manual (2014), “an important provision in the WJ IV OL is the Broad Oral Language cluster in Spanish, Amplio lenguaje oral. Amplio lenguaje oral also may be used as an ability measure for comparison to reading, mathematics, and written language measures in English when Spanish is the student’s dominant language.” (p. 21). This allows students who are not English language dominant to be able to take the oral assessment in Spanish.

The purpose of the WJ IV is to “form a comprehensive system for measuring general intellectual ability (g), specific cognitive abilities, oral language, and academic achievement across a wide age range” (Woodcock- Johnson IV Technical Manual, 2014, p.1). The assessment is used to measure the most important cognitive, language, and academic abilities” of students (Woodcock- Johnson IV Technical Manual, 2014, p.1). This method of administration includes specific directions and questions provided and a Spanish oral assessment given to Spanish speaking students. As stated earlier, the testing instrument consists of a variety of “20 tests for measuring academic achievement in reading, mathematics, written language, science, social studies, and the humanities” (Woodcock- Johnson IV Technical Manual, 2014, p.11).

In Jose’s WJ IV scores, the IEP states that for his age level he is performing at a very low range of scores. Also, it was noted that he has significant deficits in oral languages skills in both languages with more developed Spanish oral language skills although still limited. Jose was unable to complete any of the formal standardized testing in the areas of reading due to his limited ability to respond to any items in English. He verbalized during the assessment that he was unable to complete or understand the questions and asked for the question to be stated in Spanish. According to the results of the assessment, Jose stated he had a difficult time with school in the Dominican Republic in the areas of reading and math. The family was not in disagreement with the results although the father probably did not understand the results and wanted any assistance to help his son. The test seemed to be administered in Spanish but Jose struggled with the Spanish content as well. The main reason stated for the inability to complete some of the assessment was the lack of English language oral skills and lack of any skills in reading in both English and Spanish.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children- Fifth Edition (WISC-V) (Spanish) was used to obtain a comprehensive assessment of Jose’s general intellectual functioning. The WISC-V is an individually administered, comprehensive clinical instrument for assessing intelligence for children aged 6-16 years old (Wechsler, D., & Kaplan, E., 2015). The WISC-V can also be used as part of “ of an assessment to identify intellectual giftedness, intellectual disability, and cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Results can also serve as a guide for treatment planning and placement decisions in clinical and/or educational settings and can provide invaluable clinical information for neuropsychological evaluation and research purposes.” (Wechsler, D., & Kaplan, E., 2015). The WISC-V provides subset and composite scores that represent intellectual functioning in 5 specific cognitive domains. The five domains include: Verbal Comprehension (VCI), Visual Spatial (VSI), Fluid Reasoning (FRI), Working Memory (WMI), Processing Speed (PSI). These five domains are then compiled into a Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) (Wechsler, D., & Kaplan, E., 2015). The WISC-V is as a normative test that provides comparison sample scores. Since the WISC-V has the most substantial effect on student performance, the raw scores are calculated and compared to the normative scores for that specific age group. As related to language, the WISC is only a “culturally and linguistically valid test of cognitive ability in Spanish.” According to the WISC testing manual, the WISC has been adapted to be “proven and reliable” as the “adaptation is more than just a linguistic translation—test items have been validated to minimize cultural bias across multiple regions of origin, and modified when needed. While the test is given in Spanish, children earn credit for correct answers in either Spanish or English” (Wechsler, D., & Kaplan, E., 2015).This flexibility in testing allows for emergent bilinguals to access their full linguistic repertoires and obtain an accurate report of intellectual ability regardless of language use.

As mentioned earlier, one of the purposes of the WISC-V is “to assess and identify cognitive function and ability ranges which can help identify giftedness, learning disabilities, or general strengths and weaknesses” (Wechsler, D., & Kaplan, E., 2015). Learning disabilities can be be identified by “comparing results from an intelligence test like the WISC with the scores from an achievement test like the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test to identify gaps between academic achievement and a child’s level of intellectual functioning (Wechsler, D., & Kaplan, E., 2015).” The test is administered on a 1:1 basis with the identified child and the clinician. The test could be administered via standard paper-and-pencil or through a digital format. Overall, the WISC-V “includes a total of 16 subtests; however, the standard number of subtests given is 7.” The Visual Spatial Index testing involves solving puzzles and constructing geometric designs; the Fluid Reasoning Index requires the students to “detect relationships among visual objects”; the Working Memory Index asks students to repeat number sequences and utilize their auditory and visual attention and working memory; the Processing Speed Index tests the ability to match symbols associated to numbers and the ability to visually scan and match them quickly; and the Verbal Comprehension Index measures verbal reasoning (Wechsler, D., & Kaplan, E., 2015).

Jose was administered the WISC-V in Spanish on 1/30/2019. Jose obtained the following results: Verbal Comprehension Index score of 73, which falls in the very low range (4th percentile); Visual Spatial Index Score of 78, which falls in the very low range (7th percentile)

; Fluid Reasoning Index score of 76, which places him in the very low range (5th percentile); Working Memory Index score of 67, which falls in the extremely low range (1st percentile); Processing Speed Index score of 63, which falls in the extremely low range (1st percentile). In addition, the test determined that Jose’s Full Scale IQ was 67, which falls in the extremely low range at the 1st percentile. Lastly, according to Jose’s IEP, the ABAS-3 was completed by Jose’s teacher. Jose’s General Adaptive Composite Standard Score was 80, which places him in the 9th percentile, below average range. After testing, These results were relayed to Jose’s father. Jose's father was in agreement with the results and recommendations, especially since he suspected that Jose had cognitive/ learning delays from an early age.

The testing determined that Jose was eligible for Special Education services under the classification of Specific Learning Disability in the areas of oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression and basic reading skills. Jose was offered an immediate placement into a special class mild/moderate learning or language disabilities for the remainder of the school year. However, the placement required Jose to be moved to a different campus due to lack of availability at his current site. Both of Jose’s parents and the CST determined it would be academically and emotionally challenging to change Jose’s educational placement so late into the school year and decided to postpone the move. Jose began receiving related services of speech and language therapy in his current school and will receive the remainder of his services during the 2019-2020 school year after he changes campuses. Jose’s father and the team were all in agreement to this disposition.