Nick's+Technology+Assignment

. //Perspectives on Assessment of Learning Disabled Students'// can be found on the following link:

[]

In the article entitled: Perspectives on Assessment of Learning Disabled Students': tackles the critical issues in the assessment of learning disabled students. The article goes on to describe the new directions in assessment. Current assessment and evaluation practices are plagues with numerous problems. One problem being that school assessment practices are relatively weak and that the practitioners are often biased prior to, during, and after the actual assessment session. Too many times regardless of the practitioner, there will be subjective bias. The probabiliity is very high that subjectivity enters the decision making process in regards to learning disabled students. Another problem that arises is that the definitional foundation of assessment is weak. Psychologists have studied bias in assessment and they have been unable to agree on models of fairness to use during assessment and have been unable to agree on the concept of fairness. The rest of the article decribed the need for change in the assessment process. Salvia and Ysseldyke go on to describe that there are three important observations that will characterize the change in assessment. First, the development of direct and frequent monitoring of pupil progress in interventions in regular classrooms. Second, there needs to be an increase for accountability. Lastly, practioners need to incorporate research findings into educational practices.
 * • Content Knowledge Question: Describe what you learned about diagnostic and assessment strategies that fit your target population.**
 * (Write a minimum of 50 words for this question.) (CK)**

What I have learned is that diagnostic assessment is an assessment that determines prior knowledge before beginning a unit or lesson. With a diagnostic assessment, it is important to keep pre-assessment bias out of the process. A teacher incorporates bias into their assessment without even knowing it. A variety of naturally occurring student characteristics have been shown to influence the formation of negative attitudes toward students. Achievement levels of older siblings, socio-economic status, race, or sex of a child might affect the teacher’s attitude. A students’ behavior in class can also result in differential treatment or reactions by the teacher. Assessment strategies need to be utilized to cover the purpose of intervention planning, unit/lesson planning, and assess students’ comprehension of academic content standards. These assessment practices need to follow the guidelines of IEP’s and have an emphasis on serving learning disabled students in regular classrooms. The assessments need to have a level of accountability in which the teacher will be held accountable and responsible for classroom learning.


 * • Pedagogical Knowledge Question: Describe in what way/s assessment data would determine how you planned your curriculum and lessons for the specific special needs population? (Write a minimum of 50 words for this question.) (PK)**

There are a few ways that assessment data would determine how I would plan my curriculum and lessons for the learning disabled population. First, it is important for me to identify the strengths and weaknesses of my student population. This is important because it will help me to structure or restructure learning activities. If it is determined that the students have not comprehended the necessary academic content standards then I will restructure my curriculum to cover the standard and make sure that students’ comprehension level is adequate. If students performed at or above the required level on the assessments then I will move on to the next academic content standard. Again by gaining the data, I will be able to differentiate my instruction to incorporate the theories of multiple intelligences and emotional intelligence. That way all students have an opportunity to learn the content. Next, the assessment data would give a reflection of my teaching through the eyes of my students. I will be able to determine if they can illustrate that they comprehend the academic content standards. Lastly, the provided data will help to assist in creating an intervention plan for certain students in which I or an administrator will participate in direct and frequent monitoring of their progress.