[senco-forum] initial assessment of pupils' difficulties

Hi Janet

  Testing Year 7s etc.
  I do what you do, more or less.  For a full baseline assessment I would do this:
  I use WRAT 3 for single word reading, spelling and arithmatic tests.  I use this because that is what I use for pupils with Statements twice a year and for access arrangement assessments.
  I do free writing, if they can manage that.  Got one this year who can read 'see' but couldn't manage any more words!  Can't spell 'go' or 'cat'!!
  I use the British Picture Vocabulary Scale as a test of receptive language.  
  I do the 'Draw a Man' (draw a person?) test from the good old Aston Index where you score the drawing to give a maturity age.  
  I also use the Aston Index sound discrimination test as a very quick screener for hearing difficulties if I think I need to.
  I also look at physical co-ordination and might do the Dyspraxia screening from Developmental Dyspraxia: Identification adn Intervention: A Manual for Parents and Professionals by Madeleine Portwood.
  And I probably do everything with about six pupils a year.  The rest get part of the assessment.

  I also have information from the primary schools, like SATs and transfer forms.  I also have the info given directly to me from primaries.  Parents also tell me things.

  At the end of the first term, the whole of Year 7 do the CAT (Cognative Abilities Test - have I spelt that right?) so I get that in about December.

  Now - if you have read this far - how do I get the information I accumulate to the rest of the staff in a form that they will take notice of?  It's a perennial question, especially when the people I work with are very switched on and seriously good at the job but have a finite amount of time.

  Amanda
  Secondary SENCO
  Cornwall

Janet Barlow <janet.barlow at talk21.com> wrote:
  Dear All,
As it's the start of a new term I am trying to assess the year 7 - 9 pupils ( in a very gentle way), one-to-one, and will be getting them to do:
*10 mins free writing - to get a writing speed score and look at spelling, sentence structure, vocab etc.
*Silent reading - words per minute and brief questioning 'What was that about...'
*Non word reading - single syllable words and 2 syllable words
*possibly some phonological type work - segmentation, blending and spoonerisms
*a dictated piece to look at spelling (any suggestions?)
* some sort of short reading comprehension - I'm a bit stuck for suitable passages

I hope to get an overall picture of strengths and difficulties and then target my work around this.
Does anyone have any other suggestions?
What do other people do?
I teach both primary and secondary so am interested in all ages.
Best wishes
Janet
trying for a more organised start to the term...

Amanda
Secondary SENCO
Cornwall