[SENco-forum] 4th percentile tosh

Sheridan -- there are a lot of good reasons why a young person should not be continuously assessed over a short period of time. One is 'practice effect' if the same tests are repeated -- they cannot be a reliable measure. But, more important is the tolerance level and self esteem of the youg person. It must be a nightmare experience for a struugling student to be continuously tested on the areas on which s/he struggles! Just don't allow it to happen. Ther are times when assessment is important for the child -- but these occasions should be rare and/or at least very well spaced apart 

-----Original Message-----
From: sheridan.sharp1 at btinternet.com
To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Sent: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 9.54PM
Subject: Re: [SENco-forum] 4th percentile tosh

Don't forget that any assessment of a dyslexic is only an indicator of how that person was performing at the precise time of the test. Many dyslexics have erratic performance,( good one day poor the next) many find assessment very stressful and again will not perform well under these conditions. I have a pupil that has been assessed several times within a short period of time (a few months) using the same test administered by different people( Part of research project assessment, also routine assessment and parent private assessment) her reasoning scores varied significantly each time from 6th percentile right up to 37 th percentile her reading scores also varied significantly, so what real value are any of these tests?? 

It should be remembered that each dyslexic is an individual and each one will have their own varied combination of differing dyslexic characteristics. Dolfrog I may be misunderstanding what you mean but you give the impression that you suggest the teaching/supporting of children with dyslexia is rigid in its approach. There isn't a one strategy fits all dyslexics approach as far as I'm aware.. 

The whole point of the educational slant of a dyslexia diagnosis in children is for educating them. 
You teach them a range of skills and strategies that they can take out of school and into adult life as a dyslexic. All the pupils I teach leave me knowing what their learning strengths are, They are equipped with a whole range of different strategies to use for numerous areas of difficulties. They are also encouraged to develop their own strategies. Isn't that what they need to use in life? 

I have seen a clinical diagnosis report for a dyslexic child and to be honest it was so "clinical" it wasn't very helpful to me. Out of interest Dolfrog, what would a clinical diagnosis report include that an educational one doesn't that you could use for life? 

What is the Forum's view on the increasingly popular Dynamic Assessments being produced by Ed Psychs ?? 
These focus on learning skills and less on cognitive scores. 

Cheers 

Sheridan 
A Dyslexic 
Mother of Dyslexics, 
Teacher of dyslexics 