No abstract

P.L. 94-142 mandates parent participation in the evaluation of their children's difficulties. The authors discuss parents' reports of their children's current development, in contrast to previous studies that have relied on parents' memory of their children's developmental mile-stones. A 34-item checklist was developed to document parents' perceptions of their children's strengths and weaknesses in developmental and skill-related areas. A total of 287 preschool children with a mean age of 5 years-1 month were tested by psychologists, pediatricians, and teachers. Parents' reports were compared with the findings of these professionals. Factor analysis was applied to the parent checklist scores and 4 major item clusters were identified: language and memory, scholastic interest, visual-perceptual-motor skills, and gross-motor competence. Findings from multiple-regression analyses indicated that parents' reports were generally consistent with those of the professionals. In particular, parental reports of their children's interests in school-related activities were especially accurate. It is concluded that these findings justify collaborative efforts involving parents in the identification of the evolving skills and needs of their children.

In this literature review, we address the use of cognitive tests, including intelligence tests, in the assessment and diagnosis of dyslexia, from both historic and present-day perspectives. We discuss the role of cognitive tests in the operationalization of the concepts of specificity and unexpectedness, two constructs considered essential to the characterization of dyslexia since the publication of early case reports in the late nineteenth century. We review the advantages and disadvantages of several approaches to specific learning disabilities’ identification that are used in schools. We also discuss contemporary debates around the use of standardized cognitive testing in dyslexia evaluations, in particular, the arguments of those who favor an approach to diagnosis based on prior history and the results of a comprehensive evaluation and those who favor an approach based on an individual’s response to intervention. We attempt to explain both perspectives by examining clinical observations and research findings. We then provide an argument for how cognitive tests can contribute to an accurate and informed diagnosis of dyslexia.

No abstract

Achievement tests are assessments designed to evaluate skills, knowledge, or performance, primarily in the core academic areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. Achievement tests comprise three major forms: standardized assessments, curriculum‐based measurement, and informal teacher‐made evaluations. Achievement tests serve a variety of purposes in education, including comparing students' performance; assisting in grading, tracking, placement, promotion, and graduation decisions; determining eligibility for special services and programs; identifying patterns of strengths and weaknesses; diagnosing learning disabilities; determining response to intervention; and informing instructional planning. Standardized achievement tests are administered according to standardized protocols, and data derived from both standardized and informal achievement tests should be used in accordance with the purposes for which the tests were designed. Whatever the specific purpose of a given assessment, all achievement testing should be conducted with the aim of improving instruction and, consequently, the educational outcomes of the students being assessed.