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ECE 375 – Autumn Quarter 2021

Case Study #2: Standardized Instruments


This case study requires the use of two different standardized assessments. For the first set of question, you will reference
the M-CHAT, an Autism assessment. For the second set of questions you will reference a K-6 reading assessment,
Acadience Reading. This instrument was formerly called the DIBELS Next, you may be familiar with the instrument
under this name. (31 pts for the Assignment)

M-CHAT - Toddler
Review the M-CHAT (included in the resources for the purpose of answering the following questions):
1). What type of instrument is this: screening, diagnostic, curriculum-based? Justify your decision with a minimum of 2
specific ideas from the resources. (3pts)

 Type of instrument: Screening tool


 Evidence #1: The M-CHAT handbook clearly states, “The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised
with Follow-Up is a 2-stage parent-report screening tool to assess risk for autism spectrum disorder”.
 Evidence #2: In the instructions, it is stated how there is a high false positive rate to this test to indicate any
possibilities of ASD when screening the children.

2). Is this a criterion-referenced or a norm-referenced standardized instrument? Justify your decision with a minimum of
2 specific ideas from the resources. (3 pts)

 Type of instrument: Criterion referenced


 Evidence #1: This assessment is criterion referenced since this child’s score is independent and does not rely on
another child’s score to determine their own. It simple relies on the early signs of autism.
 Evidence #2: Another reason this assessment is criterion references is because the score places the child into
groups such as high, medium, or low risk.

3). Analysis: 20-month-old student in your toddler class scores a 3 on the M-CHAT (his score sheet is included in in
resources). What does this result mean? (2 pts)
According to the M-CHAT guidelines, the child should be retested with the follow up to receive another score since they
are at a medium risk of being diagnosed with ASD. If the score is a two or more, the child has tested positive with ASD
and needs to be referred for early intervention. If the child has scored 1 or below, the child has tested negative for ASD
and does not need to be referred for early intervention. It might be recommended for the child to be retested again in the
future child wellness checks. Since this toddler scored a 3, they need to be administered the follow up to determine
further results.
4). Application: How do you explain the assessment and the results to the family? Ensure that your response discusses
the child’s specific response and describes the assessment itself. What does the assessment measure? How does it measure
it? (3 pts)
I would begin with explaining the assessment and what it is screening the child for. This assessment is a screener of
autism and has a high level of false positives to detect as many possible cases as possible. Therefore, not everyone who
passed the M-CHAT is definetly diagnosed with ASD. I would explain that their child’s score of three means that they
are at medium risk of having Autism and would need to be retested with a follow up test. Based on the child’s answers, I
would explain how the test focuses on questions 2, 5, and 12 and explain that if the child passes those questions, then they
are at risk for ASD. Since their child did pass on 2 and 5, the child would need to be retested
5). Application: How might the results of this assessment impact your work with the child described in question 3?
Assume that you are the child’s toddler teacher, please include at least 2 SPECIFIC ways in with the assessment results
might inform curriculum, assessment, and/or instruction. (2 pts)

 This assessment would impact my instruction by focusing on this child’s dislike of movement. Since gross motor
is an important part of child development, I would try to create fun games that will allow the child to engage in a
variety of gross motor movements while having fun doing so.
 Since the child does not show interest in playing with others, I would create an instruction that is more group play
and try to facilitate play between this child and other children. This instruction would begin with short
interaction, such as the child sitting next to another child while playing with similar materials. Then with time,
slowly increase to more interactive materials that require the children to work together or speak to each other.

Test of Preschool Early Literacy


Your 3 to 5-year-old preschool classroom is facilitating the Test of Preschool Early Literacy (TOPEL) assessment with all
children at the start of the year. All teachers and assistant teachers received the information from the manual on
administering and scoring the assessment (included in the resources). You have been administering the assessment but
you are running short on time so you have asked an assistant teacher to complete some. The answer sheet included in the
resources is the first assessment that the assistant teacher completed. Review the TOPEL resources (included in the
resources for the purpose of answering the following questions):
1). What type of instrument is this: screening, diagnostic, curriculum-based? Justify your decision with a minimum of 2
specific ideas from the resources. (3pts)

 Type of instrument: Screening tool


 Evidence #1: This assessment is used to determine if a child has or is developing a literacy difficulty. If a child is
showing signs of difficulty, they will receive extra support in the areas of need.
 Evidence #2: This assessment is also used to determine where a child developmentally in their literacy
knowledge.
2). Is this a criterion-referenced or a norm-referenced standardized instrument? Justify your decision with a minimum of
2 specific ideas from the resources. Cite evidence from the provided materials. (3 pts)

 Type of instrument: Norm referenced


 Evidence #1: Based on the scoring, this assessment shows that is it norm referenced since the scoring is based on
a set of children. This assessment is dependent on the information and scores of other students.
 Evidence #2: This assessment states in the second page of the manual “Its normative sample consists of 842
children residing in 12 states.”
3). Assessment Task & Data collection: Using the sample answer sheet and the manual, review the sample answer sheet
for correct administration, data collection, and scoring. What feedback would you give the assistant teacher on her first
assessment? (3 pts)
After reviewing the sample answer sheet, the feedback I would give the assistant teacher would be to make sure they are
paying attention to the ceiling cap. The ceiling is emplaced so that the child does not become overwhelmed or frustrated
by the exam, ensuring more accurate results during the exam process. This exam states that three incorrect answers in a
row is the ceiling, the questions should not be asked anymore once the student has received three incorrect answers in a
row, in that specific sub section. The instructor should stop after the third incorrect answer and move on to the next
subsection, within the same section.
4). Data Collection: Using the sample answer sheet and the manual, accurately complete the record of scores section,
calculating the % rank, standard score, and descriptive rating for each subtest (you do not need to complete the Early
Literacy Index score (4 pts)

Subtests Raw Score Percentile Rank Standard Score Descriptive Rating


1. Print Knowledge 2 9% 253 (Index 80) In this section, the child’s
score is lower due to the
ceiling.
2. Definitional Vocab 62 88% 342.5 (Index From this Percentile rank,
117.5) this child is above average
and had a strong
understanding of definitional
vocab.
3. Phonological Awareness 8 23% 275 (Index 89) This student’s phonological
awareness is considered
below average based on the
standard scores. This
student is one point away
from being average.

5). Application: How would you explain this assessment and their child’s score report to a family? Be sure to explain the
assessment AND this child’s specific scores on the assessment. (3 pts)
When explaining to the family, I would begin by explaining what the test is, and how it is administered to the child. Once
explained, I would show the three different components of the test and what they aim to determine about the child’s
knowledge. Then I would explain the scores and the meaning of the score based on what the child scores. I would explain
to the parents that their child print knowledge seems to be troubling for their child, since they scored below average. The
phonological awareness portion was also just below average but so close to average that it might not be a major concern.
Then finish on a positive note of their child scoring above average on their definitional vocab portion.
6). Application: How might the results of this assessment impact your work with the child described above. Please
include at least 2 SPECIFIC ways in with the assessment results might inform the differentiation of curriculum,
assessment, and/or instruction for this child (2pts).

 This assessment would impact how I would differentiate the curriculum to better suit her needs. First, I would
work with them one on one or in a small group and begin with sight words or with picture books to help the
student begin to understand that print carries meaning.
 Another way I would differentiate would be to have her work on her phonological awareness and begin with
connecting letters to sound. Once this child has stronger phonological awareness, they will understand print
knowledge better.

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