Guidance on the principles of language accessibility in National Curriculum Assessments : research background

This review accompanies the document, which describes the principles which should guide the development of clear assessment questions. The purpose of the review is to present and discuss in detail the research underpinning these principles. It begins from the standpoint that National Curriculum assessments, indeed any assessments, should be: - appropriate to the age of the pupils - an effective measure of their abilities, skills and concept development - fair to all irrespective of gender, language, religion, ethnic or social origin or disability. (Ofqual, 2011) The Regulatory Framework for National Assessments: National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage (Ofqual, 2011) sets out a number of common criteria which apply to all aspects of the development and implementation of National Assessments. One of these criteria refers to the need for assessment procedures to minimise bias: “The assessment should minimise bias, differentiating only on the basis of each learner’s ability to meet National Curriculum requirements” (Section 5.39, page 16). The Framework goes on to argue that: “Minimising bias is about ensuring that an assessment does not produce unreasonably adverse outcomes for particular groups of learners” (Annex 1, page 29). This criterion reinforces the guiding principle that any form of assessment should provide information about the knowledge and understanding of relevant content material. That is to say that the means through which this knowledge and understanding is examined, the design of the assessment and the language used should as far as possible be transparent, and should not influence adversely the performance of those being assessed. There is clearly a large number of ways in which any given assessment task can be presented and in which questions can be asked. Some of these ways will make the task more accessible – that is, easier to complete successfully – and some will get in the way of successful completion. Section 26 of the Fair Access by Design (Ofqual, 2010) document lists a number of guiding principles for improving the accessibility of assessment questions, although the research basis for these principles is not made completely clear in that document. The aim of the current review is to examine the research background more closely in order to provide a more substantial basis for a renewed set of principles to underpin the concept of language accessibility. In the review, each section will be prefaced by a statement of the principles outlined in Guidance on the Principles of Language Accessibility in National Curriculum Assessments and then the research evidence underpinning these principles will be reviewed

Fairness in Educational Assessment and Measurement

The importance of fairness, validity, and accessibility in assessment is greater than ever as testing expands to include more diverse populations, more complex purposes, and more sophisticated technologies. This book offers a detailed account of fairness in assessment, and illustrates the interplay between assessment and broader changes in education. In 16 chapters written by leading experts, this volume explores the philosophical, technical, and practical questions surrounding fair measurement. Fairness in Educational Assessment and Measurement addresses issues pertaining to the construction, administration, and scoring of tests, the comparison of performance across test takers, grade levels and tests, and the uses of educational test scores. Perfect for researchers and professionals in test development, design, and administration, Fairness in Educational Assessment and Measurement　presents a diverse array of perspectives on this topic of enduring interest

Fairness in Educational Assessment and Measurement

The importance of fairness, validity, and accessibility in assessment is greater than ever as testing expands to include more diverse populations, more complex purposes, and more sophisticated technologies. This book offers a detailed account of fairness in assessment, and illustrates the interplay between assessment and broader changes in education. In 16 chapters written by leading experts, this volume explores the philosophical, technical, and practical questions surrounding fair measurement. Fairness in Educational Assessment and Measurement addresses issues pertaining to the construction, administration, and scoring of tests, the comparison of performance across test takers, grade levels and tests, and the uses of educational test scores. Perfect for researchers and professionals in test development, design, and administration, Fairness in Educational Assessment and Measurement　presents a diverse array of perspectives on this topic of enduring interest

Harding College Graduate Education Program, 1959-60

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The Impact of Teacher Training on ADHD: Assessing Classroom Interventions and Teacher\u27s Self-Efficacy

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been a topic that has gained widespread attention, especially in the last decade. Researchers have attempted to study the growing epidemic in numerous ways, from understanding the cause to helping children and adults learn how to deal with the lifelong diagnosis. More recently, the mainstream topic has leaned towards institutional factors that continuously a lack of support for teachers within the classroom. Teachers and educators around the world have been placed at the forefront to manage something that may appear foreign. Consequently, school districts are left with the daunting task of following federal regulations that they may not be prepared to understand. Assessments have been utilized to determine how this growing epidemic has reshaped the outcomes of students within the classroom. It should come as no surprise that studies show a link between negative teacher\u27s beliefs and student academics. After reviewing past and present research, there appears to be a significant research deficit in the area of teacher’s knowledge, training, and teacher self-efficacy. Research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of providing training that will aim to enhance teacher’s understanding of ADHD, develop classroom strategies, and strengthen teacher self-efficacy

Differential language influence on math achievement

New models are commonly designed to solve certain limitations of other ones. Quantile regression is introduced in this paper because it can provide information that a regular mean regression misses. This research aims to demonstrate its utility in the educational research and measurement field for questions that may not be detected otherwise. Quantile regression is appropriate when the assumption of a normal distribution of the error term is violated. It is most useful when the interest is at various locations along the complete distribution rather than just the central tendency. The first part of this research used quantile regression to explore a changing relationship between language proficiency and math achievement. Results reveal that language proficiency affects math achievement differently at different math ability levels. Other commonly used covariates such as social economic status and gender are also related to math achievement differently at different locations on the math score distribution. It is shown that regular mean regression analyses fail to capture this information. The second part of the research models math growth longitudinally adjusting for language proficiency. Four rounds of data for a cohort of students are used to detect the long term math achievement gap between English Language Learners (ELLs), Former ELLs and NonELLs. Model-building process suggests that language demand in tests may have contributed to the big achievement gap between ELL and Non-ELLs. Long term and differential effects of other background variables are also detected. Implication of the results and limitations of the technique are discussed

Explorando la Comprensión Lectora como Tareas de la Evaluación: La Influencia del Texto y de los Factores del Lector

Readability is the degree to which a text is matched to its intended and actual reader. The factors influencing readability, both text factors and reader factors, have been widely researched from the standpoint of attempts to maximise reader understanding of texts. The application of understandings in the area has not, however, always been applied systematically to the design and writing of assessment tasks and consequently test items are sometimes less accessible to the intended test takers than they might be.This paper is an attempt to provide a wide ranging review of literature which bears on the task of the assessment designer in ensuring that assessment items measure what they are supposed to measure, and not just the reading abilities of the test takers.La comprensión lectora es el grado en que un texto se empareja con su lector. Los factores que influencian, los del texto y los del lector, han sido ampliamente investigados desde la perspectiva de intentar maximizar la comprensión lectora de los textos. Sin embargo, la aplicación de las interpretaciones en dicha área no han sido siempre aplicados sistemáticamente al diseño y escritura de las tareas de evaluación y, en consecuencia, las preguntas de los tests suelen ser menos accesibles a las intenciones de los examinadores de las que tendrían que serlo. Este artículo intenta aportar una ampia revisión de la literatura que está relacionada con la tarea de evaluación del diseñador de ésta, en asegurar que los ítems de evaluación miden lo que supuestamente tienen que medir, y no solo las habilidades lectoras de los participantes en los tests

Impact of cooperative co-teaching relationships on student achievement outcomes in the 7th grade inclusion mathematics class

Since the inception of the No Child Left Behind law in 2002, much attention has been paid to its effects on the special education population of students. This law, as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), required school districts in the United States to include students with special needs in general education classrooms to provide an atmosphere of least restricted environment (LRE). This practice has come to be known as inclusion which has become the forefront of educating students with special needs in United States’ public schools. Inclusion continues to be a controversial practice and matter of debate within educational circles with varying attitudes among teacher towards this practice. Research has found that in order for the model of inclusion to be carried out successfully, a key ingredient is cooperative communication and collaboration between the special education and general education teachers. If teacher collaboration is emphasized as the key to success in the inclusion model, it is important to assess the effects of a cooperative co-teaching relationship among inclusion classroom teachers. Specifically, this study asks, does a cooperative relationship between regular education and special education teacher in the 7th grade inclusion mathematics classroom have a positive effect on student achievement as measured by the North Carolina End-of Grade (EOG) Mathematics test? The participants in this study are 276 teachers practicing the inclusion co-teaching model, 138 regular education mathematics teachers and 138 special education teachers. The study assesses all Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools seventh grade inclusion mathematics classrooms. The pools of student participants that are being assessed are 3,447 seventh grade students in the inclusion mathematics classrooms. Teachers were first given Teacher Collaboration Assessment Survey (TCAS) to assess whether or not their relationship with their co-teacher was deemed cooperative or uncooperative. Then data was collected after the students in the inclusion classes took their End-of-Grade Mathematics standardized test. Results from the survey showed that that inclusion teaching pair have a collaborative relationship in the 7th grade mathematics class. This collaborative relationship is positively correlated with student achievement outcomes on the NC EOG math test. These findings have important implications for schools and educators who work in inclusive classrooms and suggest that fostering collaboration among inclusion teaching pairs can have a positive impact on student outcomes. With the intense implementation of the inclusion model since No Child Left Behind, further research aimed on collaboration and student achievement should focus on the co-teaching relationship as many of American children are learning in the inclusion classroom, whether or not they are classified as regular education, or special education

A Critical Examination of Policy and Practice in the Transition Experience for Students with Math Learning Disabilities in Mumbai, India

Although some research has examined the experiences of students with learning disabilities in Indian secondary schools (see Karande, Sholarpurwala, & Kulkarni, 2011; Karande, Mahajan, & Kulkarni, 2009), the role of policy in students’ transition into post-secondary education has been largely unexamined. This study is a preliminary effort at providing an investigation of special education policy in Mumbai and the impact on students’ transition to post-secondary education, especially in regards to mathematics. This study extends the current knowledge of students with learning disabilities in Mumbai by 1) taking an in-depth look at students with math learning disabilities specifically, 2) focusing on the transition between secondary and higher secondary education, and 3) examining the impact of current policies and procedures through the lens of critical pedagogy. In this study, I gathered data on the math proficiency of secondary students with MLD and their typically achieving peers in Mumbai. Additionally, I conducted interviews with secondary students and post-college adults with MLD, as well as interviews with secondary math teachers and college lecturers in mathematics. I also observed post-secondary math classes in various colleges, collected survey data from math lecturers, and reviewed documents from educational institutions all over Mumbai. The data from this mixed methods study revealed that, for this sample of students in Mumbai, secondary students with MLD do have gaps in their conceptual and procedural knowledge of mathematics as compared to their peers without MLD, especially in the areas of fractions, decimals, pre-algebra, and word problems. Through interview and survey data, secondary students with MLD also expressed frustration with geometry and algebra. The data also revealed that post-secondary students who take Secretarial Practice in place of math in junior college are not prepared for the degree college math course that follows. Additionally, post-secondary students with MLD expressed feelings of fear and judgment when asking for help in mathematics from college lecturers and peers. This suggests that there is a need for professional development among all educators, from primary to post-secondary, to raise awareness of MLD. Also, trying to mediate students’ difficulties at the secondary or post-secondary level is too late; early identification of MLD and early intervention are necessary. These findings will be useful for inclusive education advocacy groups in India as they work with policy makers and enforcers at the national and state level, as they revise policy and procedures for students with learning disabilities in Maharashtra and India

An examination of the appropriateness of the content of the DSM-IV AD/HD symptom criteria for elementary school girls

Like many childhood disorders, prevalence rates of AD/HD differ significantly across gender, with male-to-female ratios ranging from 2:1 to 9:1 depending on the sample (APA, 1994). Limited research has been conducted thus far in an effort to better understand these differential prevalence rates. However, it has been proposed that the current symptom descriptions for AD/HD in the DSM-IV may not be fully capturing how females manifest the disorder (Ohan & Johnston, 2005). To address this theory and the existing gap in the literature, this study examined the ability of the current DSM-IV symptom items and some newly proposed gender-sensitive items (Ohan & Johnston, 2005) to predict impairment in elementary school girls. Sixty-three parents and 45 primary classroom teachers of girls ages six to eleven completed packets providing information about the girls. Primary analyses of parent data revealed that a combination of some gender-sensitive items in addition to some DSM-IV items were predictive of overall impairment in girls. However, secondary analyses of teacher data revealed that only some DSM-IV items were predictive of overall impairment. Nonetheless, these findings lend some support for the notion that although the underlying mechanisms of AD/HD may be the same for boys and girls, how this disorder is manifested may be different, and the current diagnostic criteria are not fully capturing how females express AD/HD. Implications for future research and clinical practice were discussed