LEARNING DISABILITIES IQ assessment: K-ABC II Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children- II Ages: 3 – 18 Time to administer: depends on model K-ABC II (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2004) Cattell/Horn/Carroll Model - Fluid-crystallised Index (FCI) - Children from mainstream cultural and language background Luria Model - Mental Processing Index (MPI) - Excludes verbal ability Subtests used are the same- interpretation tables are different Pros Reduces cultural biases: * minimising verbal instructions and responses - question: advantageous to disabled? • Minimal cultural content • Performance of children from lower SES are less affected compared to other standardised tests Core Optional READING DISABILITY • Reading difficulty not consistent with regular performance in schoolwork and in traditional intelligence assessments. • Usually due to a neurological condition • Developmental dyslexia • Alexia • Hyperlexia Hyperlexia • Average or above average intelligence • Precocious ability to read: well above given age • Excellent ability at decoding language • Poor comprehension ability (not on par with reading ability) • Struggle with: Who? What? Where? Why? and How? LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test - III Receptive language test • Nonverbal, multi-choice test • To evaluate hearing vocabulary or receptive knowledge of vocabulary • Presented in increasing levels of difficulty • NOT a screening test for measuring IQ • Should not be used in isolation to gauge child’s language skill (Only one referent word is presented) Expressive Vocabulary Test -2 Reading disability It contains information concerning the development, description, administration, and scoring of the test, tables of norms, guidance for interpreting the test data, and research studies illustrating how the Neale Analysis has been used Neale Analysis of Reading (Australia) – 3rd edition DYSLEXIA Dyslexia • word decoding, reading comprehension and/or reading fluency • Not due to vision or hearing problems or environmental deprivation • Auditory • Visual • Attentional • NOT related to IQ Dyslexia Spelling _____1. Cannot name the letters of the alphabet in sequence _____2. Cannot count in sequence to twenty or higher _____3. Mixes up letter order in words: "pasghetti" with "spaghetti"; "ciminon" with "cinnamon" _____4. Misspells words _____5. Reverses letters "b" for "d" or "p" for"q", even whole words _____6. Reverses the last letter of a word with the first letter _____7. Cannot spell simple words correctly _____8. Fails to recognize the same word twice or later on the same page _____9. Spells a word several different ways _____10. Cannot do a spelling test correctly if the words in the original list are dictated in a mixed order • Reading _____1. Confuses verb tenses may mix up: see, saw, seeing. _____2. Reads slowly and below grade level _____3. Continues having many reading problems as they move through the grades. _____4. Does not seem to understand what he or she has read. _____5. Has difficulty hearing and repeating words of another language _____6. Has problems understanding and spelling abstract words, especially those about time and place _____7. Mispronounces or misreads many words _____8. Decodes words too slowly while reading and loses comprehension Behavioural issues Functional Analysis of Behaviour Benefits of functional analysis of behaviour • Provides a picture of spontaneous behaviour in everyday life settings • Provides information about interpersonal behaviour and learning style • Provides systematic record of both child’s behaviour and behaviour of others that can be used for evaluation and intervention • Allows for verification of accuracy of parental and teacher reports • Useful in study of young children and developmentally disabled children who may not be easily evaluated by other procedures. • To be a skilled observer, you need the ability to understand behavioural codes, • To distinguish one behaviour from another • Sustain attention • To be attentive to fine detail • React quickly • Summarise behavioural samples verbally Functional Analysis for teachers If there is a specific problem behaviour in class, the teacher could also be given a fABC form to fill in and the psychologist will try to ascertain what is either triggering or maintaining the problem behaviour. Interviewing teachers The goals of the initial clinical assessment interview with parents can be summarized as follows (cf. Mash & Terdal, 1981) : I . to gather information about parental concerns and goals; 2. to assess parental perceptions of the child's problems and strengths : 3 . to obtain a case history ; 4. to identify problem areas and related antecedent and consequent events; 5 . to identify reinforcing events for both child and parents; 6 . to assess parents' motivation and resources for change; 7 . to obtain informed consent ; 8 . to discuss assessment procedures and follow-up contacts .