Ch 9: Assessment in Special Education
About This Chapter
Assessment in Special Education- Chapter Summary
As inclusive education has become a popular method in public schools across the U.S., it is important for teachers to understand ways in which to assess special needs students. This chapter outlines various assessment and observation methods that can be used to evaluate special needs students in the classroom. By using this chapter, you will learn the following:
- Why assessing students is important
- How assessment data is used for effective teaching
- What curriculum-based assessment is and how to design and use this type of assessment
- Types of formal and informal assessments used for special needs students
- Informal observation strategies
These lessons have been designed for teachers by teachers with experience in working with special needs students. Each lesson is supported by term definitions and examples. At the end of each lesson, you can take self-assessment quizzes to measure the depth of your knowledge and whether you will need to further review any material.
How It Helps
- Defines types of assessments: Ensures you are aware of all assessment options by fully describing various methods and approaches.
- Provides helpful examples: Increases your ability to understand assessment strategies and methods by using illustrated examples.
- Supports student success: Helps you to recognize where students need more attention and to apply effective teaching strategies to overcome any difficulties students might be having.
Skills Covered
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Explain the importance of student assessments
- Develop curriculum-based assessments
- Utilize formal and informal assessment and observation strategies for special needs students
1. The Importance of Assessment in Education
Assessment is a critical piece of the learning process. This lesson gives an overview of assessment, why it benefits both teachers and students, and the three most common forms of assessment.
2. Benefits of Using Assessment Data to Drive Instruction
Assessments are powerful tools that can give you precise data about student learning. Using that data to drive instruction is incredibly important for effective teaching. This lesson will detail some benefits of using data to drive instruction.
3. What is Standardized Testing? - Definition & Types
This lesson highlights the concept of standardized testing. We will also discuss the various types of standardized tests as well as learn some limitations that come with this kind of testing.
4. Curriculum-Based Assessment: Definition & Examples
Curriculum-based assessment, also called curriculum-based measurement (CBM), is a powerful tool for testing and measuring student progress. This lesson introduces you to CBM and provides examples of the assessments you can use.
5. Designing & Using Assessments Based on Curriculum
Assessments based on curriculum tend to deliver consistent, effective results for a given curriculum design. In this lesson we will discuss the design of curriculum-based assessments and how to use them.
6. Informal Assessments in the Classroom: Examples & Types
In this lesson, we will discuss informal assessments used in the classroom. We will cover what informal assessments are and look at some types and examples, and then you will be asked to take a short quiz to assess your comprehension.
7. Strategies for Using Informal Observations in Assessment
Informal observational assessments require watching, listening, and documenting student performance-based tasks. Strategies for this type of assessment range from intentional activities to incidental chance observations.
8. Formal & Informal Assessments for Learning Disabilities
Teachers should use both formal and informal assessments to determine interventions for learning disabilities. This lesson will discuss both informal and formal methods of determining academic skill development and identifying students with special needs.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the Special Education Curriculum Development course
- Learning Theories & Teaching Strategies
- Students with Individual Disabilities, Disorders & Impairments
- Planning Instruction for Special Education
- Instructional Strategies for Students with Special Needs
- Teaching Reading Comprehension & Fluency to Students with Special Needs
- Teaching Writing to Students with Special Needs
- Differentiating Instruction in Content Areas
- Differentiating Instruction for Social Skills & Self-Management
- Instructional Strategies with Assistive Technology
