John’s Log – My School Psychology

Table of Contents

Note: This page is no longer being updated. New Hampshire was unique in the nation in having a category of specialists called a Specialist in the Assessment of Intellectual Functioning (SAIF). There was only one program in New Hampshire that taught and certified its students to become SAIFs, Rivier University. Apparently the advent of RTI as a methodology for identifying children with Specific Learning Disabilities decreased the demand for SAIFs to such a degree that Rivier University shut the program down in 2017. No new SAIFs have been certified since then.

RIVIER UNIVERSITY

DIVISION OF EDUCATION

SPECIALIST IN THE ASSESSMENT OF INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONING PROGRAM

AND

INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONING (ASAIF)

Batteries recommended to assess LD in reading and writing for Middle School and High School Students

In response to q question asked on the School Psychology Listserv . . .

The KTEA-3 has some very useful features, including both timed and untimed tests of oral reading of lists of real words and lists of phonetically regular nonsense words, a very valuable four-way contrast. It lacks a test of oral reading fluency of passages, so I used to use the WIAT-III Oral Reading Fluency. (You could also use the GORT-5.)

There are phonological processing tests, which can be supplemented with the CTOPP-2 (plus Phoneme Reversal from the original CTOPP). Neither the KTEA-3 nor CTOPP-2 makes a clear distinction between lower-level phonological awareness skills (e.g., matching and rhyming) and higher-level phonological processing skills with mental manipulation (e.g., deletion/elision and substitution), which is very important (Kilpatrick, D. A. (2012). Not all phonological awareness tests are created equal: Considering the practical validity of phonological manipulation vs. segmentation. Communiqué, 40[6], 31–33).
The KTEA-3 item analysis allows you to make this distinction. David Kilpatrick’s PAST is an excellent follow-up and has five forms for tracking progress. It is available in

Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015b). Equipped for reading success: A comprehensive, step-by-step program for developing phonemic awareness and fluent word recognition. Syracuse, NY: Casey & Kirsch..

If Secretary DeVos changes her mind — a Recruiting Template

Betsy DeVos faces lawsuit from Teachers, Gun Control Group Over Proposal to Arm Teachers in Schools (August 24, 2018)

Note: On September 1, 2018, Betsy DeVos said she had no intention of implementing a guns-for-teachers proposal.

In case Secretary DeVos changes her mind, John Willis has prepared a handy dandy template for schools to use to recruit teachers and facilitate implementation. (But also see the Editor’s Note below.)

Image result for handgun patriotic hand grips

DISMAL SWAMP SCHOOL DISTRICT

NOTICE TO ALL STAFF

Teachers: if you have extensive training and experience with firearms (ideally combat experience) or are willing to take basic and advanced training, this opportunity is for you.

After basic training (if you do not already have extensive training and experience with firearms), you will receive an intensive 30-hour training course with live ammunition and pop-up human targets. President Trump wants you to be paid for this training and periodic retraining and recertification, but our tight local and state school budgets dictate that this will have to be done on your own time without pay. We will try not to charge you for the training.

Upon successful completion of the training, you will be certified either to carry a concealed firearm on your person (Class A Certification) or to keep a loaded firearm in a locked safe in your classroom (Class B Certification). If you have Class B Certification and will be absent from school and leave lesson plans for a substitute, include the key or combination to the safe if you have determined that the substitute is certified. You are responsible for ensuring the qualifications of the substitute.

A. If an active shooter invades your school, your first responsibility is to roam the school to track down and kill the shooter.

B. If an active shooter invades your school, your first responsibility will be to stay with your students, follow school procedures for keeping your students safe, and kill the shooter if the shooter approaches your students.

Once you have killed the shooter, be sure to drop your weapon, back away, and raise your hands so that responding police officers will not mistake you for the shooter and kill you.

If you shoot at the shooter and accidentally wound or kill a student, faculty member, volunteer, or parent, your professional liability insurance will not cover you in case of criminal charges or a wrongful death lawsuit.

Unlike military personnel killed in the line of duty, if you are killed in the firefight with the shooter, your family will NOT receive a “death gratuity” or any other compensation.

If you are wounded, you will be allowed to use your accrued sick days until you are released from the hospital or your sick days run out

If you are killed, your salary will be terminated immediately because you are not sick; you are dead.

Please see the Administrative Assistant in the Principal’s office to sign up for this program (during your planning period unless you are attending a meeting or substituting for another teacher)

Important Copyright Notice: The template above is not copyrighted, You have permission to substitute your school’s name in the header, and no credit is required.

Editor’s Note: Although as of his date (December 8, 2018) Secretary DeVos had cancelled her plan to use federal funds to train gun toting teachers, also as of this date, there were approximately 14 states where teachers are already carrying guns. In just one state, Ohio, 400 teachers had already been trained to carry a gun in the classroom. Unfortunately, training did not eliminate the possibility of children being accidentally shot by their teacher (or principal) protectors. The sample recruitment letter above has relevance, therefore, in those states where teachers are already being recruited to carry guns irrespective of the Secretary’s decision.

Recommended texts for a course on intellectual assessment (10/2/2018)

Flanagan, D. P., & McDonough, E. M. (Eds.) (2018). Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests and issues (4th ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.

Sattler, J. M. (2018). Assessment of children: Cognitive foundations and applications (6th ed.). La Mesa, CA: Jerome M. Sattler, Publisher.

Schneider, W. J., Lichtenberger, E. O., Mather, N., & Kaufman, N. (2018). Essentials of assessment report writing (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Bibliography of Books that Can help Teachers use Cognitive Assessment Results in Making Better Interventions and Accommodations for Students (9/22/2018)

Note: The items below are reported in three sectins

Section one:

Mather, N., & Wendling, B. J. (2012). Linking cognitive assessment results to academic interventions for students with learning disabilities. In D. P. Flanagan, & P. L. Harrison (Eds.), Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues (3rd ed.) (pp. 553-622). New York: Guilford Press.

Wendling, B. J., & Mather, N. (2009). Essentials of evidence-based academic interventions. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

There are several chapters relevant to your query in these comprehensive texts:

Flanagan, D. P., & McDonough, E. M. (Eds.) (2018). Contemporary intellectual assessment fourth edition: Theories, tests and issues. New York, NY: Guilford.

Sattler, J. M. (2018). Assessment of children: Cognitive foundations and applications (6th ed.). La Mesa, CA: Jerome M. Sattler, Publisher.

Section two

Dehn, M. J. (2010). Long-Term Memory Problems in Children and Adolescents: Assessment, Intervention, and Effective Instruction. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Dehn, M. J. (2011). Helping Students Remember: Exercises and Strategies to Strengthen Memory (includes CD-ROM). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Dehn, M. J. (2015). Essentials of working memory assessment and intervention. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Farrall, M. L. (2012). Reading assessment: Linking language, literacy, and cognition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Kilpatrick, D. A. (2014). Tailoring interventions in reading based on emerging research on the development of word recognition skills. In J. T. Mascolo, D. P. Flanagan, & V. C. Alfonso (Eds.), Essentials of planning, selecting and tailoring intervention: Addressing the needs of the unique learner (pp. 123-150). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015). Essentials of assessing, preventing, and overcoming reading difficulties. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Mather, N., & Jaffe, L. E. (2016). Woodcock-Johnson IV: Reports, recommendations, and strategies (each copy with unique pin and link to the web site for the book). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. (Includes 258 pages of specific, practical, plagiarizable recommendations, and 92 pages of detailed explanations of specific teaching strategies, which evaluators can use in their reports, even with other tests.

Mather, N., & Kaufman, N. L. (Guest Eds.) (2006). Special Issue, Parts One and Two: Integration of Cognitive Assessment and Response to Intervention. Psychology in the Schools, 43, 7 & 8, pp. iii–vi, 745–825, 827-908.

Mather, N., & Wendling, B. J. (2012). Essentials of dyslexia assessment and intervention. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Mather, N., Wendling, B. J., & Roberts, R. (2009). Writing assessment and instruction for students with learning disabilities (2^nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mascolo, J. T., Flanagan, D. P., & Alfonso, V. C. (Eds.), Essentials of planning, selecting and tailoring intervention: Addressing the needs of the unique learner. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

McClosky, G., Perkins, L., & Van Divner, B. (2009). Assessment and intervention for executive function difficulties. New York, NY: Routledge.

Section Three — Information on specific tests a psychologist might use:

Adams, W., & Reynolds, C. R. (2009). Essentials of WRAML2 and TOMAL-2 assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Breaux, K.C., & Lichtenberger, E. O. (2016). Essentials of KTEA-3 and WIAT-III assessment. New York, NY: Wiley.Coalson, D. L., & Raiford, S. (2014). Essentials of WPPSI-IV assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Dumont, R., Willis, J. O., & Elliott, C. D. (2008). Essentials of DAS-II assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.Flanagan, D. P., & Alfonso, V. C. (2015). Essentials of WISC-V Assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Kaufman, A. S., Raiford, S. E., & Coalson, D. L. (2016). Intelligent testing with the WISC-V. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Kaufman, A. S., Lichtenberger, E. O., Fletcher-Janzen, E. & Kaufman, N. L. (2005). Essentials of KABC-II assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Lichtenberger, E. O., & Kaufman, A. S. (2013). Essentials of WAIS-IV Assessment (2nd ed). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Mather, N., & Wendling, B. J. (2015). Essentials of WJ IV tests of achievement. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Naglieri, J. A., & Otero, T. M. (2017). Essentials of CAS2 assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.Raiford, S. E. (2017). Essentials of WISC-V Integrated assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Roid, G. H., & Barram, R. A. (2004). Essentials of Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (SB5) assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Schrank, F. A., Decker, S., & Garruto, J. (2016). Essentials of WJ IV cognitive abilities assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Weiss, L. G., Saklofske, D. H., Coalson, D. L., & Raiford, S. E. (Eds.) (2010). WAIS-IV: Clinical use and interpretation. Burlington, MA: Academic Press (Elsevier).

Weiss, L. G., Saklofske, D. H., Holdnack, J. A., & Prifitera, A. (Eds.) (2015). WISC-V: Assessment and interpretation. Burlington, MA: Academic Press (Elsevier).

Report Comments

The Report Comments newsletter began 30 years ago as photocopied class handouts for students in Rivier University’s certification program for Specialist in Assessment of Intellectual Functioning (SAIF). The SAIF certification, unique to New Hampshire, qualifies professionals to provide intellectual and academic achievement evaluations. Prerequisites for the certification program include a master’s degree and certification or licensure in a related field; at least two years’ experience; course work in special education, children development, abnormal psychology, statistics, and tests and measurements; and a course in individual intelligence assessment, including administration, scoring, and interpretation of individual tests of cognitive ability.

The certification program at Rivier University was a four-semester practicum and internship during which the student provided 37 comprehensive evaluations for referred students under supervision by a SAIF, School Psychologist, or Psychologist. The program instructor (from 1984 to 2017, John Willis) reviewed 22 of the evaluation reports and provided detailed, written feedback on the reports and on any necessary revisions of the original submissions. Rivier University terminated its non-degree certification programs, but another university might elect to offer the SAIF certification program.

The Association of Specialists in Assessment of Intellectual Functioning (ASAIF) was founded in 2000 and offers three-hour evening “Shorties” and full-day workshops for SAIFs, School Psychologists, and special educators.

Back in the 20th century, I began typing lists of corrections for problems I found in reports by more than one of the students and new information I had found after I had distributed handouts for the previous class. I photocopied the typed list of suggestions for assessment and reporting and distributed it in class each week.

When I eventually learned how to use email, I began electronically sending the list of comments to my students and their supervisors. Through the magic of computers, the comments became longer and less frequent. Some of the students and supervisors asked to continue receiving the lists after the students had completed the program, and the mailing list began to grow. It now includes about 400 former students and supervisors and other colleagues. Since most of the recipients work in or near New Hampshire, the newsletter includes notices of ASAIF and other workshops and other information relevant to this region. To save space, that information has been removed from the copies of the newsletter posted here.