Analyzed for examiner errors 55 Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R) protocols completed by 9 practitioners for metropolitan school district. All practitioners made errors, which occurred on 95 percent of protocols and averaged 3.0 errors per protocol. Most frequent errors included failures to obtain correct ceiling or basal, and failures…

Examples of four interviews are presented to serve as sample evidence in support of more comprehensive diagnostic procedures in assessing reliably and validly the weaknessess and strengths of learners. The search for computational errors is seen to go beyond standard paper and pencil tests. (Author/MP)

Guidelines for effective ecological assessment are put forth in the form of a list of diagnostic questions and a checklist of variables in the child's environment that may be contributing to behavior problems. Physical, psychosocial, and physiological factors are listed for consideration in analyzing the totality of influences on the child. (PB)

Approaches proposed for educational diagnostic assessment are reviewed and identified as deficit assessment and error analysis. The development of diagnostic instruments may require a reexamination of existing psychometric models and development of alternative ones. The psychometric and content demands of diagnostic assessment all but require test…

A checklist is presented to identify common problems students exhibit in arithmetic. Alongside general areas of need, common mistakes are listed to help diagnose error patterns for targeting specific skills and designing effective intervention. General areas include readiness, problem solving, whole-number computations, fraction computations, and…

A study compared the abilities of gymnastics teachers, physical education teachers, and education majors to analyze filmed gymnastic performances and detect errors. While gymnastics teachers identified the most errors, physical education teachers did little better than the education majors did. (Authors/PP)

A checklist is provided for assessing common errors in speech and language arts. Columns list matched sets of target skills and possible problem behaviors for educational diagnosis and intervention. Skills are divided into sections on language, articulation, voice, fluency and nonverbal communication including prosody, kinesics, and proxemics. (PB)

A table is presented to facilitate error analysis for students experiencing spelling difficulties. Common error patterns are listed along with possible sources of errors and sample words illustrating both stimulus and response according to the erroneous pattern or habit. The three most common error patterns are identified. (PB)

The procedures used for locating documents on diagnosis and prescription in mathematics are described, and the coding system used in reporting the documents is explained. Appendices include lists of basic documents, basic sources, frequently cited authors, and relevant phrases and concepts; a partial bibliography of documents concerned with…

A checklist is presented to help structure systematic observation and diagnosis of students' handwriting. A breakdown of handwriting skills is accompanied by possible problem behaviors and related factors (such as grasp of writing instrument and motor skills) to consider in error analysis. The most common elements diminishing legibility are…

The clinical interview can be a useful individualized assessment and remedial tool for students with difficulties in arithmetic. To use it effectively, the examiner must establish rapport with the student, discover his metacognitive strategies, and determine the student's optimum ability level. (JDD)

TORUS, a prototype technology-based educational diagnostic program, is described. The usefulness of TORUS to identify and remediate the mathematics misconceptions of students with learning disabilities is reported. Results suggest the need for greater emphasis on conceptual understanding in mathematics instruction. (Author/DB)

Diagnostic/prescriptive mathematics was examined to ask whether a sufficient body of professional knowledge and practices exist to warrant its inclusion in teacher preparation. Argues that diagnostic/prescriptive mathematics does constitute an appropriate topic for consideration as content in revised teacher preparation programs. (PK)