The study was undertaken to determine the possibility of a relationship between the selected traits of cognitive ability, conceptual development, emotional maturity, and perceptual-motor development in disadvantaged kindergarten children, since the knowledge of the relationship between traits might make it possible to strengthen a child's…

This study examined the extent to which learning disabled students scored poorly on a reading readiness test administered when they entered school, the incidence of undiagnosed oral language deficits among these learning disabled children, and the predictive relationships between reading readiness skills and components of oral language. (Author/MV)

This study examines the use of two diagnostic instruments in identifying children with a high risk of learning problems. The Meeting Street School Screening Test (MSSST) and the Myklebust Pupil Rating Scale are compared as educational screening devices for black children from urban areas. (SJL)

The American Indian Gifted and Talented Assessment Model has as its goal the appropriate, fair, and thorough assessment of gifted and talented Indian students. The model stresses the need to augment standardized instruments with measures that consider individual ability and needs. (CB)

Speech and language assessment of 719 black preschool children with linguistically and culturally sensitive materials indicated that 10.6 percent failed the screenings. When full diagnostic evaluations were conducted, prevalence rates for the entire sample were 2.6 percent for language disorders, 1.5 percent for speech disorders, and 1.4 percent…

The efficacy of Raven's Matrices in the gifted identification process is reviewed, focusing on their reliability, validity, and fairness and comparing them with other intelligence tests. It is concluded that, despite problems with narrowness of scope and standardization practices, these tests provide a useful screening device for intellectually…

Three short forms of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) have been developed to screen the cognitive skills of young children suspected of learning disorders and developmental delays. Correlations were obtained between scores on the full form of the MSCA and the Kaufman, Taylor, and McCarthy Screening Test short forms. (Author/LMO)

Special Education administrators in six states completed mailed questionnaires concerning modifications in standard testing procedures for Hispanic students. Hispanic students were not overrepresented in special education, but enrolled in learning disabled programs in far greater numbers than in educable mentally retarded programs. (Author/BS)

Concludes that the reviewed test, which is designed to assess mathematics, reading, spelling, and writing abilities in students from first grade through post high school, is limited in usefulness for older students. (FL)

Several individual attributes covering prereading and oral language abilities, motor skills, personality, and home background were assessed. The best predictors of reading achievement were tasks tapping phonological processing skills, interdigital dexterity, and familiarity with the alphabetic code of English script. Peer ability was a strong…

This article discusses the crisis-coping model of school psychology practice, the problems brought about by this model, and the advantages of a preventive approach. It then describes the Barclay Classroom Assessment System, a multi-trait, multi-method assessment procedure that utilizes rating technology and computer synthesis to implement a…

Reports the results of a screening test used to identify fifth and sixth grade students who employ a text processing strategy based on an inaccurately constructed hypothesis about the material being read. (FL)

In a previous Illinois Education Research Council (IERC) policy research report, The Distribution of Teacher Quality in Illinois (IERC 2005-1), we introduced the Illinois Teacher Quality Index (TQI). The TQI is a school-level indicator of teacher quality that describes a school's concentration of certain teacher attributes that research suggests…

This Handbook is intended to help educators understand testing, interpret test results, and defend the selection, construction, and use of tests. The Handbook, tailored to the needs of educators, analyzes only tests used by educators. The Handbook contains more than 100 reviews of tests used routinely to make education decisions and assess skills…

Vision problems occur at higher rates in the deaf and hearing impaired population than in the general population. When an individual has a hearing impairment, vision becomes more significant in the instructional and learning process, as well as in social and communicative exchanges. Regular comprehensive visual screening of hearing impaired…