4. School Observations, Formal Assessments and Questionnaires Flashcards
When you are going to school to observe a kid, how should you prepare the school for your arrival? (4)
1) check if the school had an observation done before. If not, check that they understand why you are coming to observe the child.
2) Observe the child in a variety of classes because the child may be have differently in different classes
3) Observe them just before, during, and after recess time. see how they cope with unstructured play and transition to/from class.
4) Clarify your cover story. Make sure the teacher does not announce who you are there to observe. Just say ‘observe the class’.
In the classroom context what must you take note of when observing the kid?
1) what subject?
- is behavior consistent across different subjects?
- may have diff relationships with diff teachers
2) how are activities and groupings done?
3) regular teacher teaching?
4) other teaching support given? teaching aide.
During transition between classes, what must you take note?
How does the child cope with the transition?
During recess, what should you be observing? (5)
- quality of interactions with other children?
- what sort of play? joint play or individual play?
- does the child initiate interactions?
- preference for being on their own?
- activity level of child?
What are aspects of behaviors to look out for when observing the child? (5)
1) social communication
2) sensory needs
3) rigid behaviors
4) attention & hyperactivity
5) impulsivity
What are some social communication behaviors to look out for in a child? (4)
- taking turns in conversations and games
- interest in others
- eye contact
- way of interacting
- should capture verbatim responses if possible
What are some sensory behaviors to look out for in the child? (4)
- sensory seeking or avoidant
- reaction to physical contact from others
- unusual movements
- chewing behaviors
What are some rigid behaviors you should look out for? (3)
- how does the child cope with changes
- special interests (eg. keep talking about a specific subject or hobby)
- ritualistic behaviors (eg. specific sequence)
How do you monitor the child’s level of attention and hyperactivity?
- see if child stays on task when unsupervised
- concentration and engagement in class
- fidgeting and struggling to sit still in class
How do you monitor the child’s impulsivity?
- interruptions and vocalizations
During interviews with teachers which 4 aspects should you ask about?
1) language/academic performance
2) child’s behaviors in school
3) social skills
4) child’s emotions
When asking teachers about the child’s language/academic performance, which aspects should you touch on? (6)
- strengths and weaknesses
- progressions and regressions
- existing interventions offered (extra support or small groups)
- age appropriate learning. does the child perform like other children his age
- overly formal speech?
- any labels attached to child? how do others treat him based on the stigma?
Why is it important to explore with teachers their concerns about child’s behaviors in school?
Because teachers may give certain meaning to the problems. They may have biases and interpretations of the child which can prevent effective support.
What are some social behaviors you should look out for in school?
- friendships and their progression
- bullying (bully or victim)
- prosocial behaviors
How do you determine if someone has a learning/intellectual disability? (3)
- IQ < 70
- Concurrent problems with adaptive functioning across multiple environments. Cannot meet the expected standards for his/her age and cultural group.
- Onset is during developmental period
What are the 3 kinds of assessment for intellectual functioning?
1) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV)
- age 16 and above
2) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V)
- age 6-15
3) Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV)
- age 3 - 7
What are the 5 domains assessed in the assessment for intellectual functioning?
1) Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)
2) Visual Spatial Index (VSI)
3) Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI)
4) Working Memory Index (WMI)
5) Processing Speed Index
What does the verbal comprehension index (VCI) measure?
measures the ability to listen to a question, draw upon learned information, reason, and express answers verbally