SLP Nerdcast - Dynamic Assessment of Language and Literacy

Presenters

• Kate Grambois
• Amy
• Dr. Trina Spencer
• Dr. Doug Peterson

Overview

• Discusses dynamic assessment in the field of Speech Language Pathology (SLP).
• Importance of differentiating between language disability and language difference.
• Applications and implications of dynamic assessment in educational settings.

Dynamic Assessment

• Definition: A learning assessment focusing on how a child learns rather than what they have already learned.
• Purpose: To identify disorders and inform instruction.

Validity in Assessment

• Star Trek Example: Used to illustrate the concept of validity.
• Tests should measure what they are intended to measure, e.g., language learning vs. language knowledge.

Issues with Norm-Referenced Tests

• Not always reliable for diverse populations.
• Often result in bias, over/under diagnosis.
• Inadequate for identifying language disorders due to construct mismatch.
• Studies show overlapping scores between children with and without language disorders.

Application of Dynamic Assessment

• Test-Teach-Test Format: Collapsed into shorter timeframes.
• Can identify language learning disabilities more accurately than norm-referenced tests.
• Proven effective across diverse populations and for different constructs such as narratives and vocabulary.

Dynamic Assessment in Literacy

• Example of decoding assessment in kindergarten:
  • Measures a child's ability to learn to decode, not just current knowledge.
  • High accuracy in predicting decoding difficulties with a short assessment.

Informing Intervention

• Early identification through dynamic assessment allows for targeted interventions.
• Enables instructional planning based on a child's learning ability and not just performance.

Recommendations for Clinicians

• Incorporate dynamic assessments for better, more inclusive results.
• Use dynamic assessment to uncover learning potential and inform intervention, not just for diagnosis.
• Autonomy in choosing assessment methods; evidence-based practice should guide decisions.

Additional Resources

• Dynamic assessments developed by language dynamics group available for use.
• Encourage reading of related literature for further understanding.

Closing Remarks

• Dynamic assessment offers a more ethical, inclusive, and accurate approach to evaluating language learning disabilities.
• Clinicians are encouraged to adopt dynamic assessment practices to improve the cultural competence and effectiveness of their evaluations.