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Terms and Phrases used in Assessments and Tests –Explained!!!!
Recently, I have noticed a large increase in the number of assessments requested from all ages, to ascertain whether they are dyslexic – or not, of course. Assessment is much more than a battery of tests and it essential to include in the procedures, ‘qualitative’ methods, which means using observation, and experience of the person concerned. In fact, using knowledge that has been taken from all the sources that can bring to bear an insight into the daily behaviours, character, personality, abilities, talents, strengths and weaknesses of the person concerned. In addition, there is a requirement from official bodies, to give quantitative-led tests, which measure actual achievements in a statistical form, focussing on specific areas, such as Mathematics and Literacy Skills. Many of these tests compare the participant to the ‘norm’ for their age group. The Assessment Reports can be long and necessarily use the appropriate terms and ‘jargon’, particularly if they are to be used in an official capacity, to effect extra help for the dyslexics concerned, including the addition of more time allowed in tasks and examinations, the use of a computer, an amanuensis (a reader and scribe for examination papers/dissertations) and/or help with equipment, say, a laptop. I am often being asked for explanation of terms. Herewith is a glossary of some of the most frequently used terms, which I do not pretend is a ‘finite’ list. Please contact me if there are further terms or words, for which you would like to have an explanation.
Accuracy raw score. There comes a point in most tests where the participant and the tester have the sure knowledge that continuation of the tests is impossible. The raw scores for all individual tests are taken from this ‘ceiling’ (See below) after points have been deducted for errors. Attainment test. This is an achievement test that gives an indication as to how much the person knows about a specific content area, e.g. Mathematics, Spelling, History Auditory Perception The psychological ability to process or use information that is heard through the ears/hearing system. Basal level The point in the test at which one can assume with some accuracy, that the participant will receive full credit for the easier/earlier tasks. In most Test materials, some prior ‘practice’, will give this starting level, suitable to age and ability. Therefore a competent 10 year old would not have to commence at the level of a five year old but would still get the credit for these earlier items. Blending. To blend means to join the individual phonemes (sounds) within a word together to pronounce a word. It should therefore be possible to read accurately an unfamiliar word by sounding out the graphemes (letters), whether by single letter sounds, or by blends of consonants, vowels and digraphs, e.g. th-ough-t, dr-a-g, sta-ti-on. Ceiling The point in the tests at which one can assume that the participant has reached the point at which he/she has made the permissible number of errors and therefore cannot continue with the test. Cognitive Processing This reflects all the many aspects of mental activity, which are reflected and shown in our usual outward behaviours - how we think, organise, analyse etc. Comprehension questions These are questions given orally or in written form, to show understanding of a passage or text, read previously. Conversion Tables These are tables in the Test Manual that are used to convert the Raw Scores into Standard Scores, Percentiles etc. Diagnostic Test This is a test, which aims to provide the strengths and weaknesses in the ability of the participant, in a particular subject area. Laterality Laterality refers to ‘sided-ness’ and usually means that a person uses his/her right side, or his/her left side, predominantly. Dyslexics frequently have difficulties with identifying right and left and have problems with directionality. It is also usual for dyslexics, to use both sides of the brain and body, so that they may write with their right hand but execute other manual tasks with their left hand. They may use their right eye but their left ear. There are often difficulties and confusions with day-to-day tasks, such as laying out appropriate cutlery for a meal. Dyslexics can often be equally proficient with either hand, especially when writing. Ambidexterity can be an advantage but this cerebral confusion can also be a reason for poor ordering and sequencing. Mean The arithmetic average of a set of numbers, e.g. test scores for a class of children. The sum of the scores are divided by the number of the children in the class Mis-cue Analysis This psycholinguistic analysis is used to investigate the types of errors that are made when reading and spelling. Very often there is a pattern of errors, which should then be used as part of the literacy teaching programme. Normative Testing This type of test is used to compare one person’s performance with that of others in the norm group Norms. The standards or values that represent a particular, given group, which can be given as age, averages or percentile ranks, etc. Percentile Rank This score translates a participant’s test performance into the percentage of the norm-group that performed as well as, or poorer than the participant on the same test. Perception The psychological ability to process or use the information that is received through the senses, sight, hearing, touch, speech etc. Phoneme-grapheme relationships The alphabetic pictorial representation (letters) of the sounds in our language. In English there are 44 sounds (phonemes) that make up the sound system of the language. Note - There are hundreds of combinations of letters that can make these sounds. For instance, for sound /sh/, we can use ‘sh’, ‘ci’,’xi’,’ssi’, ‘si’, ‘ti’ - shout, vicious, anxious, mission, television and station. Phonics This term in not always used in a precise way. The word probably originates from the word ‘phonetic’ and usually refers to the teaching of the correspondence between written and the spoken language and/or the relationship between sound and symbol. Raw Score The score that is actually achieved from the Test taken and before it is converted into a standard score. For instance, the Test may have 30 items, with three errors and four questions not attempted, therefore the Raw Score would be 23. In some tests more marks would be deducted for exceeding a time limit. Short-term memory Immediate recall of events, verbal or visual - before the information transfers to the long term memory. Sound discrimination The ability to detect the differences between similar sounds, eg.‘p’& ‘b’, ‘d’& ‘t’. Standardised Test A test in which the administration, scoring and interpretation procedures are set and for which norms are already provided. For example, Spelling and Reading tests are usually standardised, so that the testing procedures, the scoring and interpretation of the results are laid down in a Manual and applied to all the participants in the test. Syntax Syntax is the grammatical arrangement and the order of words, that is necessary in sentence construction Validity When we choose to use a specific test, we need to know that is has been investigated thoroughly as to whether it measures what it sets out to measure. There are many ways to prove the validity of a test before its publication, by using it in other situations, repeating it after a certain length of time, using it with different groups of people etc. Visual Sequencing This is the ability to remember items presented visually, especially in their original order.
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