Dynamic Assessment for Speech-Language Pathologists

Cognitive Modifiability

-A major component of DA and MLE. -The focus is on how the learner solves the task, the strategies that are used, and the metacognitive awareness evidenced in solving the task. Focus is not on the product. -Modifiability involves both the amount of change (learning potential) and the learner's increased use of "relevant metacognitive processes in problem solution." (Lidz, p. 5).

Mediation of transcendence & transfer

-Child generalizes to other situations. -Examples: "Do you remember when you changed the part of speech in words? Those parts of words are derivations. You had to start with a verb and make it a noun. You repeat what you did without my help this time." -Near transfer: Child learns steps in the task and can repeat the task with little to no assistance. -Far transfer: Child applies knowledge to other similar tasks, such as adding "er" to verbs.

Graduated Prompting Method

-Consists of a hierarchy of prompts that proceed from general (least informative) to specific (most informative) to determine the child's level of modifiability. The number of prompts in terms of their degree of informativeness needed to elicit the desired response indicates how changeable/modifiable the child is....the child's ability to learn new material.

What is a Dynamic Assessment?

-Dynamic Assessment (DA) is an unbiased assessment method that emerged for use with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) children (Grigorenko, 2009) and students who are low-achieving (Feuerstein, 1979). -It consists of a pretest-mediate-posttest format whose major emphasis is to determine children's learning potential by examining their level of modifiability through a method called, "mediated learning experiences (MLE)" (Lidz, 1991).

Raven's Matrices

-Elaborated feedback given by examiner (#5) coupled with children's verbal description of the task prior to solution & explanation after solution (#6) develop analytic strategies for abstract reasoning, regardless of IQ or LD. -Reasoning tasks require higher order thought processes and deduction of the solution. -May help in predicting school achievement.

Pretest-Mediation-Posttest Model

-Feuerstein introduced DA with his Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD). -Pretest: A problem-solving activity, a standardized test, grammar, narrative, etc. -Mediated Learning Experience (MLE): A problem-solving activity to teach the difficulty found in the pretest. Modifiability. -Posttest with same activity.

What is a mediated learning expereience?

-MLE involves a learner, a facilitator, and a task to be solved. -A child may be able to perform at a higher level, when an adult provides support or scaffolding in the form of questions and other cues. -Results indicate the potential for growth in an aspect of development or of the curriculum.

Mediation of meaning

-Mediator explains to the student "why" the task is important. -"We need to know how words change from one part of speech to another so we can understand what we read when we come across a new word."

Mediation of competence

-Mediator offers praise and encouragement so that the child learns what he has done well. -"Child adds "ment" to the word "accomplish" and "employment". - Explain why the child is right or wrong. Mediator will provide list of verbs.

Cognitive Modifiability (2)

-Some learners are more easily modifiable while others are more resistant to change. -The number of prompts or cues a child requires to accomplish a mediated task is an indication of how changeable he/she is. -A child who requires fewer prompts is a faster learner, while a child who requires more prompts is a slower or incompetent learner. -A child who can explain what he has learned will have a better understanding of it and will be more apt to transfer it to other situations. -Verbal explanations improve metacognition. Language is the key, the DNA of fluid intelligence. Labels, definitions, explanations

Mediation of Intentionality & Reciprocity

-The mediator (examiner or facilitator) informs the child of the goal and purpose of the interaction. -Goal is to change verbs to nouns with derivational suffix of "ment", i.e. attach to attachment. -"We're going to change the part of speech of words by adding to the ends of them. Then we're going to use those words in a sentence."

What is the purpose of MLE?

-The purpose is to create an independent learner not a passive participant. -The amount of information required to modify the child's thinking (change their way of learning new material) should decrease as the MLE interaction is taking place. -You want to find out how modifiable the child is. Does he learn easily? Is he changeable?

What are the essential components of MLE?

1. Mediation of intentionality & reciprocity 2. Mediation of meaning 3. Mediation of competence 4. Mediation of transcendence & transfer.

Testing-the-Limits method

Designed to find "the highest level at which a child could respond, given probing" (Carlson & Wiedl, 1978). The probes consist of the types of feedback (simple or elaborated) given by the examiner and the types of verbalizations required from the child. The goal is to determine which type of feedback/probe will lead to higher scores on posttest measures.

Testing-the-Limits procedure

Raven Progressive Matrices: A nonverbal task. Subject is asked to find the missing element (distractor) that completes a pattern. 1. Standard version: 1) Practice item. 2) instructions for taking the test. 3) no feedback. 2. Verbalizations during and after solution: Child describes the pattern, give correct solution & asked why they chose the particular distractor. 3. Verbalization after solution: Child is asked to choose the correct distractor and explain why they chose it. 4. Simple feedback: Child is asked to choose a distractor and is informed as to its correctness. Examiner says: "That's correct." or "That's incorrect." 5. Elaborated feedback: After solution, examiner points out why the choice did or did not fit the pattern. Correct answer is not given to child. 6. Elaborated feedback plus verbalization during and after problem solution. Conditions 2 & 5 are combined