SSP exam

General RTI evaluation points

80% of the data points should fall within 15% of the mean(average) line or, in the case of increasing or decreasing data points, within 15% of the trend line.

Positive reinforcement

A behavior occurs, a rewarding stimulus is provided, and the behavior increases.

Percentile ranks:

A percentile rank of a score is the percentage of scores (students) in its frequency distribution that are equal to or lower than it. An example is a student with a score at the 33rd percentile who has scored better than or equal to 33% of those who took the same test.Although most people understand percentile ranks, the major problem with this metric is that it is not an equal interval measurement.

Spearman's theory of intelligence: Two-factor theory of intelligence:

Charles Spearman is aprominent figure in intelligence test theory. He is cited as creating the modern statisticalfoundation for intelligence tests. Spearman primarily believed in a general intelligence factorknown as "g." Spearman's "g" is seen in overall or full-scale IQ scores. Specific factors arecorrelated with specific abilities.

Unstructured interviews: Disadvantage

Child responses can be difficult to interpret. The responses cannot be compared with norms as seen within the more structured interview measures.

RTI analysis of level

Level refers to the average performance within a condition.Example: A condition occurs when a student's performance changes suddenly following achange in conditions. A student's level of performance is often compared with the average level of performance of peers or to a benchmark level

Brain areas involved in language: Broca

Located in the frontal portion of the left hemisphere, this brain area supports grammatical processing and expressive language production.

Brain areas involved in language: Wernicke's area

Located in the medial temporal lobe, this section of the brain supports word-meaning comprehension and receptive language.

Thurstone's primary mental abilities

Louis Thurstone held a somewhat opposite view fromSpearman, but he is equally influential in the field of psychometrics. He claimed there were atleast 11 primary mental abilities. Spearman believed these abilities and dimensions were causalproperties of behavior and he did not view intelligence as a unitary construct such as "g."

The third source of variability is measurement error

Measurement error can occur if, for example, an observer was not looking when the target behavior occurred or if a CBM probe was not administered properly.

Which strategies are used to help a student with assertiveness issues?

Modeling, role-playing, and rehearsal

Syntax

Prescribes how words may combine into phrases, clauses, and sentences.

Frequency or event recording

Record the number of behaviors that occurred during a specific period

Reasons to use RTI data

Students whose teachers use data-based decisions learn more thanstudents whose teachers do not rely on such data. To make data-based decisions, you must firsthave a goal that is based on local norms, benchmarks, or classroom-comparison norms. Thefollowing are decision rules to use with RTI data. Students whose teachers use data-based decisions learn more thanstudents whose teachers do not rely on such data. To make data-based decisions, you must firsthave a goal that is based on local norms, benchmarks, or classroom-comparison norms. The following are decision rules to use with RTI data.

Fluency-based indicators of skills - Universal Screening measure

Such screeners include initial-sound fluency, letter-naming fluency, phoneme segmentation, nonsense-word fluency, and oral-reading fluency.

Phonology

System of sounds that a language uses. Note that people commonly confuse phonemic awareness with phonological processing. Phonemic awareness is a component of the broader construct phonological processing.

What is a primary duty for a school official when a concerning threat has been made against a student

The school official has a "Duty to Warn" the parents of the student

Semantics

The study of word meanings and combinations, such as in phrases, clauses, and sentences.

Considerations when using standardized tests for Second-Language Learners

The use of standardized tests with direct test translation (use of an interpreter) is not the best practice and is psychometrically weak if the test is not normed on the cultural group being assessed.

Latency recording

Time between onset of stimulus or signal that initiates a specific behavior.

Is the percentage of correct responding below 85%?

To correct this problem, include modifications to the instruction by providing better prompts, additional modeling, or more effective corrective feedback.

Group-administered tests- - Universal Screening measure

are given to students every year to monitor student growth in reading, writing, and math. Some school districts use alternatives to a state-created test, such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

Progress-monitoring data should be (how to assess & Present Data)

based on the systematic and repeated measurement of behavior over a specified time.

Progress-monitoring data are first collected during

baseline to determine the current level, trend,and variability of behavior. Baseline is the condition before intervention.

Why should a school psychologist not use the Differential Ability Scales-I (DAS-I)?"

because standardized tests with norms older than 10 years should be used with caution due to regression problems associated with older normative data

Noam Chomsky

children are born with an innate mental structure that guides their acquisition of language and grammar. Chomsky also asserted that certain "universal features" that are common to all languages are innate (e.g., subject, verb, object). Perhaps, Chomsky is best known for the concept of a critical period for language and LAD.

Assessing Intellectual Disabilities (IDs) requires

cognitive and adapative measure

Semi-structured interviews

combine the best features of both structured and unstructured interviews. They allow for flexibility and follow-up questions.

System to Enhance Educational Performance (STEEP)

conduct CBMs several times a year in reading, math, and writing to identify students in need of additional support

The first case of data variability

enters on the effectiveness of the intervention. Whether an intervention is effective or not is defined by its ability to change behavior. A change in behavior should be observed and measured in the progress-monitoring data.

Curriculum-based measures (CBM) - Universal Screening measure

typically reliable, but must be used only if they align with local norms, benchmarks, and standards. An example of CBM would be a reading fluency measure such as Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)

A second source of variability is called a confounding variable

which includes uncontrolled subject and environmental variables. Controlling these extraneous variables whenever possible is necessary to ensure that the effectiveness of the intervention is what is actually measured.

"A parent comes to you and tells you her son has failed three classes in seventh grade and she wants to retain him. What is your response?"

your response should be to determine if something is interfering with the child's learning (e.g., social or emotional problems, learning difficulties) and to suggest various options that will allow the child to make up the failed subject

Subskill mastery measurement (SMM)

—Information on student progress is collected to determine whether the specific intervention for the target behavior is effective. SMM data should be collected frequently, even daily.

Minimum number of baseline data

3-5

RTI process

1) student is identified with concern (behavior and/or academic). 2) SSP uses the 1st 2 steps of the information-gathering process (data collection & screening information). 3) once a Student's problem area is known, baseline performance data are collected on the specific area of concern. 4) research-based interventions are employed and systematic tests are provided to measure the student's post intervention progress 5) After several points of intervention, data are collected and an analysis is conducted that examines the difference between the student's initial baseline performance and the expected level of performance after interventions have been implemented. 6) If the student does not grow because of faithful implementation of the intervention in a reasonable amount of time (30-60 days), then a special education evaluation should be considered.

top characteristics of effective CBM

1. CBMs must be based on systematic procedures for the frequent collection and analysis of student performance data.2.The key to CBM is the examination of student performance across time to evaluate intervention effectiveness. 3.CBM is a system to identify students who are at risk. 4.CBM provides normative and statistically sound information for students, classes, staff,and parents.

7 steps to complete FBA

1. Describe problem behavior (operationally define problem). 2.Perform the assessment. (Review records; complete systematic observations; and interview student, teacher, parents, and other needed individuals.) 3.Evaluate assessment results. (Examine patterns of behavior and determine the purpose or function of the target behaviors.) 4.Develop a hypothesis. 5.Formulate an intervention plan. 6.Start or implement the intervention. 7.Evaluate effectiveness of intervention plan.

Four functional units of brain processes (PASS)

1.Planning 2.Attention 3.Simultaneous processing 4.Successive processing

Collection and Analysis of Vital Background Information (Informal Data)

1.Student files and records2.Staff interviews and comments about the student3.Medical records and reports4.Review of previous interventions5.Developmental history

Pragmatics

A set of rules that specify appropriate language for particular social contexts.

Fixed ratio reinforcement

A specific number of behaviors must occur before a reinforcer is given.

FBA

An FBA is a comprehensive and individualized method to identify the purpose or function of a student's problem behavior(s). FBAs are used to develop a plan to modify factors that maintain the problem behavior and to teach appropriate replacement behaviors using positive interventions.

There will be three levels of analysis - (how to assess & Present Data)

Analysis of the variability in data. Analysis of level. Analysis of trend

Key aspects of an FBA:

Antecedents (A), behavior (B), and consequences (C)

Whole-interval recording

Behavior is only recorded when it occurs during the entire time interval. (This is good for continuous behaviors or behaviors occurring in short duration.)

Momentary time sampling

Behavior is scored as present or absent only during the moment that a timed interval begins. This is the least biased estimate of behavior as it actually occurs.

Partial-interval recording

Behavior is scored if it occurs during any part of the time interval. Multiple episodes of behavior in a single time interval are counted as one score or mark. Partial-interval recording is effective when behaviors occur at a relatively low rate or for inconsistent duration.

Which subtest on the WISC-V is not appropriate for visually impaired students?"

Block Design, Visual Puzzles,

Curriculum-based assessment (CBA)

CBA is a term used to describe a broad assessment program or process, which may include CBMs or structured observations.

CBM

CBM refers to the specific forms of criterion-referenced assessments in which curriculum goals and objectives serve as the "criteria" for assessment items.

Components of CHC theory (statistically derived): Gf and Gc

Gf: Usually called fluid intelligence or fluid reasoning, this refers to inductive and deductivereasoning with materials and processes that are new to the person doing the reasoning. Gc: Referenced as crystallized ability or crystallized verbal ability, this refers to theapplication of acquired knowledge and learned skills to answering questions and solvingproblems that present broadly familiar materials and processes.

A comprehensive special education evaluation will include formal and informal data within each of the following major domains

Cognitive Achievement Communication (speech-language) Motor skills Adaptive skills Social, emotional, and behavioral functioning Sensory process

Are the data highly variable?

Consider extraneous factors when data are too variable. Examples of extraneous factors include the difficulty of the probes, different examiners, failing to get a student's attention before presenting stimuli, student noncompliance, insufficient reinforcement for correct responding, or level of motivation.

General outcome measurement (GOM)

Data are collected to determine whether the student is making progress toward long-range goals. GOMs are used less frequently than SMMs, such as once a week.

Data Based decision making (domain 1)

Data-based decision making involves the collection of formal and informal information to help a student. Initially, information gathered on a struggling student is linked to the school's response to intervention (RTI) process. If the student continues to struggle, despite the best efforts of the RTI or Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) team, a full and comprehensive evaluation is conducted

Premack Principle

Developed by David Premack. Posits that a lower level behavior can be shaped by a higher level (desired) behavior. For example, a student is not allowed to play outside unless he does his homework first. This theory is sometimes termed contingency learning because a desired behavior is contingent on first completing a lesser desired behavior.

Assessment of Non-English-Speaking or Special Populations (English Language Learners[ELL] or English as a Second Language [ESL]): Consider the following

Developmental history and all languages that are spoken and heard Language dominance (the language the student has heard the most in his or her environment) Language preference

Authentic (Ecological) Assessments

Ecological assessments are just as important as formal or standardized assessments. Ecological assessments help to determine the "goodness of fit" between the student and the learning environment.

Extinction

Eliminating the reinforcer or rewards for the behavior terminates the problem behavior.

What is something important to assess and determine for ELL or ESL students?

Language proficiency in both languages must be assessed and the dominant language must be determined. Such information is crucial to the interpretation of any assessment data that are gathered.

Morpheme

Language's smallest units of meaning, such as prefix, suffix, or root word.Example: "pre" in the word "preheat."

he results that are typically recorded and displayed (how to assess & Present Data)

Frequency data, percentage correct, or number of opportunities to respond

Structured interviews: Disadvantage

Generally, the interviewer is unable to modify questions to the needs of the interviewee. The interview must follow a strict format and administration.

Components of CHC theory (statistically derived): Gs, Gsm, Glr

Gs: Also called processing speed, this refers to measures of clerical speed and accuracy. Gsm: This refers to short-term memory or immediate memory. Glr: This involves long-term retrieval, memory storage and retrieval over longer periods

Components of CHC theory (statistically derived): Gv and Ga

Gv: This area involves a range of visual processes, ranging from fairly simple visualperceptual tasks to higher level visual and cognitive processes. Ga: Relates to auditory processing, such as recognizing similarities and differences amongsounds and recognizing degraded spoken words such as words with sounds omitted orseparated.

What is an effective method to teach and build comprehension skills?

Have students ask themselves relevant questions[self-talk] while reading a passage and predict the outcome

ICEL

ICEL stands for instruction, curriculum,environment, and learner. During an ecological assessment, the evaluator must review key elements of the four aspects of ICEL. For example, a school psychologist analyzes work samples,prior grades, and assessments. Information from parents, teachers, and the student is collected.Finally, authentic assessments include observational data of the target student during instruction and in other environments.

Extraneous variables (Consideration of miriagting factors in RTI)

If extraneous variables are not considered, then student performance may be attributed to the intervention when the changes might be because of the effects of uncontrolled personal or environmental variables.

Is the student's performance accurate but slow?

If growth is slow, focus efforts on increasing the student's rate of correct responses. Rate increase is achieved through repeated practice and systematic contingencies to address student motivation.

Are there no correct responses for 3 or more days (or sessions) in a row?

If there are no correct responses for three to four sessions, change the intervention.

Should the intervention be changed?

If two or three data points during the intervention condition fall below the aim line, the intervention needs to be changed. You should analyze the trend line over the last several data points and compare it with the aim line. If the slope of the student's trend line is less than the slope of the aim line, the intervention needs to be changed.

least dangerous assumption

It is better to err on the side of false positives so as to provide additional support to a student who may not need it rather than to deny additional support to a student in need as a result of a false negative.

Name a risk factor that increases student dropout rates

Lack of parental involvement

Carl Rogers is best known for what?

One of the founders of humanistic psychology. He developed the person-centered, also known as client-centered, approach to psychotherapy and developed the concept of unconditional positive regard while pioneering the field of clinical psychological research.

General RTI evaluation points: baseline

One rule for baseline data is that there should be no new highs (spikes) or lows for three consecutive data points.

Duration recording

Refers to the length of time the specific behavior lasts

Name an effective research-backed intervention that a school mental health team might develop for a school that has constant discord among various groups of students

Restorative practices

Time-sampling interval recording

Select a time period for observation, divide the period into a number of equal intervals, and record whether or not behavior occurs. Time sampling is effective when the beginning and end of behavior are difficult to determine or when only a brief period is available for observation.

Shaping

Shaping is a technique that creates a behavior by reinforcing approximations of the desired target behavior.

Placement of ID means

Significantly below-average intellectual functioning (A standard score (SS)of 70 or below on an individually administered cognitive test) Origins of the disability must be before age 18 years. Child must demonstrate deficits or impairments in adaptive functioning (i.e., the person's effectiveness in meeting the standards expected for his or her age by his or her cultural group)

Which stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial developmental theory addresses the middle childhood years (6-12 years old)?

Stage 4: Industry vs.inferiority

Structured interviews: Advantages

Structured interviews have high validity and reliability. Children's responses can be directly compared with other children's responses. Structured diagnostic interviews indicate the presence or absence of a problem, not level of functioning.

Variable ratio

The number of behaviors needed in order to receive the reinforcer varies.Variable schedules of reinforcement, once a behavior is established by this method, are resistant to change.

Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of cognitive abilities:

The CHC theory of intelligence is ahighly regarded and widely adopted theory used to construct most major cognitive abilitiestests such as the WISC-V, DAS-II, SB-V, and WCJ Test of Cognitive Abilities.

Das-Naglieri PASS model

The PASS model of brain function divides the brain into four unitsand was originally proposed by A. E. Luria. This theory holds significant promise to helppractitioners to conceptualize intelligence as it relates to brain function.

Phoneme

The basic unit of a language's sound or phonetic system. It is the smallest sound units that affect meaning. Example: /s/.

Punishment

The introduction of an undesirable stimulus that decreases a behavior.

Frequency, duration, and intensity

These vital aspects of behavior are measurable and are key parts in all behavior modification plans for students.

Immediacy

This is a key behaviorism concept. Consequences (e.g., rewards) should occur immediately after the behavior in order to be an effective reinforcement.

Negative reinforcement

This is often confused with punishment. Unlike punishment, a behavior increases under negative reinforcement. A stimulus is removed, which causes a behavior to increase.

Benefits and liabilities of screeners

Universal screening tools are cost-effective, time efficient, and easy to administer. However, there is a chance of misclassifying some students when using screening tools

Unstructured interviews: Advantage

Unstructured interviews can be adapted to the needs of the interviewee.

RTI analysis of trend

When a student's performance systematically increases or decreases across time, then analyzing the trend in the data is important. The pattern of change in a student's behavior across time can be described as trend. Statistical methods can be used tocalculate the slope or trend line. Slope is easily calculated with most statistical andspreadsheet software (e.g., SPSS) and the resulting trend line can be plotted on a graph.

Cognitive Assessment Test (CogAT) - Universal Screening measure

a cognitive measure, but it is group administered andcan be employed as a screener.

the narrow purpose of universal screening

is to guide decisions about additional or intensive instruction for those specific students who may require instructional support beyond what is already provided at a broad level.

broad purpose of universal screening

is to help determine whether modifications are needed in the core curriculum, instruction, or general education environment

interactionist view.

language is learned in the context of spoken language, but assumes as well that humans are in some way biologically prepared for learning to speak.Language interactions involve the interplay between a child's biology and social environment.

The horizontal axis on a graph typically represents (how to assess & Present Data)

real and appropriate intervals of time (e.g.,days or weeks).

possible factors that contribute to the interruption of language development

socioeconomic status (SES), poor instruction, lack of experience or exposure to language, school attendance, and so on.