GL Assessment launches online versions of its popular
Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Screeners
November 2009 – GL Assessment has today launched online versions of its popular Dyslexia Screener and Dyscalculia Screener - two innovative assessments that are designed to help teachers identify pupils with dyslexic and dyscalculic tendencies respectively. Originally in CD-ROM format, the new online versions offer practitioners a range of new reporting and administrative features, including a useful individual report that is specifically designed for communication with parents.
Sue Thompson, publisher at GL Assessment, explains: "Sir Jim Rose's report on Dyslexia suggested that all schools should keep parents informed of the progress of children with literacy difficulties and should publish the procedures they follow to identify and support these children. As such, the new reports will be a valuable tool for schools wanting to communicate effectively with parents and carers."
The parent reports highlight all of the key information featured in the practitioner reports, however the more advanced data tables and terminology are replaced with an easily understandable summary of the child's test results and recommendations. Outcomes are explained using visual bar charts and an above average / average / below average scale, and an optional information sheet gives an overview of the sub-tests. Optional letter templates are also included to support communication with parents.
Lesley Hodges, Teaching Assistant Level 4 at Longdendale Community Language College in Cheshire, says: "I love the new reports – they are so much clearer and will make a lot of sense to both the parents and the adults in college who constantly ask me to explain what all the subtests mean and what their significance is. I really think they will make a big difference to the understanding and interpreting of the data. They will also help parents to see where we are going with their children and what the next steps need to be."
Developed by Martin Turner and Pauline Smith, the Dyslexia Screener can be used by both specialist and non-specialist teachers to identify dyslexic tendencies in pupils aged 5 – 16 years. User-friendly results provide information on a pupil's strengths and weaknesses in each of six tests (non-verbal reasoning and vocabulary; reading attainment; spelling attainment; phonological processing and speed of information processing) and advice is given on next steps. The Screener is therefore an ideal choice for any SENCO or learning support teacher if they have concerns about a pupil who has not yet been screened for dyslexia.
Sue Thompson adds, "The Jim Rose report also highlighted how the use of standardised assessments for measuring children's reading, spelling and writing speed, alongside tests of phonological awareness and memory, can help teachers ensure children with dyslexia get the help they need to reach their full potential. The Dyslexia Screener provides comprehensive support across the three levels of identification and assessment identified by Sir Jim: the class teacher, the SENCO, and the specialist / educational psychologist."
The Dyscalculia Screener was created by Professor Brian Butterworth, the UK's leading authority on dyscalculia, to help teachers identify 6 – 14 year olds who have a specific learning difficulty in maths. The Screener assesses a student's ability to work with numbers and measures their response times when completing numerical tasks, as well as the accuracy of their answers. This helps teachers to distinguish between children with poor maths attainment and those who have a specific learning difficulty.
GL Assessment publishes a range of other relevant resources, such as the Dyslexia Portfolio, Dyslexia Guidance, Dyscalculia Guidance, the York Assessment of Reading for Comprehension and the British Picture Vocabulary Scale.
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