Case Book Two

Mr. Truk is meeting with Mr. Giorgio, who is working to become a student teacher.

MR. TRUK: This is one of those tasks that they didn't tell me about when I was preparing to become a teacher! The school district has this listing of all of the tests that are available for teachers to use with students. I have used some of these, but a lot of them I know nothing about. I was thinking that there might be some things here that could really help me do my job better. I am not focusing on interest inventories or the touchy-feely stuff. I really want to focus on what is available so I can get a better handle on student reading processes, how they think, what works with their processing.

MR. GIORGIO: Well, so far no one at the university has really talked to us about teacher testing, except for special education. We learned that most of the testing is done by the special ed teachers, unless they tell us to do it, and give us the test. We did learn how to read the test manuals.

MR. TRUK: Different districts will do things differently. Tests have different "levels." Some tests can only be given by Ph.D./doctor types, some are only given by specialists, usually at the master's level. Some are given by teachers. This list is of tests that teachers can give. But, I have no idea what some of these tests are about. I want to do some Internet searches and gather more info, and I want to know the reliability and validity of the tests that I am interested in. I want to see their manuals. I want to know that the test is not only designed to be used with my age students, but also with students who have the backgrounds and experiences that my students have. Then, in all honesty, I need to know what the test is really testing. I started to search a couple of these and the vocabulary was really throwing me. Look at this: "This test will tell you the cognitive processing differentials between passive and active functioning in verbal, auditory, cognitive, tactile, and visual processing areas." I have to tell you that I have read this four times and I still am not sure what useful info it may give me, except that one student is more visual, one more auditory, but I think I pick that up pretty quickly just by watching my students.

MR. GIORGIO: I did learn about validity and reliability, and certainly to study the manuals. We spent hours on how to decide if the norming group works well with the students that you are assessing. We have also spent time on looking at what validities are run across tests. We learned that if different tests keep referring to some test, like the Ryn Test of School Learning as the test in the field, then we really ought to look at giving the Ryn Test of School Learning, and avoid the others.

MR. TRUK: You are right about that. Here is my problem at the moment. I think I have identified four different tests, at least by name, that I might be able to choose from to use with a couple of my students to get a sense if they have some processing weaknesses, or I should say discrepancies in their processing. What I don't know is if I should give the test to just the students I am concerned about, or also to others?

Teacher Notes:

• Choosing a test to use with your students is always a very difficult thing. It helps if you find out what is typically used by other teachers, and what they have learned. It also helps if you are careful to read the test manual and really know what the test should be used for and its strengths and weaknesses before you give it.