Field Experience B: Understanding Diagnostic Assessment

Interview a school psychologist about diagnostic assessments and his or her role in the process of evaluating individuals with exceptionalities.  Your interview should address the following prompts:
The criteria and distinguishing factors of nonbiased formal and informal diagnostic assessments;
Examples of and how nonbiased formal diagnostic assessments are administered to individuals with exceptionalities, including any legal and ethical requirements;
Examples of and how nonbiased informal diagnostic assessments are administered to individuals with exceptionalities, including any legal and ethical requirements;
How the school psychologist interprets information from a nonbiased formal diagnostic assessment;
How the school psychologist interprets information from a nonbiased informal diagnostic assessment;
How the assessment information is used in making eligibility, program and placement decisions for individuals with exceptionalities; and
Strategies in communicating assessment results to various stakeholders.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

According to the school psychologist, Mark James, the assessment employed should match the assessment needs. Formal assessments have data that reinforces the conclusions drawn from the standardized measures while informal assessments are performance and content driven (Ndebele & University of Nottingham, 2009).  Moreover, while formal assessments are pre-planned and systematic data-based evaluations that measures students’ learning skills, informal assessments are spontaneous tests that can be incorporated in classroom activities. With regard to how formal diagnostic assessments are administered, the psychologist said that this may entail giving written assessments to evaluate …