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An
explanation of the tests that may used in an assessment
Any
assessment can only give a snapshot picture of a child’s development at a
single point in time. A child’s
results may vary from day to day depending on the mood, tiredness, background
disturbance etc. However, an
individual assessment can often identify and investigate weaknesses and
strengths, which are not obvious in the general classroom or at home.
These underlying skills can be the key to a child’s success or failure
at school.
Ideally,
a child’s progress would be re-tested after a period of time as it is the
change over time which is the most important consideration, not the point that a
child begins from. Often a first
assessment will highlight the most important area where teachers and parents can
provide help. After this, a shorter
and simpler review of progress is generally all that is required to confirm
whether the original problem still exists or whether the emphasis now should be
placed elsewhere.
This
appendix is provided to help explain what the standardised tests measure from
the assessment session (s).
Standardised
tests are researched, tried and tested against a significant number of 'normal'
subjects in the appropriate age range. Mathematical
formulae are used to provide tables of expected results and performances related
to age and ability.
We use tests
that are considered reliable and valid tools for assessing strengths and
weaknesses in the skills and tasks covered. They
are set in their application and delivery.
DEVELOPMENTAL
TEST OF VISUAL-PERCEPTION 2
[DTV-P2]
Age:
Children
aged between the ages of 4 and 10 years
This test measures different but interrelated visual-perceptual and visual-
motor abilities. That is how the brain makes sense of what the eyes see, and how well that is transferred
and controlled in
a motor task. It combines the
skills tested by requiring both pointing and/or nominating the answers and with pencil and paper tracking and/or marking tasks.
Content:
A
battery of eight sub-tests:
-
Eye-hand
co-ordination
-
Spatial
relations
-
Position
in space
-
Visual
closure
-
Copying
-
Visual-motor
speed
-
Figure
ground
-
form
constancy
Results:
Scores are expressed as
percentiles and age equivalents.
TEST
OF VISUAL-PERCEPTUAL SKILLS (Non-Motor)
(Morrison F. Gardner) [TVPS]
Age:
Children from
4 years to 12 years 11 months.
Use:
An assessment
that tests the brain's ability to make sense of what the eye sees. Answers are
designated by pointing to the choice or nominating it. It helps us with reading,
spelling, identifying 'place' and seeing the whole from the parts etc.
Content:
Assesses
visual perception in the areas of:
-
memory
-
spatial
relations
-
form
constancy
-
sequential
memory
-
figure
ground
-
closure
Sixteen
items assess each area.
Results:
Individual
performance in each sub-test can be compared to the standardised norms for children
of the same age by means of percentile rank, and age equivalents.
Performance within sub-tests can be compared to see if areas of weakness exist where intervention could be
useful.
DEVELOPMENTAL
TEST OF VISUAL-MOTOR INTEGRATION
(Keith E. Beery PhD) [VMI]
Age:
2 years 10
months to 18 years
Use:
This assessment identifies how well the brain co-ordinates the visual
information it has received with the need to make a motor response.
It is a developmentally sequenced for difficulty.
Content:
The
VMI consists of 24 shapes overall of increasing difficulty. The child must keep
the booklet straight on, at right angles to the table.
Only one attempt is possible. It is not timed but hesitancy is recorded
in observations. The visual and motor elements are timed and give further data
about the child’s difficulties.
Results:
This
test assesses the efficiency and presentation of handwriting and recording.
GOODENOUGH-HARRIS
DRAW-A-MAN TEST [GHDT]
Age:
Suitable
for children between the ages of 3 and 13 years.
Use:
This
test gives an impression of the child's intellectual maturity. The child is requested to draw a picture of a man.
By assessing items included in the drawing as well as stroke competence,
a mental age equivalent can be identified.
This test also provides the occupational therapist with further insight
into a child's perceptual abilities and body scheme.
Content:
The child is
requested to draw a picture of a person on a sheet of paper and encouraged to
fill the page, and to draw carefully.
Results:
The
child's drawing is scored according to feature inclusion, presentation and
stroke competence. Standardised
norms.
MOVEMENT
ASSESSMENT BATTERY FOR CHILDREN (ABC)
Age:
Suitable for
children 4 – 12 years divided into 4 age bands each with a set of 8 tasks
Use:
A standardized test to identify and describe impairment of motor function
in children.
Content:
Within the
test task there are three groupings.
Results:
-
Objective quantitative data on performance indicating
the extent to which a child falls below his or her peer group.
These are presented in terms of percentile ranks.
-
A set of qualitative observations related to posture and movement patterns whilst
completing each task.
TEST
OF MOTOR PROFICIENCY (Bruininks-Oseretsky)
[TOMP]
Age:
4 ½ years – 14 ½ years
Use:
The TOMP is a comprehensive assessment of the motor functioning levels.
Content:
It includes eight sub-tests in both the large and small movement domains.
They are:
-
Running
speed and agility
-
Balance
-
Bilateral
co-ordination
-
Gross
Motor
-
Strength
-
Upper
limb co-ordination (i.e. co-operation of eye and hand)
-
Response
speed
-
Visual-motor
control
-
Fine
Motor
-
Upper
limb speed and dexterity
Results:
Individual
performance can be compared for age appropriate skill levels within the test, as
gross motor skills and/or fine motor skills, or combined.
Each subject has reference to expected age-related levels and provides a
good indication of how a child's motor skill abilities compare to peer group.
Each subject is given in percentile rank.
OBSERVATIONAL/CRITERION
REFERENCED ASSESSMENTS
These tests are founded upon known 'normal’ levels and stages of
development. They provide
information additional to that achieved through standardised testing.
They are not set in their application or delivery and are subjective.
HANDWRITING
FILE CHECKLIST [HFCI]
This is an observational and functional assessment of the pupil's knowledge of
letters and how to form them, the patterns underlying fluent coordinated writing
and the way the letters are placed in relation to the line width, each other and
in combination as words.
TIMED
HANDWRITING TRIALS [THT]
These include Free Creative, Copying and Brainstorming exercises to give a sound
knowledge of a child's speed, legibility and formation in relation to peer group
expectancy.
SELF-CARE
ASSESSMENT [SCA]
This is normally
completed by or with parents. It
incorporates a wide range of the activities in daily living such as dressing,
feeding, toileting and personal organization.
The tasks are broken down to their component parts so that information is
obtained regarding levels of competency, e.g. putting on a shirt/blouse: arm in;
round back; second arm; front buttons; neck; cuffs; tuck in.
Skills are graded from independence through verbal to physical assistance
to dependency. Parental comment is
invited. It helps to develop a full
picture of the child's performance and can be analyzed to provide further
evidence of occupational therapy needs.
SCHOOL
QUESTIONNAIRE [SQ]
PARENT
QUESTIONNAIRE [PQ]
SENSORY PROFILE
[SP]
The Sensory
Profile provides a standard method for professional to measure a child’s
sensory processing abilities and to provide the effect of sensory processing on
functional performance in the daily life of a child. The Sensory Profile was designed to contribute to a
comprehensive assessment of a child’s sensory performance when combined with
other evaluations, observation, and reports to determine the child’s status
for diagnostic and intervention planning.
The
Sensory Profile is a judgment-based caregiver questionnaire.
Each item described the children’s responses to various sensory
experiences. The caregiver who has
daily contact with the child completes the questionnaire by reporting the
frequency with which these behaviours occur (Always, Frequency, Occasionally,
Seldom, or Never). Certain patterns of performance on the Sensory Profile are
indicative of difficulties with sensory processing and performance.
The results also suggest which sensory systems might be interfering with
the child’s performance and which daily life tasks might be more difficult.
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