Kate.bailey@cem.dur.ac.uk InCAS www.cemcentre.org

InCAS Interactive, Computerised Assessment System Can be used by all children aged between 5 and 11 Assess in groups or classes Flexible, modular design Can be administered at any time of year Immediate feedback, age related scores and diagnostic profile

What is assessed Reading Mental arithmetic General maths Word recognition Word decoding Text comprehension Spelling Mental arithmetic Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division General maths Informal sums Formal sums Data handling Measures, shapes and space Developed ability Vocabulary Non-verbal ability What is assessed

Time needed Becoming familiar with the assessment Administrative time for entering biographical details etc on computerised version Dependent on what is assessed - about 30 minutes per section

Traditional approach Low Average High

Individual approach Low Average High

How It Works Easy Difficult Age 1st Question X X X X X X X X

Working with InCAS data Share Information with others Get an overview of the class Look for trends Transition individual strengths / difficulties Specific learning difficulties

InCAS Feedback Standard Feedback Additional Feedback Custom Feedback Scores tables Differences tables Age comparison charts Longitudinal tracking Custom Feedback Scores charts Scores tables Longitude charts

Age comparison charts

Box and whisker 50 60 40 30 70 Test score No of pupils 34% 14% 2%

Age related score Age at test

Differences Tables

Pupil scores tables

Pupil scores charts

Pupil Longitude Chart

Resources Documentation on CDs Website Telephone or email support Publications Conferences and training

Process Registration Username and password Materials delivered 2-4 weeks prior to assessment period or downloaded from website Results uploaded via secure site Data available within 24 hours

Practicalities One assessment per child each year Can be done at any time of year Biographical details can be imported

Reading Difficulties

The process of reading Word recognition/decoding Comprehension Reader

Beginning To Read Children need different types of knowledge as precursors to reading: Global and cultural awareness Vocabulary and basic understanding of language Conventions of print Phonological awareness

What next? Logographic strategy Direct phonics instruction Association of written with spoken word Useful for building vocabulary Direct phonics instruction Synthetic (part to whole) or analytic (whole to part) phonics systems Useful for new and complex words

Reading difficulties Developmental dyslexia refers to problems associated with the acquisition of literacy Found across a whole range of intelligence Form a continuum rather than discrete groups 5% are said to have severe dyslexia and further 5% milder problems Male to female ratio 3:1

Reading difficulties Developmental dyslexia may manifest in a variety of ways: Problems with reading Problems with spelling Problems with writing Much effort has failed to classify these symptoms into sub-types

Contributing factors Despite having an unclear method of classification, three contributing factors have been identified Many children have a phonological deficit Others will have visual memory problems Others are slow to process information In practise, there is an overlap and differences in severity

How is this manifest in the classroom? Problems Can recognise words but can’t decode Can decode but not recognise words Can read but very slowly All deficits impact on comprehension

Impact on spelling and writing Spelling problems Slow writing & poor quality Poor note taking and exam performance

Early indicators Young children Inability to repeat words accurately Inability to detect rhyming words Vocabulary Letter recognition Later Problems with word recognition and/or decoding Problems with comprehension

Identifying and remediating with InCAS InCAS pupil level profiles report scores linked to different areas of reading difficulties Difficulties with reading can be compared with measures of developed ability Remediation advice booklet provides suggestions for how you can help