The use of social skills measures as a component of multifactored assessment in making mainstreamed placement decisions is recommended. It is suggested that social skills information may be more important in making a decision to mainstream than IQ or achievement. (Author)

Evaluation of students' dance performance provides feedback for developing skills and self-awareness. (JD)

This handbook has been built around the experiences of teachers and cognitive psychologists working together in opera education to identify, design, and produce an effective approach to bring together the divergent approaches to assessment and evaluation, mandated testing, and authentic documentation of learning. The handbook is designed to…

This paper recommends the replacement of student evaluation methods based on the behaviorist model with holistic assessment based on principles of seeing individuals as active learners who interact with their physical and social environment. Four approaches are recommended: (1) gathering information from a variety of sources and contexts; (2) a…

Since thinking is most often performed in problem-solving situations, teachers can become observers by providing situations in which students can practice and demonstrate intelligent behaviors. Some indicators include: perseverance, precision of language, problem finding, decreased impulsivity, metacognition, checking for accuracy, transference,…

The article defines and describes coping and stress, their relationship to learning, and how they are assessed for educational planning for preschool handicapped children. The Coping Inventory, an observation assessment instrument, is used to show how the teaching and learning of coping behavior can be part of each child's educational plan.…

Suggests that teacher observations form a valid and integral part of student assessment and that, in addition to standardized tests and informal tests, this "inner-ocular technique" is an important means for assessing the effectiveness of reading instruction. (MKM)

An observational technique for assessing the social interaction skills of elementary age students with disabilities is described. The procedure focuses on three interaction elements: (1) initiating the interaction, (2) turn taking, and (3) responding to the interaction. The method of data recording and analysis is delineated. (DB)

Skillful, scientific observation of even one student having difficulty can give teachers ideas for helping all of their students. Discusses planning observation time, tools for observation, and how to observe students and interpret observations. Provides specific suggestions for five observed behaviors and sources of more information (two…

This handbook provides suggestions for gathering and interpreting information about students' reading behavior; planning instruction that develops students' reading skills; and planning instruction that reinforces and extends students' reading skills in areas where they are successful. After a brief introductory section, the handbook presents a…

This study describes the development of a Learning Event Checklist and a running record of children's behavior to help in assessing and mainstreaming children with disabilities. The sample consisted of 138 children between the ages of 2 and 6 years, mostly males, in special education preschool programs. The running record was designed to assess…

Intended for teachers of the learning disabled (LD), the guide addresses philosophical and procedural issues in assessment. The first section introduces a philosophical framework which views assessment as an ongoing, goal-directed, integral part of the overall educational process. The remainder of the guide focuses on Wisconsin's procedures for…

This study evaluated the Five P's (Parent/Professional Preschool Performance Profile) observational scale through which preschool teachers and parents evaluate the behavior of disabled or nondisabled children in natural settings while the children interact with familiar adults over prolonged periods of time. Developmental skills and interfering…

Techniques are proposed for informally assessing oral communication skills in learning disabled adolescents. A feedback sheet uses direct observation by the teacher while the self-rating scale uses an indirect form of observation by the student. Theoretical premises of the two measures are noted. The Communication Feedback Sheet is designed to…

The manual details an observational code designed to track a child during an entire day in a preschool setting. The Eco-Behavioral System for Complex Assessments of Preschool Environments (ESCAPE) encompasses assessment of the following three major categories of variables with their respective subcategories: (1) ecological variables (designated…