Hi Kelly,
I need further clarification regarding the use of a
scribe. I did check the referenced document and read the definition of
scribe. Based on that definition, it seems that recording responses for
a student is indeed a scribe. If this situation occurs with a notation
and scribe is not listed on the student page would it affect the score?
If I am incorrectly interpreting the definition please clarify for me.
Just an aside - if students are unable to record their own responses and
there are no documented accomodations, wouldn't it make mo9re sense to
use a data collection sheet since the actual product is not a result of
student work, but in fact a data collection sheet of a different format?
Thanks,
Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
Thank you for the follow-up questions. Using a scribe as a test
accommodation is different from documenting a student's response. The
information provided in the Test Access & Accommodations for Students
with Disabilities manual, pages 26-27, outlines many requirements with
regards to use of a scribe as a test accommodation. The use of a scribe
requires, for example, the student to dictate actual words, indicate
where punctuation should go, and spell out difficult words. In most
cases student's who are eligible for NYSAA do not have the knowledge,
skills, and understandings for this test accommodation to be
appropriate. When we talk about documenting student responses we are
talking about circling a response a student has pointed to, writing a
word a student has pointed to, pasting a picture the student selected
onto a worksheet. There is generally no descriptive writing involved in
giving the alternate assessment given the population eligible for the
test, which is when you would see a scribe used. Scribes also have to go
through a set training program and qualify as a scribe. As you can see,
use of a scribe is very different than a teacher documenting a student
answers, such as simply pasting the picture or word card the student
chose onto the worksheet or writing the answer the student indicated.
Student work products show the best picture of the student completing
the task. This is because it shows the end product of how the student
demonstrated their knowledge, skills, and understandings of a specific
task. It is up to the teacher to choose whether to include a Data
Collection Sheet and/or a work product as verifying evidence. It is not
always the case that one would be more appropriate over another.
Assessment tasks should not assess the student's ability to paste a word
or picture card on a worksheet, they should be assessing the student's
ability to choose or indicate the correct response to the activity or
questions presented.
Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Thank you,
Kelly
Kelly Ickes
Special Education Specialist
Measured Progress
800.431.8901 x-2219 (v)
866.283.2197 (f)
Ickes.Kelly@measuredprogress.org
