Test for Written Spelling Fourth Edition Wendy L

Test for Written Spelling Fourth Edition Wendy L. Gremling SPE 33 -533 Psyco-Educational Testing for Teachers

3 Purposes for using the TWS-4 • To serve as a measure in research designed to measure spelling achievement in individuals with different types of learning disabilitie • To identify students whose spelling ability is deficient enough to call for direct instruction designed to improve their spelling • To document overall improvement in spelling as a consequence of intervention

Do the intidividual test items match the purpose? • The use of a standardized test such as the TWS-4 to measure improvement is legitimate as long as the testings occur at least 6 months apart. To prevent “practice effect” if t he test is given more frequently than once per year an alternate form of the test should be administered. Interpretation of the TWS-4 scores focuses on percentiles and standards scores and diagnosticians and teachers should be concerned when a student’s standard score is well below 90. This means special attention is necessary or additional assessment is needed to specify for the cause of the problem.

Test Administration • Takes only approximately 15 minutes to administer the test • Can be administered individually or in a group setting – Extra time should be allowed for a group testing

Examiner Requirements – Become thoroughly familiar with the contents of the examiner’s manual – Practice administering the test to an individual student no fewer than three times – Establish rapport with the examinee(s) by exploring the purpose of the test and approaching the testing session as a pleasurable undertaking – Be alert to signs of fatigue in the examinee(s) and cease testing if there are signs of fatigue or loss of interest – Consistently use praise and encouragement to the examinee(s) but avoid prompting or otherwise deviating from testing procedures – Allow about 15 minutes to administer the TWS-4. A slightly longer time may be required when the test is administered in a group setting.

Special Considerations – Permission has been granted for comparison analysis for test results should a student exhibit a learning disorder to the test results of a regular education peer – Test may be administered individually to students with learning disorders • Special considerations were given when determining the normative sample to the diverse structure of culture/race/ethnicity of the students. • Adaptable to translation

Student sampling • Created for regular education students based upon chronological age • 2 tests were developed to represent a normative sample from 2 different regions. The sample was collected for 23 states and 27 representing 4, 952 residing in one area with like demographics. (Please refer to chart above and below)

Demgraphic Characteristics of the Normative Sample Characteristics Percentage of Sample Percentage of School Age Population Gender : Male Female 48 52 51 49 Residence: Urban Rural 75 25 Race: 82 14 4 79 16 5 Geographic Area Northeast North central South West 21 26 32 21 18 24 35 23 Ethnicity 1 11 3 12 73 1 13 4 15 67 White Black Other Native American Hispanic Asian African American Other

Stratification by Age of Selected Sample Characteristics (Geographic, Gender, Race, and Ethnicity) Geographic Region & age interval 6 -8 9 -11 12 -14 15 -18 Total U. S. School Population Northeast N 230 366 336 140 1, 072 Gender and Age interval West % N % 22 21 23 20 21 18 262 454 395 175 1, 286 25 26 27 25 26 24 325 558 468 216 1, 567 31 32 32 31 32 35 N % 513 855 702 328 2, 398 230 367 263 167 1, 027 22 21 18 24 21 23 49 49 47 48 48 N % 534 890 760 370 2, 554 51 White 6 -8 9 -11 12 -15 16 -18 Total U. S. Population % Female N Race and Age Interval 6 -8 9 -11 12 -14 15 -18 Total U. S. Population South Male 6 -8 9 -11 12 -14 15 -18 Total U. S. School Population Ethnicity and Age Interval North Central 51 51 52 53 52 Nonwhite N % 879 1, 431 1, 184 579 4, 073 84 82 81 83 168 314 278 119 879 16 18 19 17 82 African American Hispanic % N % 101 235 183 87 606 10 13 12 12 102 185 154 68 509 10 11 11 10 15 11 79 Native American N 12 49 N 13 9 17 29 12 67 Asian % 1 1 1 2 2 18 1 21 All Other N % 37 50 60 10 157 3 3 4 1 798 1, 258 1, 036 521 3, 613 76 72 71 75 3 4 73 67

Reliability • Two methods were used to investigate the TWS 4’s content sample reliability: • Coefficient Alphas – the associated standard error of measurement – Coefficient alphas were calculated at 13 age intervals using data from the entire normative sample. Average coefficients exceeded. 90 which is indicative of high reliability • Alternate Form – immediate administration – A procedure to be used to estimate error due to content sampling when alternate forms of a test are available. Both forms of the test are given during one session and the correlation between the two tests is a reliability index that can be used to estimate the content sampling error. Correlation coefficient exceeded. 90 concluding high reliability and little sampling error.

Test-Retest & Interscorer • Test-retest approach involves re-administering the test at a later date. The intervening time was approximately 2 weeks. After the testing was complete the scores were correlated for standard deviation and the resulting correlation coefficients are consistently large enough to strong support the fact that TWS-4 has acceptable test-retest reliability. • Reliability among scorers of objective tests such as TWS-4 is understandably high due to clerical errors or difficulty deciphering handwriting. Error can be reduced considerably by the availability of a second administrator to assist in the deciphering of the results.

Validity – Content • In selecting the test items the words have to be typically taught in school and readily identifiable as either rule governed or irregular in their spelling. An extensive survey was conducted prior to selecting test items. To verify words on the TWS-4 are still instructionally relevant investigations are conducted in five current basal spelling series and on the current EDL list. • – Concurrent The results of time tested procedures to select valid items for the test focuses on the procedures to study an item’s discriminating power and difficulty. Item difficulty (i. e. the percentage of examinees who pass a given item) is determined to identify items that are too easy or too difficult. To demonstrate conclusively the item characteristics of the TWS -4, an item analysis was undertaken using the entire normative sample as subjects. A review reported test’s items satisfy the requirements empirically verifying the content validity.

Predictive Validity • The definition for the procedures indicate the “effectiveness of a test in predicting the individual’s performance in specific activities” • Performance is checked against a criterion that is either a direct or indirect measure of what the test is designed to predict • 3 separate studies were conducted and can be summarized as follows: – The coefficients representing the relationships among the TWS values and the criterion spelling measures were significant beyond the. 01 level of confidence and of high magnitude, therefore, the results of the studies demonstrate TWS-4 has criterion-related validity

Construct Validity • The Construct Validity of a test is the extent to which a test is said to measure a theoretical construct or trait • Relates to the degree to which the underlying traits of the test and be identified and reflected to theoretical model on which the test is based – 3 step procedure was created for demonstrating tests vailidity – Several constructs presumed to account for test performance were identified – Hypotheses are generated based on identified constructs – Hypotheses are verified by logical or empirical methods • Test demonstrated validity among age differentiation and group differentiation (those with and without disabilities)

Consequential Validity • Scores were correlated with students who were known to possess a high degree of scholastic aptitude and conversely those with a low aptitude. • Concurrent criterion-prediction validity demonstrated through resulting coefficients that the TWS-4 is strongly influenced by basic aptitude.

Criterion-Prediction Validity • The definition for the procedures indicate the “effectiveness of a test in predicting the individual’s performance in specific activities” • Performance is checked against a criterion that is either a direct or indirect measure of what the test is designed to predict • 3 separate studies were conducted and can be summarized as follows: – The coefficients representing the relationships among the TWS values and the criterion spelling measures were significant beyond the. 01 level of confidence and of high magnitude, therefore, the results of the studies demonstrate TWS-4 has criterion-related validity

Construct-Identification Validity • The Construct Validity of a test is the extent to which a test is said to measure a theoretical construct or trait – Relates to the degree to which the underlying traits of the test and be identified and reflected to theoretical model on which the test is based • 3 step procedure was created for demonstrating tests vailidity – Several constructs presumed to account for test performance were identified – Hypotheses are generated based on identified constructs – Hypotheses are verified by logical or empirical methods • Test demonstrated validity among age differentiation and group differentiation (those with and without disabilities)

Relationship to Tests of Aptitude and Intelligence • Scores were correlated with students who were known to possess a high degree of scholastic aptitude and conversely those with a low aptitude. • Concurrent criterion-prediction validity demonstrated through resulting coefficients that the TWS-4 is strongly influenced by basic aptitude.

Types of Scores • Scores are generated through the conversion of raw scores into normative values (or standard scores and percentiles). • Raw scores are converted according to spelling age and grade equivalent via a conversion table • Can also be converted into standard scores (or quotients) and percentiles • Consideration is given to deviation and equivalent factors such as test conditions

Raw Scores • The number of items correct on each subtest • Have limited value and cannot be used to make clinical interpretations about an individual’s performance • Are not comparable to raw scores on other tests

Standard Scores • The clearest indication of a student’s performance on the TWS-4 • Transformation of raw scores that establisha common mean score and standard deviation • The mean score is 100 with a standard deviation of 15.

Percentiles • Also referred to as percentile scores or ranks and are represented values on a scale of 100 that indicate the percentage of the distribution that is equal to or below the value. • Standard scores can be easily converted into percentile scores

Spelling ages and Grade Equivalents • Spelling ages (SA) and grade equivalents (GE) are derived by calculating the average score of students in the normative group at each age interval and at each school grade. • Through a process of interpolation, extrapolation, and smoothing, SA and GE’s are generated for each raw score.

Educational Significance • Interpretation focuses upon percentiles and standard scores • Concern should arise when a student’s standard score is below 90. • Students who score in the 90 -110 range are performing at their expected level for their age • Students who score over 110 have demonstrated a mastery of basic spelling patterns and are likely to be proficient readers and writers

Is this test Fair? • The normative sample took measures to ensure an appropriate representation of a percentage of cultures and/or age groups/gender groups. • The normative sample took into consideration the percentage of race/population, gender/population and geographic location to ensure the appropriate inclusion of all races. • As per the amount of studies demonstrated and the demographics conducted the test is age appropriate and should a variation be necessary it is easily adaptable. • Research has demonstrated the tests reliability and validity without reproach. Should environmental conditions and bias within administration of the test it has demonstrated it’s fairness. • As the test requires very little preparation and is easily administered and can be conducted in a re-test environment if necessary it is more than adequate for it’s puposes.

Test References – According to the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association, the test “Assesses student's ability to spell words whose spellings are readily predictable in sound-letter patterns, words whose spellings are less predictable, and both types of words considered together. ” • Hailed as being adaptable, easily administered, appropriate time required for testing procedures. • As referenced in the Autism Guide for Effective Teaching, “The test is administered using a dictated-word format. The words tested are taken from 10 basal spelling programs and popular graded word lists. The results of the TWS-4 can be used for three specific purposes: to identify students whose scores are significantly below those of their peers and who might need interventions designed to improve spelling proficiency; to document overall progress in spelling as a consequence of intervention programs; and to serve as a measure for research efforts designed to investigate spelling. ” http: //www. txautism. net/docs/Guide/Evaluation/Academic. Acheive ment. pdf

In Summary • Overall Strengths: easily administered; little time or preparation required; easily re-administered if necessary; easily adaptable to learning disabilities; can identify possible learning disorders; age appropriate; easy to translate if necessary; easy to read and determine scores • As the ability to spell is the foundation for language arts and reading instruction, the understanding of the phonics and grammatical rules for structure and semantics are vital to the success in many other curricular areas. This is one of the most fundamental goals in the art of instruction and it is also an area in which difficulty can be commonplace. As decoding disabilities and spelling problems can make up 85% of the learning disabled community early identification of issues is imperative to academic success. Because of the necessity in recognizing when students have a spelling problem, this test is an easy one to begin the process. Although extrinsic factors may affect spelling achievement, administration of this particular test is a good beginning for students of all ages.

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