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9. SCHOOL YEARS: LINGUISTIC ASSESSMENTS

There is evidence that some pupils move between languages and language modes as they progress through the education system. Some studies have shown migrations from approaches using sign to oral/aural approaches (Watson, Archbold & Nikolopolous, 2006); others indicate moves from oral/aural to signing programmes (eg Akamatsu et al, 2000).

Therefore, it could again be assumed that it is beneficial to provide an environment where a spectrum of linguistic assessments are available and ongoing, so that staff can support pupil moves between languages modes as they progress through school. In this case, it will be important to develop and maintain a positive view of both languages and various modes, where it is possible that a move from oral/aural to a sign approach can be experienced as a positive move, rather than simply as a deficiency or failure. As already noted, in 8.1., above, an explicit national reframing of BSL, from a deficit to a linguistic context, would help to support the kind of positive view required. The possibility of BSL being included as a curriculum subject, with examinations at Standard Grade and Higher levels, is currently being explored; it is likely that such developments would help to raise the profile of BSL significantly.

ADPS did not collect the same detail of linguistic assessments for school pupils as for preschool children. Much of the evidence of assessments in this section is therefore based on interviews with a small sample of school services, which does not necessarily reflect the national picture.

9.1. SPOKEN LANGUAGE/LITERACY ASSESSMENTS
(Scoping Study Survey, 2007, and ADPS, 2001)

A similar range of commercially-available spoken language assessments was reported by interviewees as that reported for preschool children: for example, TROG, STASS, BPVS, Derbyshire Language Scheme. The cochlear implant team use both informal and formal, commercial assessments, which they sometimes adapt. The Scottish Sensory Centre are offering a one-day course in STASS in January. There was some evidence that there is a need for more standardised assessments suited to school-age deaf children - particularly upper primary.

SaLTs tend to be employed by the Health Boards rather than by the local authority education service. There was some evidence that this can create challenges in collaborative work - for example the fact that the deaf education/ HI service may buy in a SaLT service, but have no control over which children are seen, or the focus of language assessments. It is apparent that inter-agency relationships need to be particularly robust to withstand the barriers which can develop.

As the pupil progresses through primary, baseline and 5-14 National Test ( NT) assessments appear to be the main means of assessing reading and writing skills, and there can be pressure from local authorities do so. However, there were varying views as to the universal suitability of these for deaf pupils.

Between 2000 and 2005, ADPS collected annual information on reading tests administered to deaf pupils. Again, most is unexplored, but information produced in 2001 showed that NTs were a significant means of assessing reading ability of deaf pupils. Table 9 shows that 30% of the 722 reports of NTs in Reading were cited as the sole evidence for estimating reading age. For the other 70%, NTs were used in conjunction with other tests. A range of other types of reading tests were cited for the other 70%, and for those where other tests alone were cited as evidence.

Table 9 Most common means of testing reading ability in school among ADPS 'Group A' pupils (2000/2001)

* 43 different tests were cited, the most common of which were : Burt Word Test; Schonell Reading Test; Weschler Objective Reading Dimension; NEFR Nelson; Salford Test; Edinburgh Reading Test

See Section 10.9.1, below, for an exploration of what is known about linguistic access arrangements for 5-14 National Tests generally.

9.2. AUDIOLOGY ASSESSMENTS

As already noted, the training of Educational Audiologists provides unique knowledge and skills in the application of audiology to language development and educational contexts. As there are only 11 Educational Audiologists employed among 32 local authorities, this is likely to mean under-capacity in some local authorities for assessments of audition in classroom situations.

The recent clinical audit of audiology services noted geographical variation in the provision of paediatric audiology services. There are various recommendations aimed at addressing the imbalances and addressing the overall quality of paediatric services across the country (Davis et al, 2007)

See also information below on acoustic environments.

9.3. LATE DIAGNOSIS

The cochlear implant centre reports that they are still coming across examples of late diagnosis, so that, in some cases, referrals for implantation are happening after children have reached school age. See 8.6., above, for exploration of some key issues, which mostly relate to school-age as well as preschool children.

9.4. LIPREADING ASSESSMENTS ( ADPS, 2000/2004)

The extent of informal assessment of pupil lipreading skills by ToDs and SALTs, across Scotland, is not known. Table 10 shows available ADPS data on SQA lipreading qualifications obtained by pupils between 2000 and 2004. The numbers are too small to draw conclusions about trends, but it does seem strange that there were no reports of qualifications at all in 2003/2004. As lipreading is likely to be a significant access strategy for pupils, it is interesting that the uptake is generally so small. It may be that some services play down lipreading skills in order to concentrate on maximising audition (see Section 3, above). There is also the fact that lipreading requires knowledge of the vocabulary being spoken as well as lip-patterns, making it a more challenging exercise for pupils with limited vocabulary. It would be interesting to explore characteristics of the pupils who have achieved the award and how far it was useful to them in accessing information in the classroom.

One service reported that a SaLT was, at that time, doing the lipreading module with pupils.

Table 10 Qualifications in Lipreading among ADPS Group A deaf pupils in Scotland, 2001/2004

The Scottish Course for Training Teachers of Lipreading ( SCTTL) currently facilitates lipreading courses, as rehabilitation provision for adults with acquired hearing loss. Therefore lipreading, per se, is actually only part of the course content, and they do not tend to use the SQA lipreading module with these adult groups.

However, SCTTL 'firmly believe that lipreading would be beneficial to a large number of children' (extract from interview), and SCTTL is currently devising a course to train people to teach lipreading to children; it is intended that the course is aimed at ToDs, educational audiologists etc.

9.5. BSL ASSESSMENT ( ADPS, 2000/2004)

See Section 8.7.2., above regarding availability of BSL productive and receptive assessments, and the low availability/administration capacity in Scotland. One head of service felt there was a pressing need to have more formal assessments of BSL available, particularly where pupils are from hearing families.

In terms of BSL qualifications among pupils, table 11 shows ADPS data on numbers of pupils who achieved CACDP and SQA qualifications in BSL between 2000 and 2004. Numbers are too small to show significant trends across the years, but the overall predominance of CACDP rather than SQA assessments is marked. SQA is currently updating the National Qualification units in BSL, and it will be interesting to see whether the uptake increases accordingly.

The drop in numbers qualifying at higher levels is also significant. There are likely to be a number of reasons for this, but it undoubtedly at least partly reflects the reduced availability of provision in proportion to the level of the course. One FE specialist advisor reported that this lack of training at advanced levels limits the capacity of some FE students in accessing information (see Table 11, below).

Table 11 Qualifications in British Sign Language among ADPS Group A deaf pupils in Scotland, 2000/2004

9.6. CEM CENTRE ASSESSMENTS

Durham University's Curriculum, Evaluation and Management ( CEM) Centre offer 'value-added' assessments which track and feed back progress in a number of aspects of primary and secondary schooling, including reading, vocabulary and non-verbal ability. Some Scottish local authorities have used these assessments in the recent past, and they have had particular relevance to deaf children, as a small CEM Centre project focused on creating fair assessments for pupils with a wide range of hearing loss. Information on hearing loss levels, language and communication was collected and the assessments could be administered in either spoken English or BSL. In 2002, ADPS subsidised CEM Centre assessments for all services/schools that opted in to a one-off offer.

Although this sub-project no longer exists, one head of service indicated that they were re-visiting the idea of buying into CEM Centre assessments.

9.7. ASSESSMENTS OF LINGUISTIC STRATEGIES

The distinction between facilitating access to the class curriculum and providing direct specialist teaching support can be particularly blurred in primary mainstream situations. However, in secondary schools, it is more likely that pupils will be able to make such distinctions themselves. Later sections will focus on the difference between the clearly defined strategies and services provided in post-school education and the more general and less defined roles and strategies provided in schools.

However, it is worth mentioning here that there is no standard process for assessing specific pupil linguistic strategies within the variety of sub-environments in secondary schools. As with the situation in FE and HE, a pupil may get most benefit from using different strategies in different types of classes: amplification in one class; BSL/English interpreting in another; notetaking in another - and may also require general as well as subject-specific language support.

9.8. ASSESSMENTS WITHIN THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR LEARNING PROCESS

As described in 5.1., above, there are inconsistencies between local authorities in systems for opening Individualised Education Plans ( IEPs), as ongoing assessment and planning tools.

The next section, on school access, will address issues around eligibility for the Co-ordinated Support Plan ( CSP) process.

9.9. RECOMMENDATIONS

• Some pupils will wish/need to move between languages and language modes as they progress through schooling. It will be beneficial for all areas to provide a spectrum of linguistic assessments and access provision and a positive view of both signed and spoken languages.
• There may be a need to strengthen inter-agency collaboration between ToDs and SaLTs in the provision and application of language assessments.
• More standardised assessments may be needed for the assessment of deaf children's spoken language - particularly in upper primary - and more dialogue about characteristics, value and application of specific, commercially-available tests.
• There is a need to further explore both the suitability of 5-14 National Tests as a means of assessing literacy skills of deaf pupils, and the nature of arrangements which are currently being made to facilitate access.
• There is a need for more educational audiologists, so that every area has high quality capacity for applied audiology assessment within the classroom situations. There are also relevant recommendations from the recent clinical audit of audiology services, addressing geographical variations of hospital-based services.
• There are still some children whose deafness is not being diagnosed until school age. There is a need to address the reasons for this and strategies to ensure that problem areas are resolved.
• Lipreading as a linguistic access strategy for pupils is relatively unexplored. It will be interesting to monitor development of the proposed SCTTL course for teaching lipreading to children.
• As with the pre-school situation, there is a need for more availability of BSL assessments, and more trained staff to administer them. It will be interesting to monitor the uptake of updated SQANQ units in BSL for schools.
• There is no standard process for negotiating, assessing and recording specific linguistic strategies with pupils in secondary school situations. More exploration of this area is needed, particularly, but not exclusively, relating to transition to post-school education.

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