Training & Support
One of the keys to providing effective support for children with dyslexia is early identification. With this in mind, GL Assessment has launched new online versions of its award winning dyslexia screening tools, Lucid’s Rapid, CoPS 4-7 and LASS 8-11, which can be used to assess a child as young as four years old.
Unveiled at the TES SEN show in London today, the tools are designed to make it quicker and simpler to identify children who could be at risk of being dyslexic or having other reading difficulties.
By simply logging on and completing a 15 minute assessment on Rapid, teachers can quickly assess each child and put an end to pupils remaining unidentified until their later years. If any children are identified as having potential issues, a further assessment using CoPS 4-7 or LASS 8-11 will provide evidence for referral to educational psychologists. Teachers can also use the reports generated to inform how they can adapt their teaching to meet each pupil’s needs.
Psychologist and co-author of the assessments, Jo Horne said: “It is imperative that we stop children slipping through the net. Early identification of dyslexia allows for early intervention and reduces the frustration experienced by a pupil with unidentified learning needs.”
“The new online versions of these popular dyslexia screeners will make it far easier for teachers. They are more interactive so children prefer taking them. The content of the assessments changes depending on a child’s previous responses so they are quicker. And they provide instant reports so teachers can act straight away.”
Professor Adam Boddison, Chief Executive of nasen, said: “These new editions of Lucid’s Rapid, CoPS and LASS can be used to ensure that the limited resources available to schools are targeted to the areas in which they can have the most impact. Too many people are not identified as having dyslexia needs until after they have left school, but these identification tools can help to ensure more children get the support they deserve as early as possible.”
Khadra Hussein, SENCo, Marion Richardson School, Tower Hamlets, was involved in the standardisation of the new editions of the assessments. She said: “Rapid, CoPS and LASS are easy to administer. They give teachers a valuable insight into each individual pupil and I am excited that we can now screen pupils as young as four years old to indicate the probability of dyslexia. My pupils really enjoyed taking the tests, which are like short and engaging computer games.”
Unlike other comparable assessments, the tests can be used with pupils who speak English as an additional language. Each comes with in-depth guidance on interpreting the test results along with case studies, teaching recommendations and suggestions of appropriate computer software to support the development of particular skills.
The assessments test working memory, phonological awareness, phonological processing and auditory discrimination. Each element of the tests has been standardised on a minimum of 1,000 responses from a sample that reflects the national population to ensure teachers can rely on the accuracy of the results.
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About GL Assessment
GL Assessment is the largest provider of assessments to UK schools. We specialise in assessments that help to reveal pupils’ potential, track their progress and identify any barriers to learning they might have. gl-assessment.co.uk
