Precision Teaching: Supporting Formative Assessment for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Keywords:
Precision Teaching, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Formative Assessment, Special EducationAbstract
The current article aims to provide a critical analysis of the potential of using Precision Teaching (PT) as a method of supporting formative assessment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in an Irish context. PT is a method of programmed instruction which measures and evaluates learning in order to track students’ learning progress (Binder, 1998; Binder & Watkins, 1990). PT has been utilised successfully with various populations to support improvements in a wide variety of subject areas. Thus, the authors of the current article consider the link between PT and ASD, with particular focus on the origins of such PT-usage in an Irish context. Thereafter, the use of formative assessment methods, particularly PT, are considered in terms of promoting the learning of pupils with ASD. Finally, both the strengths and limitations of the PT approach are outlined, with the aim of supporting a balanced approach to pupil teaching, learning and assessment.
References
Beck, R., & Clement, R. (1991) The Great Falls Precision Teaching Project: An Historical Examination. Journal of Precision Teaching, Vol. 8, pp. 8-12.
Bennett, R. (2011) Formative Assessment: A Critical Review. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, Vol. 18 (1), pp. 5-25.
Binder, C. (1988) Precision Teaching: Measuring and Attaining Exemplary Academic Achievement. Youth Policy, Vol. 10 (7), pp. 12-15.
Binder, C. (1990) Precision Teaching and Curriculum Based Measurement. Journal of Precision Teaching, Vol. 7 (2), pp. 33-35.
Binder, C. (1996) Behavioral Fluency: Evolution of a New Paradigm. The Behavior Analyst, Vol. 19 (2), pp. 163-197.
Binder, C., and Watkins, C. L. (1990) Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction: Measurably Superior Instructional Technology in Schools. Performance Improvement Quarterly, Vol. 3 (4), pp. 74-96.
Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998) Assessment and Classroom Learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, Vol. 5 (1), pp.7-74.
Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (2009) Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 92 (1), pp. 81-90.
Chiesa, M., and Robertson, A. (2000) Precision Teaching and Fluency Training: Making Maths Easier for Pupils and Teachers. Educational Psychology in Practice, Vol. 16, pp. 297–310.
Chapman, S., Ewing, C. and Mozzoni, M. (2005) Precision Teaching and Fluency Training Across Cognitive, Physical, and Academic Tasks in Children with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multiple Baseline Study. Behavioral Interventions, Vol. 20 (1), pp.37-49.
Crooks, T.J. (1988) The Impact of Classroom Evaluation Practice on Students. Review of Educational Research, Vol. 58, pp. 338–481.
Cuzzocrea, F., Murdaca, A., and Oliva, P. (2011) Using Precision Teaching Method to Improve Foreign Language and Cognitive Skills Iin University Students. International Journal of Digital Literacy and Digital Competence, Vol. 2 (4), pp. 50-60.
Daly, P. and Cooper, J. O. (1993) Persuading Student Teachers and Inservice Teachers to Use Precision Teaching After the Course is Over. Education and Treatment of Children, Vol. 16 (3), p. 316.
Department of Education and Skills (DES) (1999) Primary School Curriculum. Dublin: Government Publications.
Department of Education and Skills (DES) (2011) Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life. Dublin: Government Publications.
Dillenburger, K., Keenan, M., Doherty, A., Byrne, T. and Gallagher, S. (2010) Living with Children Diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Parental and Professional Views. British Journal of Special Education, Vol. 37 (1), pp. 13-23.
European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education (EADSEN) (2008) Recommendations on Inclusive Assessment. Limassol: Cyprus.
Griffin, C.P., and Murtagh, L. (2015) Increasing the Sight Vocabulary and Reading Fluency of Children Requiring Reading Support: The Use of a Precision Teaching Approach. Educational Psychology in Practice, Vol. 31 (2), pp. 186-209.
Kerr, K., Campbell, A. and McGrory, S. (2002) The Saplings Model of Education: Case Studies in
Autism. Journal of Precision Teaching & Celeration. Vol. 18, pp. 49–60.
Kerr, K., Smyth, P. & McDowell, C. (2003) Precision Teaching Children with Autism: Helping Design Effective Programmes. Early Child Development and Care, Vol. 173 (4), pp. 399-410.
Kubina, R., Morrison, R., and Lee, D. (2002) Benefits of Adding Precision Teaching to Behavioral Interventions for Students with Autism. Behavioral Interventions, Vol. 17 (4), pp. 233-246.
Kubina, R., Amato, J., Schwilk, C. and Therrien, W. (2008) Comparing Performance Standards on the Retention of Words Read Correctly Per Minute. Journal of Behavioral Education, Vol. 17 (4), pp. 328-338.
Kubina, R. M., and Yurich, K. K. L. (2012) The Precision Teaching Book. Lemont, PA: Greatness Achieved.
Lambe, D., Murphy, C. and Kelly, M.E. (2015) The Impact of a Precision Teaching Intervention on the Reading Fluency of Typically Developing Children. Behavioural Interventions, Vol. 30, pp. 364-377.
Larsson, H., Eaton, W., Madsen, K., Vestergaard, M., Olesen, A., Agerbo, E., Schendel, D., Thorsen, P. and Mortensen, P. (2005) Risk Factors for Autism: Perinatal Factors, Parental Psychiatric History, and Socioeconomic Status. American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 161 (10), pp. 916-925.
Lebeer, J., Birta-Szekely, N., Demeter, K., Bohács, K., Candeias, A.A., Sønnesyn, G., Partanen, P., Dawson, L. (2011) Re-assessing the Current Assessment Practice of Children with Special Education Needs. School Psychology International, Vol. 33 (1), pp. 69-92.
Leslie, J. and Tierney, K. (2013) Behaviour Analysis in Ireland. The Irish Journal of Psychology, Vol. 34 (3-4), pp.156-162.
Mannion, L. & Griffin, C.P. (2018) Precision Teaching Through Irish: Effects on Isolated Sight Word Reading Fluency and Contextualised Reading Fluency. Irish Educational Studies, pp. 1-20.
Moors, A. and Fabrizio, M. (2002) Using Tool Skill Rates to Predict Composite Skill Frequency Aims. Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration, Vol. 18(2), pp. 28-29.
Moran, S. (2008) After Behaviourism, Navigationism? Irish Educational Studies, Vol. 27, pp. 209–221.
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) (2007) Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum: Guidelines for Schools. Dublin: NCCA.
National Educational Psychological Service. (2012) Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers: A Good Practice Guide for Teachers and Resource Pack. Available at http://www.education.ie/en/Education-Staff/Information/NEPSLiteracy-Resource/neps_literacy_good_practice_guide.pdf and http://www.education.ie/en/Education-Staff/Information/NEPSLiteracy-Resource/neps_literacy_resource_pack.pdf
Natriello, G. (1987) The Impact of Evaluation Processes on Students. Educational Psychologist, Vol. 22 (2), pp. 155–175.
Nitti, J. (1990) Utilizing Precision Teaching to Measure Growth of Reading Comprehension Skills in Low Achieving Students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Nova University.
Powell, S., and Jordan, R. (2012) Autism and Learning: A Guide to Good Practice (2nd ed). London: Routledge.
Ramey, D., Lydon, S., Healy, O., McCoy, A., Holloway, J. and Mulhern, T. (2016) A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Precision Teaching for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Vol. 3 (3), pp.179-195.
Ravet, J. (2013) Delving Deeper into the Black Box: Formative Assessment, Inclusion and Learners on the Autism Spectrum. International Journal of Inclusive Education, Vol. 17 (9), pp. 48-96.
Robert, W., and Norwich, B. (2010) Using Precision Teaching to Enhance the Word Reading Skills and Academic Self-Concept of Secondary School Pupils: A Role for Professional Educational Psychologists. Educational Psychology in Practice, Vol. 26, pp.279–298.
Simmons, S. (1995) The Teacher Education Consortium: A New Network for Professional Development within Experiential Education. Journal of Experiential Education, Vol. 18 (3), pp. 120-127.
Sulgrove, M.K. and McLaughlin, T.F. (2004) The Effects of an Additional Timed Reading on Reading Rate. Journal of Precision Teaching & Celeration, Vol.20 (1), pp. 9-16.
Swanson, H. and Sachse-Lee, C. (2000) A Meta-Analysis of Single-SubjectDesign Intervention Research for Students with LD. Journal of Learning Disabilities, Vol. 33 (2), pp. 114-136.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 REACH: Journal of Inclusive Education in Ireland
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright Notice
Authors contributing to REACH: Journal of Inclusive Education in Ireland retain the copyright of their article and at the same time agree to publish their articles under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License allowing third parties to share, copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format under the following terms:
- Attribution (BY): You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- NonCommercial (NC): You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
- NoDerivatives (ND): If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
Learn more about Creative Commons licensing.
