Informal diagnostic tasks for the assessment of reading, spelling, and arithmetic skills in learning disabled children : a creative project

Clinical teaching is a diagnostic/prescriptive model to teach and students with learning problems. It is a teaching cycle which allows the teacher to manipulate variables affecting learning in order to devise appropriate instructional programs. Reading, spelling, and arithmetic tasks were developed to furnish the in-service teacher with a starting point to begin clinical teaching.This creative project has developed the informal diagnostic tasks in clinical teaching for reading, spelling, and arithmetic. The tasks are at the readiness and first grade levels. Learning style has been assessed simultaneously with the skills assessment.Reading skills were obtained from the Barbe Reading Checklist. General reading skills include structural analysis, word analysis, and comprehension. Spelling words were obtained from the Dolch Basic Sight Word List. Arithmetic skills were obtained from the Mann-Suiter Arithmetic Skills Checklist. General arithmetic skills include prenumber skills, numerical operations, money, and fractions.