Culturally Appropriate Assessment

Articles

Effective Service Delivery with Indigenous Children and Youth

The Indigenous American Subcommittee of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) created this position statement, approved by the full board of NASP, which outlines an Indigenous Conceptual Framework that integrates key interrelated areas of understanding to support culturally responsive work with students. In addition to addressing assessment, this position statement also includes sections on culturally responsive practice and gender identity, education and mental health outcomes, the legacy of trauma and promise of resiliency, and culturally responsive practice with Indigenous youth.

Moving from Evaluation to Assessment

This brief, three page article makes the case for moving from an evaluation model to an assessment model to avoid cultural and linguistic bias and deficit based evaluation in identification of students for special education services. The authors describe assessment and intervention as one “whole” concept and describe what this looks like at each of the three tiers, proposing ecosystemic and dynamic approaches.

Response to Mediated Intervention: Dynamic Assessment in Context

This study demonstrates the usefulness of the Response to Mediated Intervention (RTMI) process, in which sociocultural contexts, dynamic assessment, evidence-based interventions and student responsiveness intersect. The process is strength-based, and uses an asset-oriented mindset. Used in an ecosystems context, RTMI shows great promise for helping accelerate academic outcomes for students with education challenges and for culturally diverse learners who are not making sufficient progress within the general education classroom or from Tier 1 intervention alone.

Serving Native American Children and Families: Considering Cultural Variables

This article was published in the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Journal and has become a "standard" for speech and language pathologists regarding work with Native populations. The author approaches assessment broadly, discussing a variety of factors from linguistic to learning styles which help support culturally responsive assessment. It is appropriate for school psychologists and others assessing Native students in schools. Past scholars have highlighted this article as helpful because it gives very specific examples of bias in assessment when working with Native youth and families.

Special Education for Indigenous Students

This brief article examines three primary challenges for educators in regard to American Indian, Alaska, and Hawaiian Native populations with special education and language transition needs. These concerns are 1) Continuing disproportionality in identification and placement in special education services, 2) Limited access to culturally and linguistically responsive instruction within special education services, and 3) Limited numbers of indigenous bilingual special education professionals.

Using Cultural Assets to Enhance Assessment of Latino Students

This article discusses the exploration of culturally based learning assets during interview, observation and formal assessment to support comprehensive and culturally responsive assessment which will guide interventions. Although developed for use with youth who are Spanish speaking bilinguals, it has clear utility across cultures. It features a useful assessment tool, The Cultural Assets Identifier (CAI), with which you can note students’ home and culturally based characteristics, examine them for cognitive components and resilience-base protective factors, and then translate them into a strength-based intervention plan. Past scholars have noted that this article and associated tool are resources they often bring up in conversations with colleagues when discussing how to consider looking at students’ strengths in a holistic way.

Using the NASP Indigenous Framework for Assessment - Part One, Part Two

This two part article provides an Indigenous perspective and framework for assessment, as well as en exploration of a case study using that framework. It includes personal reflections from a Native American school psychologist, Paul Dauphinais (Turtle Mountain Chippewa), that provide intimate insights into his own processes and reflections as he goes through an assessment for special education eligibility with a local child. Past scholars have highlighted this article as particularly helpful in conceptualizing a more holistic and culturally relevant lens through which to view Native youth in the assessment process.

Book Chapters

Dynamic Assessment and Sociocultural Context: Assessing the Whole Child

This book chapter is full of case studies and contains cross cultural examples and stories of how to mediate and create culturally appropriate mediated interventions in schools. There are portions of the chapter that refer to Diné scholar Larry Emerson’s work with the Kumeyaay youth and his commentary on mediated learning and identity. One past scholar noted that this article helped her understand the relevancy of dynamic assessment because it draws from a holistic, indigenous lens that focuses on all aspects of a student’s life, with culture playing a central role in assessment and intervention.

Honoring Our Heritage: Culturally Appropriate Approaches for Teaching Indigenous Students

Teresa L. McCarty states, "In this wonderful collection, the editors gather together stories of 'success' in Indigenous culturally based education. Combining theory with practice, and spanning multiple content areas, the book is rich with strategies and hands-on resources for inquiry-oriented, place-based instruction, with examples from South Asia to the Southwestern U.S., the Great Lakes to the Great Plains, readers will find clear pedagogical models that honor who Native students are by honoring their heritage and the contemporary contexts of their lives."

Kumeyaay Curriculum

The Kumeyaay curriculum is an invaluable resource about the Kumeyaay people, created by community members Michael Connolly Miskwish, Stan Rodriguez, and Martha Rodriguez. The curriculum is organized into ten modules that introduce the Kumeyaay people and the plants and animals of the Sycuan Reservation Habitat Conservation and surrounding ecosystems. It also includes information about Kumeyaay culture, contemporary environmental concepts, and traditional land management practices. While this resource is not a commentary on assessment or strategies for assessing youth, it is a great resource for building your own knowledge of the Kumeyaay people which will in turn help you to become more adept at culturally responsive assessment when working with Kumeyaay youth.

Powerpoint Presentations

Culturally Congruent Assessment and Intervention with Indigenous Peoples of the Americas

Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart has been working in the area of historical trauma and recovery and its relationship to current practice for years. This is a 2010 powerpoint of her work in relation to assessment and intervention. It includes symptoms of depression, PTSD, and prolonged grief, as well as four major intervention components.

Supporting Children Who Have Experienced Trauma

Dr. Maegan Rides At the Door presented to the 2019-2020 Native Scholars group about how the experiences of American Indian and Alaska Native students may be different considering cultural implications for understanding the definition of trauma, trauma symptoms, and trauma effects. She also shared 25 strategies to support students who have experienced trauma. This presentation will help you understand both how to recognize how trauma may be impacting students as well as how to respond to it in a culturally appropriate manner.

Tools

Cultural Assets Identifier

The Cultural Assets Identifier is a tool presented in the article, “Using Cultural Assets to Enhance Assessment of Latino Students.” (above). It helps teachers, counselors and psychologists uncover unique strengths that students have that are not always considered in a school environment, such as responsibilities at home, demonstrating respect toward elders, skills in culturally based activities that can be translated into learning assets, etc. Past scholars have used it in consultation with teachers, as well as in their own assessment of students. They have also shared that it is a great tool to use as a start to mediated learning interventions and dynamic assessments because it helps identify cultural and community based activities that demonstrate the students’ thinking skills.

DIBELS Reading Assessments

DIBELS has been used by past scholars to measure reading fluency for students. While DIBELS can be a helpful tool in measuring progress for students, scholars should take care to ensure that the text choices are culturally relevant to students. For example, one past scholar noticed that a passage she was administering to students was about subways and contained many references that students might be unfamiliar with (e.g. turnstiles, platforms, uptown, etc.) which could impact student recall ability. When passes are not culturally relevant to students, those administering DIBELS should take the fluency scores within context/consideration and use multiple assessment sources to establish their reading level. Scholars should also ensure that they are doing their best to make students feel comfortable when administering DIBELS, as the time constraints can be daunting to students.

Observation of Engagement and Self Efficacy

This is a tool you can use to assess students in a variety of settings - e.g. classroom observations, individual interviews, or small groups. It includes indicators such as body language, identity as a cultural being, ability to celebrate learning, and more. Past scholars have used this tool at the beginning, during, and at the end of their work with students to gain a more holistic view of their students as learners and the progress they are making over time.

Website

Information Hub: Adverse Childhood Experiences in Indian Country

Many Tribal individuals, families, and communities have been impacted by childhood experiences causing physical and mental health adversities throughout the lifespan. However, with understanding and effort, individuals and communities can confront Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) for positive health outcomes. This information hub, launched by the National Indian Health Board includes a "resource basket" designed for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals, families, communities, professionals, and leaders to rummage through, harvesting resources. In the resource basket, you will find links to accessible tools used in peer-reviewed Alaska Native/American Indian research to assist when planning local needs assessments and data collection.