Fall A 2021

Basic individual and group assessment techniques, test item construction, reliability, validity, and standardization. Students will become familiar with authentic, screening, diagnostic, formative, benchmark, and summative assessments relative to decision-making. Students will critique various assessment instruments (intelligence tests, ability tests, achievement tests, screening tests, interest tests, and personality tests) used by counselors. Socio-cultural factors, ethical factors, and legal codes relative to assessment of special populations, diverse learners, and English language learners will be addressed. Prerequisite: CNS 504 Statistics with a grade of “B” or better.

The course focuses on school counselors in Pre-K-12 inclusive settings as they work with diverse learners, English language learners, parents, administrators, teachers, and community agents. Students will become familiar with special education guidelines, multidisciplinary assessment, educational planning, and behavioral intervention. They will be able to articulate the standards-driven nature of curriculum, learning theory, instructional practice, and inclusion. Focus will be on 1) inclusive counseling practices, 2) types of disabilities and implications for learning, 3) classroom management, 4) school-wide behavioral support, 5) literacy and instruction in core areas, 6) English language learning, 7) instructional methods, and 8) evidence-based academic and behavioral interventions.

Prerequisite: The course is open to graduate students in the School Counseling Program in the Master of Arts in Counseling Program.