The early identification of children who are at risk of experiencing school problems has become a major area of interest within special education. Teacher perception, test batteries, and single instruments are presented as the major types of prediction procedures. The authors discuss general considerations relative to using various prediction models as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the various early identification approaches.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbesonA.ZettelJ.The end of the quiet revolution: The education for all handicapped children act. Exceptional Children, 1977, 44, 114–128.
2.
AldrichR.A.HollidayA.The mental retardation service delivery system project (Research Report No. 3). Seattle: Health Resources Study Center, University of Washington, 1971.
3.
AlgozzineB.MercerC.D.CountermineT.Labeling exceptional children: An analysis of expectations. Exceptional Children, 1977, 44, 131–132.
4.
BadianN.A.Early prediction of academic underachievement. Paper presented at the meeting of the 54th Annual International Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children, Chicago, April 1976. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 122 500).
5.
BengerK.The relationships of perception, personality, intelligence, and grade one reading achievement. Perception and reading. Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association, 1968.
6.
BookR.M.Predicting reading failure: A screening battery for kindergarten children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1974, 7, 43–56.
7.
CohenH.J.DinerH.The significance of developmental enamel defects in neurological diagnosis. Pediatrics, 1970, 46, 737–747.
8.
CowgillM.L.FriedlandS.ShapiroR.Predicting learning disabilities from kindergarten reports. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1973, 6, 577–582.
9.
CrossL.Identification of young children with handicaps: An overview. In EllisN.CrossL. (Eds.), Planning programs for early education of the handicapped. New York: Walker & Co., 1977.
10.
De HirschK.JanskyJ.LangfordW.S.Predicting reading failure. New York: Harper & Row, 1966.
11.
DenhoffE.HainsworthP.K.HainsworthM.L.The child at risk for learning disorder. Clinical Pediatrics, 1972, 11, 164–170.
12.
DivokyD.Education's latest victim: The LD kid. Learning, 1974, 3, 20–25.
13.
DykstraR.The use of reading readiness tests for diagnosis and prediction: A critique. In BarrettT.C. (Ed.), The evaluation of children's reading achievement. Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association, 1967.
14.
EavesL.C.KendallD.C.CrichtonJ.U.The early detection of minimal brain dysfunction. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1972, 5, 454–562.
15.
EavesL.C.KendallD.C.CrichtonJ.U.The early identification of learning disabilities: A follow-up report. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1974, 7, 632–638.
16.
FerindenW.E.Jr.JacobsonS.Early identification of learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1970, 3, 589–593.
17.
FeshbachS.AdelmanH.FullerW.W.Early identification of children with high risk of reading failure. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1974, 10, 639–644.
18.
FosterG.SchmidtC.SabatinoD.Teachers' expectancies and the label “learning disabilities.”Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1976, 9, 58–61.
19.
FosterG.YsseldykeJ.Expectancy and halo effects as a result of artificially induced teacher bias. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 1976, 1, 37–45.
20.
FosterG.YsseldykeJ.ReeseJ.I wouldn't have seen it, if I hadn't believed it. Exceptional Children, 1975, 41, 469–473.
21.
GalanteM.B.FlyeM.E.StephensL.S.Cumulative minor defects: A longitudinal study of the relation of physical factors to school achievement. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1972, 5, 75–80.
22.
GallagherJ.J.BradleyR.H.Early identification of development difficulties. In GordonI.J. (Ed.), Early childhood education: The seventy-first yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education (Part II). Chicago, Ill.: Distributed by The University of Chicago Press, 1972.
23.
GarberH.HeberR.The Milwaukee Project: Early intervention as a technique to prevent mental retardation. Storrs, Conn.: The University of Connecticut Technical Paper, 1973.
24.
GlazzardM.The effectiveness of three kindergarten predictors for first-grade achievement. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1977, 10, 95–99.
25.
GrayS.W.KlausR.A.An experimental preschool program for culturally deprived children. Child Development, 1965, 36, 887–898.
26.
HaringN.G.RidgwayR.W.Early identification of children with learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 1967, 33, 387–395.
27.
HaydenA.H.Perspectives of early childhood education in special education. In HaringN.G. (Ed.), Behavior of exceptional children: An introduction to special education. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill, 1974.
28.
HaydenA.H.HaringN.G.Early intervention for high risk infants and young children: Programs for Down's Syndrome children. In TjossemT.D. (Ed.), Intervention strategies for high risk infants and young children. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1976.
29.
HoffmanM.S.Early indications of learning problems. Academic Therapy, 1971, 7, 23–35.
30.
JonesR.A.Self-fulfilling prophecies. Hillsdale, N. J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1977.
31.
KapelisL.Early identification of reading failure: A comparison of two screening tests and teacher forecasts. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1975, 8, 638–641.
32.
KeoghB.K.BeckerL.D.Early detection of learning problems: Questions, cautions, and guidelines. Exceptional Children, 1973, 40, 5–12.
33.
KeoghB.K.SmithC.E.Group techniques and proposed scoring system for the Bender Gestalt Test with children. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1961, 17, 172–175.
34.
KeoghB.K.SmithC.E.Early identification of educationally high potential and high risk children. Journal of School Psychology, 1970, 8, 285–290.
35.
KirkS.A.Early education of the mentally retarded: An experimental study. Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press, 1958.
36.
KottmeyerW.Readiness for reading. Elementary English, 1947, 24, 355–366.
37.
LesslerK.BridgesJ.S.The prediction of learning problems in a rural setting: Can we improve on readiness tests?Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1973, 6, 90–94.
38.
LyonsJ.S.BangsT.Effects of preschool language training on later academic achievement of children with language and learning disabilities: A descriptive analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1972, 5, 585–592.
39.
MaglioccaL.A.RinaldiR.T.CrewJ.L.KunzelmannH.P.Early identification of handicapped children through a frequency sampling technique. Exceptional Children, 1977, 43, 414–420.
40.
McMillanD.JonesR.AloiaG.The mentally retarded label: A theoretical analysis and review of literature. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1974, 79, 241–261.
41.
MercerC.D.Preliminary review of early identification indices for learning disabled children. Paper presented at the meeting of the Conference of the State of Florida Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, Tampa, October 1975.
42.
MercerC.D.Children and adolescents with learning disabilities. Columbus, OH.: Charles E. Merrill, 1979.
43.
MercerC.D.TrifilettiJ.J.The development of screening procedures for the early detection of children with learning problems. The Journal of School Health, 1977, 47, 526–532.
44.
NovackH.S.BonaventuraE.MerendaP.F.A scale for early detection of children with learning problems. Exceptional Children, 1973, 40, 98–105.
45.
PasamanickB.RogersM.E.LilienfeldA.M.Pregnancy experience and the development of behavior disorder in children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1965, 112, 613–618.
46.
SalviaJ.ClarkG.YsseldykeJ.Teacher retention of stereotypes of exceptionality. Exceptional Children, 1973, 39, 651–652.
47.
SatzP.Early screening tests: Some uses and abuses. Journal of Learning Disabilities, in press.
48.
SatzP.FrielJ.Some predictive antecedents of specific reading disability: A preliminary two-year follow-up. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1974, 7, 437–444.
49.
SatzP.FrielJ.The predictive validity of an abbreviated screening battery: A preliminary cross validation study. Manuscript submitted for publication, 1976.
50.
SatzP.FrielJ.RudegeairF.Some predictive antecedents of specific reading disability: A two-, three- and four year follow-up. In GuthrieJ.T. (Ed.), Aspects of reading acquisition. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1976.
51.
SatzP.TaylorH.G.FrielJ.FletcherJ.M.Some developmental and predictive precursors of reading disabilities: A six year follow-up. Manuscript submitted for publication, 1977.
52.
ShearerD.E.ShearerM.S.The Portage Project: A model for early childhood intervention. In TjossemT.D. (Ed.), Intervention strategies for high risk infants and young children. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1976.
53.
SkeelsH.M.Adult status of children with contrasting early life experiences. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1966, 31(3).
54.
StimbertV.E.A technology of preschool education. Educational Technology, 1971, 11(2), 9–13.
55.
TjossemT.D.Early intervention: Issues and approaches. In TjossemT.D. (Ed.), Intervention strategies for high risk infants and young children. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1976.
56.
U. S. Office of Education. Assistance to states for education of handicapped children: Procedures for evaluating specific learning disabilities. Federal Register, 1977, 42, 65082–65085.
57.
WaldropM.F.GoeringJ.D.Hyperactivity and minor physical anomalies in elementary school children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1971, 41, 602–607.
58.
WaldropM.F.PedersenF.A.BellR.A.Minor physical anomalies and behavior in preschool children. Child Development, 1968, 39, 391–400.
59.
WilbornB.L.SmithD.A.Early identification of children with learning problems. Academic Therapy, 1974, 9, 363–371.