Diagnostic Information
Evidence collected to determine whether the team's hypothesis is supported.
What is Diagnostic Information?
Diagnostic information is collected to determine whether the team's hypothesis is supported. It provides additional evidence to confirm or revise the team's explanation before designing an intervention.
A strong diagnostic plan should:
- Be selected based on the team's hypothesis.
- Answer specific questions about the team's hypothesis.
- Gather meaningful information from multiple sources.
Remember: Diagnostic assessments should answer specific questions about your hypothesis. Avoid collecting unnecessary information that will not help confirm or rule out the team's explanation. Once collected, the team performs hypothesis validation to review the evidence.
Example
| Diagnostic Information | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Review previous reading data and work samples | Determine whether Emma's fluency difficulties have been consistent over time and identify patterns in her reading performance. |
| Observe Emma reading grade-level text | Determine whether she reads accurately by slowly, hesitates on unfamiliar words, or relied heavily on decoding strategies. |
| Administer a phonics and decoding assessment | Determine whether gaps in phonics or decoding skills are contributing to reduced reading fluency. |
| Conduct an oral reading fluency error analysis | Identify whether Emma's slow reading is primarily related to decoding errors, automaticity, or another reading behavior. |
| Assess word recognition automatically | Determine whether Emma recognizes words accurately and efficiently enough to support fluent reading. |