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Abstract
This study examined gains in written language as assessed by targeted curriculum-based measures (CBMs), and explored how these gains were affected by moderator variables of specific cognitive functions and student subgroups. The sample included 68 second grade students who were at risk for writing disabilities. Handwritten compositions were collected throughout a written language intervention at baseline, sessions 3, 5, 10, 13, 15, 20, 22, and termination. Specific CBM variables included Total Number of Words Written, Words Spelled Correctly, Correct Word Sequences, and Percentage of Correct Word Sequences. Using latent growth curve analysis, models were estimated for each of the CBMs, but the data showed poor model fit. Latent class groupings using cognitive variables and student subgroups significantly moderated the growth rate for written language assessed by specific CBMs. Although these latter findings reflected potential moderators of change in written language, the lack of model fit raised questions around the use of these CBM variables in monitoring writing progress for second grade students at risk for writing disabilities. Findings from this investigation revealed the measurement complexities that likely remain hidden from teachers and other professionals engaged in routine progress monitoring using CBM variables.
Notes
This project was completed with grant support from the Department of Education Institute of Educational Science (R305H06042), Maternal Child Health Bureau (#MCJ379154A), and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (#90DD043003). The authors wish to thank Sean Knuth, Amy Childress, Kylee Miller, and Rachel Kitson for their assistance in the data collection for this project. The authors also wish to extend their appreciation to the Orange County School System in Hillsborough, North Carolina for their cooperation with this project, and to the parents and children who participated in this study.