SMALSI School Motivation and Learning Strategies Inventory Kathy Chatham Stroud, PhD, and Cecil R. Reynolds, PhD
Jan 17, 2016
SMALSISchool Motivation and Learning Strategies InventoryKathy Chatham Stroud, PhD, and Cecil R. Reynolds, PhD
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Help solve the problems of general education before they becomethe problems of special education.
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What Is the SMALSI?School Motivation and Learning Strategies Inventory
Standardized self-report inventory for ages 8 years to 18 years in two forms
- Child Form: ages 8–12
- Teen Form: ages 13–18
Designed to assess multiple constructs related to Study Strategies, Academic
Motivation, Test-Taking Strategies, and Test Anxiety
May be administered individually or in groups, large or small
Completed in 20–30 minutes by most students reading at grade level 3.5 or higher
(may be read to others)
Yields a profile of T-scores (M = 50, SD = 10) from which strengths and weaknesses
in specific areas can be determined and targeted for teaching if necessary
Unlimited-use of computer scoring or hand scoring available
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To assist us in making more children more-effective strategic learners who can demonstrate their knowledge and skills accurately
The Number One Goal of SMALSI Use?
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The SMALSI provides a quick, cost-effective way to identify and target poor learning strategies that affect academic performance
Benefits of Using the SMALSI
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Benefits of Using the SMALSI
Students who engage in strategic learning and test-taking perform at higher academic levels than those who do not
If you improve the study skills, learning strategies, reading comprehension, and test-taking behavior of students, their academic achievement will also improve
This is true at all grade levels, with both regular and special education students
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Benefits of Using the SMALSI
Until now, there has been no comprehensive instrument that measures these skills and strategies.
The SMALSI fills this void.
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Who Can Use the SMALSI?
School and related psychologists (e.g., child-clinical, pediatric)
School counselors and LPCs Educational Diagnosticians Learning Disability Specialists and Special Education
Teachers with assessment training Regular Education Teachers with a course in
classroom assessment or tests and measurementTo use the SMALSI appropriately, the user should have a background in education and learning
along with training in assessment or tests and measurement.
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SMALSI Student Strengths Subscales
Study Strategies Selecting important information; relating new to previously learned information; and memory strategies for encoding
Discriminating important material when taking notes; organizing notes; efficiency in note-taking
Previewing, monitoring, and reviewing texts, including self-testing to ensure understanding
Researching topics in a variety of ways; organizing writing projects as well as monitoring and self-checking for errors
Note-Taking/Listening Skills
Reading and Comprehension Strategies
Writing/Research Skills
Scale Definition
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SMALSI Student Strengths Subscales (continued)
Test-Taking Strategies
Increasing efficiency in test-taking, including eliminating unlikely answers and strategic guessing
Organizing class and study materials; structuring assignments, including homework and other projects
Effective use of time to complete assignments; understanding of time needed for academic tasks
Organizational Techniques
Time Management
Scale Definition
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SMALSI Student Liabilities Subscales
Low Academic Motivation Level of intrinsic motivation to engage and succeed in academic tasks
Student’s experience of debilitating symptoms of test anxiety; lower performance on tests due to excessive worry
Attending to lectures and other academic tasks; monitoring and adjusting attention to performance; concentrating and the avoidance of distractions
Test Anxiety
Concentration/AttentionDifficulties
Scale Definition
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Applications of the SMALSI
Screening in regular education- Identifying group weaknesses in a classroom or school- Identifying individuals with a lack of or poor developed strategies
for learning
Pre-referral intervention/prevention
Assessing students with disabilities- Learning disabilities- Emotional disturbance- ADHD- TBI
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The SMALSI targets primary constructs well-established in educational psychology and the general education literature
In research spanning three decades, these constructs have been linked to academic and educational success
After the SMALSI has identified deficiencies in these areas, remediation can begin
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We offer workshops that suggest specific remediation techniques for each construct measured by the SMALSI.