Dr. Samuel Ortiz
Dr. Ortiz trains and consults nationally and internationally on topics ranging from nondiscriminatory assessment to contemporary evaluation of learning disabilities. He combines practical and research based experience with specialized education and training in working with culturally and linguistically diverse children and parents.
Biography
Dr. Ortiz is Associate Professor of Psychology and former Director of the School Psychology Program at St. John’s University, Queens, New York. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Southern California and completed postdoctoral training in Bilingual School Psychology at San Diego State University where he also obtained certification as a school psychologist.
Workshop Description
Psychoeducational Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners
This workshop will present current research on language, cognitive, and academic development and their application to evaluation within a comprehensive, research-based framework for generating valid data to support conclusions and decisions regarding the presence or absence of various types of disorders with English learners. Participants will be given instruction covering the implementation of evaluation procedures in a step-by-step manner for adequately measuring various abilities, guidelines for evaluating the validity of test scores, rules governing the selection and use of scores generated via testing in English vs. the native language, and specific guidance via case study examples that illustrate application of X-BASS and use of the C-LIM with emphasis on identification of specific learning disability, intellectual disability, and speech-language impairment. Topics include: issues in first and second language acquisition; the legacy of testing with bilinguals, understanding bias in testing; issues regarding test score validity; and use of the Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix. The knowledge and skills gained will be useful to practitioners at all levels and provides a solid base for engaging in evaluation of English learners that constitutes defensible and current best practices.
a. Learning Objectives:
1. Know the basic steps and process involved in conducting comprehensive and systematic evaluation of culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
2. Learn the advantages and limitations of traditional approaches to evaluation of individuals from diverse backgrounds including alteration or modifications in test administration, use of nonverbal tests, and native language evaluation procedures.
3. Apply current research in the evaluation of the extent to which the validity of various assessment approaches and test results are undermined by cultural and linguistic factors.
4. Learn how to apply and use the C-LIM (within X-BASS) as a method for evaluating the extent to which cultural/linguistic factors may have compromised the validity of test performance and results.
5. Learn how to interpret standardized test and other data in a non-discriminatory manner.
Registration is required for the workshop.
Free Evening Lecture
Free Lecture: Dr. Ortiz - The Bilingual/Bicultural Experience; Implications for School-Based Learning
June 1, 7:00 pm– 9:00 pm
College of Education, U of S
During the free evening lecture, Dr. Ortiz will provide a personal and humorous perspective of his experience as a bilingual/bicultural child and adult navigating the mainstream culture with an emphasis on school-based learning and experiences. This free lecture is part of a 2 day workshop on the Psychoeducational Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners. During the workshop Dr. Ortiz will present current research on language, cognitive, and academic development and their application to evaluation regarding the presence or absence of various types of disorders with English learners.
Registration is required for this free lecture.
Presentation Schedule
Topic: Psychoeducational Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners
Dates: June 1st-2nd, 2017 | 8:30am-4:30pm
Free Lecture: The Bilingual/Bicultural Experience; Implications for School-Based Learning
Date: June 1st, 2017 | 7:00pm-9:00pm