by Steven G. Feifer, DEd; Professional Manual by Steven G. Feifer, DEd, and Heddy Kovach Clark, PhD
Purpose: Examines the underlying neurodevelopmental processes that support proficient math skills
Age: 4 to 21 years
Admin: Individual
Time: 35 minutes for 3-4yrs; 50 minutes for 5-7yrs ; 60 minutes for 8yrs+; 15 minutes for Screening Form
Qualification Level: B
The FAM is a comprehensive assessment of mathematics designed to examine the underlying neurodevelopmental processes that support the acquisition of proficient maths skills. It not only helps determine if an examinee has a maths learning disability (MLD) but also identifies the specific subtype of dyscalculia, which better informs decisions about appropriate interventions.
Features and benefits
- Comprises 19 individual subtests measuring various aspects of maths fact retrieval, numeric and spatial memory, perceptual estimation skills, linguistic maths concepts, and core number sense development.
- Assists practitioners in not only determining the presence of a general maths learning disability (MLD) but also in determing the specific subtype of dyscalculia in order to better inform intervention decision making.
- Can be used in conjunction with more traditional achievement tests (e.g., the AAB) that measure overall maths performance.
- Based on a neuropsychological paradigm, which dictates that multiple neural pathways underscore various cognitive processes used in mathematical problem solving.
- A separate Screening Form, ideal for progress monitoring, permits you to screen for dyscalculia and MLD and to identify the needs of at-risk students.
Test structure
- Yields three index scores representing each dyscalculia subtype (Verbal Index, Procedural Index, and Semantic Index) as well as a Total Index score that represents total test performance.
- The Verbal Index score is a measure of automatic fact retrieval and the linguistic components of maths.
- The Procedural Index score is a measure of a student's ability to count, order, and sequence numbers or mathematical procedures.
- The Semantic Index score is a measure of visual—spatial and conceptual components, including magnitude representation, patterns and relationships, higher-level mathematical problem solving, and number sense.
- Choose to administer the full battery, only the subtests associated with an individual index, or only individual subtests.
- Reliable change and discrepancy scores can be calculated.
- Examinees 3 to 4yrs take nine subtests, examinees 5 to 7yrs take 14 subtests, and examinees 8yrs+ take 18 subtests.
Technical information
- Offers grade-based normative data (with age proxies provided); age and grade equivalents and percentiles for subtest scores; and confidence intervals, percentile ranks, z scores, and normal curve equivalents (NCEs) for index scores.
- Subtest and index scores are scaled to the familiar IQ metric, wherein the mean is set to 100 and the standard deviation to 15.
- Standardized on a sample of 1,061 examinees in prekindergarten to college drawn from more than 30 states and based on 2013 U.S. Census statistics.
FAM Screening Form
- Designed to identify children at risk for dyscalculia or an MLD within an RTI delivery system model.
- Measures the underlying cognitive and quantitative processes that underscore the development of mathematical achievement in a manner that best informs decisions about appropriate interventions.
- Comprises three subtests—one from each index—selected as the best representation of each domain based on clinical research and statistical analysis.
- Yields a single index score that indicates risk for dyscalculia or an MLD.
- Intended to assist users in deciding whether the risk of dyscalculia or an MLD is high enough to warrant further assessment.
