A psycho-educational assessment involves the careful assessment of a child’s intellectual and academic skills and is designed for the child whose difficulties are limited to learning or academic achievement. The goal of the assessment is to identify the child’s learning style, obstacles to school success, and to develop recommendations for intervention that can maximally promote a child’s confidence and success as a learner.
When does a child need a psycho-educational assessment?
A psycho-educational assessment is useful when there are concerns about a child’s attention, learning, or academic progress. Typical reasons for referral include children who are continuing to struggle in school despite extra help or tutoring and children with a suspected or documented Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Learning Disability.
What does a psycho-educational assessment involve?
A psycho-educational assessment involves three components:
(1) The collection of detailed descriptions of the child’s functioning in daily life from parents and teachers and careful review of the child’s history to identify possible contributors to his or her current challenges.
(2) The administration of standardized tests of intelligence and academic skills (e.g., reading, math, writing) and careful observation of the child during the assessment. Depending on the reason for referral, this core battery may be supplemented with formal assessment of one or more of the following cognitive domains: attention, executive function, problem solving and reasoning, language skills, visual-spatial processing, learning and memory. In addition, screenings of sensorimotor skills, social-emotional status, and/or behavioural functioning may be provided.
(3) Through careful analysis of all the information gathered, Dr. Akdag can describe a child’s cognitive profile, which includes discussion of the child’s strengths and weaknesses and the implications of the child’s profile for learning and academic achievement. She will also provide detailed recommendations on ways to support the child’s maximal progress and self-esteem in educational settings. Dr. Akdag communicates results and recommendations from her assessments through a family feedback session and detailed written report.
