Educational Assessment

Educational Assessments and Cognitive Assessments

Difficulties with learning can result from a number of environmental and emotional problems.  Educational assessments can help us understand the reason why the student is having trouble learning.

Comprehensive educational assessments contain both Cognitive and Achievement tests to help parents and educators gain insight to a child’s unique learning profile and academic ability.  The assessment package is tailored to the individual’s needs in order to provide specific information related to the young persons functioning and/or related concerns.  Once the assessment is complete individualised recommendations are formulated based on the results and designed to assist parents and educators to make informed decisions regarding their child’s educational placement, optimal learning environment and individual needs.

Cognitive Assessment

A cognitive assessment is an individually administered test for children aged between 2.5 and 16 years.  Using the Weschler scales (i.e., WISC V or WPPSI IV), the test can take between 50 min to 2 hours to administer and generate a Full Scale IQ which represents the child/ adolescents general intellectual capacity.  Sometimes it can also be helpful to further explore other areas of intelligence using another tool known as the Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Battery.

Achievement Assessment

An achievement assessment is suitable for use in a wide variety of clinical and educational settings, which aims to identify a student’s academic strengths and weaknesses.  Such assessments can help to identify students who may be experiencing learning difficulties or excelling in an area of achievement.  The results can be interpreted alongside cognitive assessments to inform decisions regarding eligibility for educational services and suitable school placements, or diagnosis of a specific learning disability.  Additionally, such assessments enable the psychologist to design individualised recommendations aimed to address objectives and plan interventions.

A Cognitive Assessment typically includes:

  1. An initial parent interview (50 min) to gather some history about your child and their development.
  2. The Assessment process:
    1. Standard cognitive (intelligence) test (60-90 min).
    2. Parental and Teacher questionnaires provided to assess social-emotional and adaptive functioning.
    3. A detailed assessment report of findings with tailored behavioural and educational recommendations for your child.
  3. A feedback session (30-50 min) to discuss your child’s assessment and answer any questions you may have.

A Cognitive and Achievement Assessment for giftedness or learning difficulty typically includes:

  1. An initial parent interview (50 min) to gather some history about your child and their development.
  2. The Assessment process:
    1. Standard cognitive (intelligence) test (60- 90 min).
    2. Standard academic achievement test (90-120 min).
    3. May include Parental and Teacher questionnaires provided to assess social-emotional and adaptive functioning.
    4. A detailed assessment report of findings with tailored behavioural and educational recommendations for your child.
    5. A feedback session (30-50 min) to discuss your child’s assessment and answer any questions you may have.

 

A school readiness typically includes:

  1. An initial parent interview (50 min) to gather some history about your child and their development.
  2. The Assessment process:
    1. Standard cognitive (intelligence) test (60-90 min).
    2. Play based session with psychologist and/or kindergarten observation (as required) (50 min).
    3. Parental and Teacher questionnaires provided to assess social-emotional and adaptive functioning.
    4. A detailed assessment report of findings with tailored behavioural and educational recommendations for your child.  Additionally, if eligible a letter to the Victorian Department of Education to support early school entry.
  3. A feedback session (30-50 min) to discuss your child’s assessment and answer any questions you may have.

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