As an educational psychologist, I often have concerned parents bring their children in at the request of a teacher, doctor or therapist for an ‘Educational Assessment’. There is often uncertainty about what such an assessment actually is. What does it tells us? How does it benefit my child?
Broadly, an Educational Assessment can answer the question: Why exactly is my child struggling to perform in line with their potential at school? What can we do to help? An educational assessment uses standardised, evidence-based tests and tools to assess and screen a broad range of developmental, cognitive and learning areas to highlight the child’s strengths and to reveal any areas of weakness which might be acting as barriers to their learning in the classroom. Such barriers might be quite small and focussed, or a child might present with barriers in a few different cognitive areas. Each and every child is different. Understanding a child’s whole developmental picture in detail helps us to put together a treatment and intervention plan. Such a plan might involve referral to other therapists or specialists and also includes recommendations which can be implemented in the classroom or at home.
By understanding, and intervening (as early as possible), we create the most conducive environment for the child to fully express their potential and hopefully create a love for learning.
In all aspects of child development, early intervention is key and for this reason, early and thorough educational assessment can be beneficial in guiding intervention during those critical stages of child development. However, no matter the age of the child/teen – it is never too late to help!
By Tessa Burnard, Educational Psychologist.