The school year has just ended. However, it’s the perfect time to shed some light on a sometimes confusing topic: Educational and Gifted Assessments. The following will help you gain an understanding as to why some children need educational or gifted assessments while others do not.
An educational assessment is used to help identify areas in which students excel or need support. Assessments offer one way to understand the learning needs and abilities of students who are underachieving or capable of learning more than expected by the standard curriculum for their grade. Formal assessments provide objective measures of a child’s performance relative to their peers and help identify their unique strengths and limitations. These assessments may be used diagnostically to identify intellectual, learning, emotional and behavioural concerns affecting a child’s ability to succeed in school. They may also provide support for applications to gifted programs for students who may benefit from advanced learning opportunities.
Signs your child may benefit from an educational assessment may include:
- Indicating less interest in learning
- Complaining about or avoiding school
- Saying the work is too difficult or too easy
- Struggling to focus or being disruptive in class
- Straining to organize or complete assignments
- Expressing sadness or worries about school
- Disengaging in class or from learning or peers
- Lagging behind peers in reading, writing, or math skills
If your child is showing signs they are not reaching their potential, an assessment can provide valuable information about your child’s abilities. Specific recommendations can help you understand how to improve your child’s learning experiences, reduce barriers to your child’s potential, and provide guidance through the next several school years. Information gathered in the assessment may also help identify learning disorders, such as ADHD, dyslexia, or dysgraphia. An assessment may also recognize emotional concerns, such as depression and anxiety, that may be affecting your child’s ability to learn.
Educational assessments may be used when parents or teachers believe a student’s abilities are not fully recognized within their current academic program. A formal assessment may provide information to help your child qualify for gifted (GATE Programs) or talented programs. Gifted and talented programs typically determine which tests are required for entry into their program. These tests provide scores that describe your child’s performance relative to other students and indicate whether your child can maintain their program’s standards. Your child’s assessing psychologist may determine if other tests are necessary and will ensure that these provide information about the intellectual, academic, creative, or leadership qualities each school’s programs may require.
At the end of the assessment process, the psychologist will arrange a feedback session to inform you of the assessment’s overall findings. The psychologist will discuss recommendations, a plan for helping your child move forward, and provide copies of the formal written report. You may choose to share this confidential report with your child’s school to help teachers understand our child’s learning profile, adjust their teaching methods, and/or create an Individual Program Plan (IPP). Based on the confidential written report, your child’s school may apply to modify the curriculum, access funding for extra supports, or approve academic accommodations for school and provincial exams. University students also benefit from formal assessment to allow for accommodations.
Wait lists are long and limited through the school boards. If time is of the essence, you can have your chid assessed at a private clinic. The cost of a Gifted Assessment starts in the $500 range and a full Educational Assessment starts at about $1,900. Private clinic prices vary so make a few calls. Your child does not need a referral for an educational assessment.
Nancy Bergeron, RPsych. | [email protected]
