Diagnostic AssessmentsSPELD diagnostic assessments provide explanations for a person’s struggle with reading, writing, spelling or maths. Once these issues are identified appropriate strategies can then be put into place to address and manage these issues.
Assessments are carried out by SPELD’s experienced, highly-qualified Educational Psychologists.
The Assessment Tests
SPELD assessments consist of administering standardised cognitive and educational tests. Cognitive assessments help to understand an individual’s speed of learning in an academic environment, providing information on the student’s strengths and areas of difficulty.
These assessments may include:
- Wechsler Preschool and Primary School Scale of Intelligence - (WPPSI) for children 2.6 to 7.3 years old or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th Edition (WISC- IV) for children 6 to 16.11 years old;
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III)
The educational assessment provides information on an individual’s reading, writing, spelling and maths skill levels. Educational assessments may include administering standardised tests such as the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-II), Neale Analysis of Reading Ability-III, Edwards Reading Test, ACER Word Identification Tests, SA Spelling Test, ACER Literacy Tests, or the Woodcock Diagnostic Reading Battery.
Specific numeracy tests can be done upon request. These may require a separate appointment.
The Diagnostic Assessment Process
Prior to testing, individuals or parents are asked to complete a form to provide background information and an overview of the issues of concerns. The testing session is usually carried out during the first half of one day or in two 2-hour sessions, depending on the age of the individual and the test(s) being administered. Sessions begin with a preliminary interview, including discussion of the background information.
After testing, the Psychologist will present the results, as well as explain the meaning of these results. Strategies to address the issues identified will also be discussed. In some instances referrals to other specialists may also be considered.
A comprehensive report written by the Psychologist who administered the test will be provided shortly after the assessment session. Reports include:
- a brief developmental history of the individual assessed;
- observations of the individual during the assessment process;
- statement of issues as described by parent(s) and, when available, teachers;
- description of tests, together with a statement and an alysis of results;
- summary and strategies/recommendations for meeting the individual’s specific needs at home, school and through tutor programs.
About the Wechsler scales
The Wechsler scales measure a variety of abilities, which include:
- Verbal concept formation and reasoning, using language abilities;
- Vocabulary - Word knowledge, ability to understand and define words;
- Comprehension - Social perception, moral and ethical judgment, commonsense;
- Arithmetic - Numerical reasoning, concentration, basic mathematical processes, and auditory short and long - term memory;
- Working Memory — the capacity to hold ideas in the mind and to see the relationship between them.
- Hand/eye coordination;
- Attention to detail, planning ability, social understanding, visual sequencing;
- Spatial reasoning and orientation, assembly skills, figure ground perception, pattern matching;
- Visual/motor coordination, visual closure, perception of visual/spatial relationships.
Bookings
To make an appointment for a diagnostic assessment please ring us on 9489 4344.
Cancellations made within 24 hours of appointment will incur the total assessment fee costs.
The Specific Learning Difficulties (SPELD) Association of Victoria
