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Answers through Explaining, NOT Labeling

SPELD 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 administrating standardised cognitive and educational tests. Cognitive assessments help to determine an individual’s speed of learning in an academic environment. 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, which may require a separate appointment.

The Diagnostic Assessment Process

Prior to testing individuals or parents are asked to complete a form to gatherbackground information, which will provide an overview of theissues 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. Teaching 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.

Book your Answers Today

To schedule a Diagnostic Assessment please ring SPELD Vic on 03 9489 4344

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The Specific Learning Difficulties (SPELD) of Victoria ABN: 51 178 974 489