Psychoeducational Assessment
Serving Parents & Children in Calgary and Beyond
Assessment is an integral part of student learning. Assessment inspires us to ask, ”Is this student learning what he/she is supposed to be learning?” “Is there a way to teach this child better to maximize learning?”
Today’s students need to know not only basic reading and arithmetic skills, but also skills to confidently and successfully navigate a continually changing world.
Every human brain is different and all brains have parts that do not work as well as others. Some students are talkers and thinkers, whereas others are doers. Some prefer to read while others prefer to use their hands to learn and explore. Some have difficulty expressing themselves and others have difficulties with attention. Each student is unique; therefore, it is important to understand how every child learns so they can truly benefit from their educational experiences.
Assessments are important for providing feedback regarding the student’s knowledge base, performance abilities, strengths, and needs. This feedback is critical to inform us about how kids learn, what teaching methods are most effective, and what strategies are needed to support student learning and long-term success. Assessments are also valuable in empowering students and parents to better advocate for their needs.
Assessments are essential to fully understand your child’s academic skills and cognitive abilities. It is important to determine not just how much your child has learned, but how he/she learns and goes about the task of solving problems. Assessments are also needed to identify Giftedness, learning disabilities, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders, and any other social/emotional/behavioural difficulties. The most important result of a psychoeducational assessment is the comprehensive recommendations for home and school to increase your child’s chances of success in and out of school.
Learn More About Our Clinicians Who Provide Psychoeducational Assessments
Sally Li
Sally recognizes the importance of working collaboratively with families, teachers, and the community to address the needs of all children and to help promote overall growth and success.
Jacqueline Stowkowy
Jacqueline’s goal is to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment, where clients feel comfortable to explore, address, and challenge difficult experiences, situations, patterns of thinking, and behaviour.
Fiona Steedman
Fiona is passionate about supporting school and home environments that facilitate positive mental health, skill development and overall well-being.
Caroline Buzanko
Dr. Buzanko helps parents and teachers understand kids’ strengths, areas of challenge, and how to best support them. She figures out what makes learning easy for kids and strategies to optimize learning.
Jaime Kerr
Jaime has many years of experience supporting children with unique learning needs and implementing early interventions. She has experience working with children with ADHD, learning differences, and social emotional concerns.
A thorough assessment often entails:
- Initial consultation to discuss ongoing issues and determine if a psychoeducational assessment is reasonable and necessary
- Parent interview to review the child’s developmental and medical history and current level of functioning
- Observation of child in natural setting (e.g., classroom, home)
- Psychometric testing to assess the child’s academic and reasoning skills, intellectual abilities, and executive functioning
- Depending on the child’s needs, additional areas may be evaluated, including memory, attention, impulsivity, language, motor and visual-spatial skills
- Assessment of the child’s social/emotional/behavioural functioning to better understand the child
- A comprehensive report including the results of the assessment and recommendations for any necessary school accommodations and at-home support strategies is provided
- Feedback session with the psychologist to review the results of the assessment, to discuss recommendations, and to address parent questions
- Schools recommend a psychoeducational reassessment every two to three years to monitor student progress
Does my child need a psychoeducational assessment?
- If your child consistently studies hard but the marks don’t reflect his/her effort
- If your child is clearly intelligent but, because of procrastination and poor planning skills, cannot deliver their homework or assignments on time
- If your child’s teacher notes in his/her report card that they need to pay more attention or stay more focused in class
- If your child presents with any behavioural or emotional problems related to school or home
- If your child consistently doesn’t want or doesn’t like to go to school
- If your child’s marks are good in all areas except one or two, such as Math or English
- If you think your child would benefit from school accommodations
