LE2-7 - Translating the Psych Ed Assessment

 

Element	Purpose	Implications for the Classroom Programming / Assessment
Cognitive Ability	To determine the child's capacity to perform skills, such as verbal comprehension, visual-motor coordination, and processing speed.	The child's cognitive ability outcomes will provide insight into strengths and weaknesses that can be met in the IEP with modifications, accommodations, and/or alternative programming. Assessments should be designed utilize a child's relative strengths as they work toward developing weaker areas.
Strengths	Areas within the child's profile that core relatively higher than others are considered to be strengths.	Educators can use their understanding how a child learns and the strengths they have to focus programming on the child's strengths as they work on the areas where the child struggles.
Psychological Processing	Psychological processes come into play when we are performing different activities, such as thinking, remembering, problem solving, and reasoning.	As with information about a child's cognitive abilities, strengths and weaknesses in psychological processes can determine how programming and assessment is designed for a student.
Academic Achievement	To determine the child's degree of knowledge and proficiency in specific academic areas, such as reading, writing, and mathematics.	Details of a child's academic achievement give educators a jumping off point in terms of where to begin baseline assessments and how to create individualized academic programming for the child. Cognitive abilities and psychological processing information (strengths and weaknesses) come into play as programming to meet the needs of the individual must include accommodations for areas of struggle.
Social Emotional Functioning (students with a LD profile may have challenges in this area either possibly related to their LD and or comorbid conditions)	Social-emotional struggles for children with LDs could be related to underdeveloped adaptive behaviours (life skills) or could be connected to related conditions, such as ADHD.	This information provides insight into the social-emotional adjustment of the child and how they might cope with social interactions in school. Setting the child up for success includes ensuring that they are able to handle the programming and assessments that are designed with their needs in mind.