The Atlas Clinic
Psycho-Educational Assessment
Identify learning strengths and challenges
About This Assessment
What is a Psycho-Educational Assessment?
A psycho-educational assessment is a comprehensive evaluation conducted by a qualified clinical psychologist to understand a young person’s cognitive, academic, and emotional functioning.
During a psycho-educational assessment, a variety of standardised tests and measures are used to evaluate skills such as reading, writing, math, and problem-solving.
Additionally, the assessment includes an exploration of cognitive ability, including attention and concentration, memory, and social-emotional wellbeing.
The goal is to provide a detailed profile of a child’s learning style, identify any specific learning difficulties or challenges, and offer recommendations for tailored educational supports.
What’s Involved in the Assessment Process?
The process assesses a range of academic skills, such as phonological awareness, decoding abilities, reading fluency, spelling, and comprehension. It also explores related areas, including language processing, memory, and cognitive functioning. The assessment process may include:
01. Friendly Introduction
This starts with a friendly chat with the parent or caregiver and child. We talk about school, activities, and things the child enjoys. We also gather information about the child’s developmental history, educational background, and family history to understand contextual factors.
02. Cognitive Assessment
Using gold standard tests, we examine cognitive abilities such as intelligence, memory, and processing speed to identify strengths and weaknesses that may contribute to reading difficulties.
03. Educational Assessments
We use standardised tests to evaluate a child’s reading, writing, and mathematics (where applicable) skills.
04. Observations
We observe the child’s behaviour and strategies during reading and writing tasks to gain insights into their approach and potential challenges.
05. Interviews / Collateral Information
We gather additional information from teachers about the child’s academic experiences, learning environment, and support systems.
06. Feedback / Report
Following the assessment, a comprehensive report is generated, detailing the findings and recommendations.
A feedback meeting is arranged (3–4 weeks following assessment) where parents or caregivers meet to go through the report in detail, discuss any diagnoses, and explore recommendations. These may include targeted interventions, accommodations, and strategies to support their child in overcoming challenges associated with dyslexia.
Benefits of a Psycho-Educational Assessment
A psycho-educational assessment can be valuable for students who are experiencing difficulties with attainment in school, as it helps parents and teachers to gain insights into the child’s unique strengths and areas that may require additional attention.
The results of such a psychological assessment can inform the development of personalised learning strategies and ensuring appropriate support for children with Dyslexia.
They can also support the application for educational accommodations such as securing exemptions from foreign languages (e.g., Irish), the use of assistive technology (e.g., laptop/tablet) in school, or in applying for reasonable accommodations at certificate examinations (RACE / DARE Scheme).