A child’s educational assessment needs

It is almost that time of year when scholars need to buckle up, open their books and begin the long process of studying for end of year exams. Although the rest of the school year may be stressful for many children, the exam time adds extra stress onto their shoulders. This is handled differently by each person.

Educational assessments and child psychology.

Educational assessments assess the level of cognitive and behavioral functioning of a scholar. These tests look at a child’s ability in various fields.

• Attention span.
• Ability to sit still.
• Processing of information (visual and hearing.)
• Problem solving ability
• Fine-motor control
• Verbal Comprehension skills.
• Perceptual organization
• Memory retention (auditory and visual)

Benefits of an Educational Assessment?

An educational assessment assists in understanding the possible reasons as to why a child is not coping or thriving in the class room. Should a child need extra support, trained psychologists will offer advice to parents on finding the correct form of remediation for the learner. These assessments also highlight as to whether emotional issues are having a negative impact on the child’s scholastic functioning and recommendations as to how to manage these in a healthy and productive manner. Through a selection of tests, professionals can assess a child’s weaknesses and strengths.

Assessments can be useful if your child is not coping with exams. Special exam concessions for extra time, handwriting and/or spelling difficulties with compensatory strategies such as the use of a laptop, a reader or a scribe etc can be obtained through the process of an educational assessment, if appropriate for the learner.

When to know your child is stressed.

Parents may not know why their child is struggling to keep up with their studies, cope with changes or deal with everyday life. There are, however, various signs to look out for if a parent suspects that their child is under stress:

• Headaches.
• Sleeping badly.
• Loss or increase of appetite.
• Bad temper.
• Fatigue.
• Feeling ill.
• Restlessness.
• Lack of concentration.
• Unorganized
• Withdrawn behaviours
• Emotionally needy behaviours

Educational assessments and psychologists can easily spot issues that the person is dealing with. They offer assistance and advice to both the child and the parent. There are various areas of concern that these specialized assessments and child psychologists can help to address.

Trained professionals and educational assessments will benefit the child and help them overcome current issues that are hampering their overall development. This is vital in order for the individual to be able to move forward and achieve goals, hopes and dreams. Assessments will provide relevant guidance that will assist with developing coping skills in the future.

What your child may be suffering with.

It is important to ensure that a child is stable throughout their school days. This ensures that they are able to concentrate on school work, tests and exams. Should they be dealing with personal issues, they are bound to suffer in other areas of their lives, such as school work.

There are various factors that may cause tension in a young person’s life. This could cause them to develop a low sense of self-worth and negatively affect others areas. These issues can be addressed and dealt with, with the help of educational assessments and child psychologists.

• Eating disorders.
• Depression.
• Anxiety.
• Study Skills.
• Exam stress.
• Bullying
• Divorce
• Self-Harming Behaviours
• Drug Abuse
• Trauma
• Bereavement

Educational assessments and child psychologists are able to determine whether or not a child is coping with teenage changes and school stresses.
For more information on Educational assessments or child psychologists in Johannesburg, call Bryanwood on:
011 706 2269
011 706 0979
011 463 1488.
Email bryanwood@bryanwood.co.za.

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