No matter how old your child is, it can be hard for them and you when they struggle to learn as quickly as their peers or fall behind academically.
Depending on the situation and their age, they may put themselves down, feel like they can’t learn, or wonder what they did to cause their struggle.
However, learning, ADHD and psychoeducational assessments can provide the insights you and your child’s teachers need to help your child thrive and achieve their best at home and school.
So while words like “assessment” and “evaluation” can feel stressful, negative, or something similar to school, our learning and psychoeducational assessments are simply tools designed to get the information you need.
It’s a structured way to help your child, you, and their teachers identify their strengths and weaknesses and how they learn. So we can develop strategies to support their natural learning process.
Our goal is to provide a safe, fun, and enjoyable session where you and your child feel relaxed and understand the purpose and benefits of the evaluation. So you get the information and tools your child needs to meet their full potential.
But it’s natural for children to wonder or even worry about the evaluation, especially if school isn’t fun for them. Here are some ways to explain the assessment process to help them relax and feel part of the evaluation.
How to explain the evaluation so your child understands the purpose and how it helps them.
Most kids know that they struggle at school, even really young children. They likely have even mentioned their difficulties to you.
For instance, they may tell you that:
- I don’t read like my friends.
- I make mistakes when I read out loud.
- I mix up letter sounds.
- I can’t sit still.
- I learn differently than my friends.
- I am stupid.
If your child has shared a struggle, you can let them know that the psychoeducational assessment will help show why that’s hard for them. Then, we’ll use the information from the evaluation to help develop ways to make the task easier — so they can overcome the roadblock and succeed.
For example, if your child has trouble reading, the conversation could look something like this:
“You know how during homework you have a hard time knowing what sounds the letters make? The assessment will help us learn why that’s hard for you. We’ll then use the information to help your teachers know how you learn so everyone can help you better.”
If your child has focused more on a subject or task that is hard, an explanation could look something like this:
“You know how you told me you hate math, and it’s too hard? People have a hard time with math for lots of different reasons. The psychological assessment will help us understand what those reasons are, so your teachers and we can better help you.”
No matter your situation, your child should know that:
- The assessment is a way for us to better understand how your child learns.
- We’ll use the information to support your child’s learning so you, your child, and their teachers understand how they learn best.
- The assessment isn’t like a school day. We work together, have fun, and take breaks.
- We’ll also identify what tasks they do well because everyone has strengths.
As I always tell the kids, I love to learn about their amazing brains and to help them learn more about it too!
Because everyone can learn, sometimes we just need to find ways that best work for them.
What if my child’s getting evaluated because they excel at school?
Some children get an assessment because they’re learning at a faster rate than their peers.
As a result, it can be helpful to better understand what they know and topics they particularly excel at, so they can be appropriately challenged (and not get bored!).
Often these students love to learn and enjoy the tasks and activities worked on during the evaluation.
So let your child know that the assessment is to help their teachers better understand what they know, so they or you can provide information that challenges them but doesn’t overwhelm them.
As with other evaluations, the goal is to help us determine how to support their learning. And we advocate for enrichment and elevated supports, so your child is excited by school again.
What happens on the Psychoeducational Assessment Day?
Understanding what the day will be like can also help your child relax and feel prepared.
While the specific tasks and activities will vary depending on the purpose of the evaluation, the flow of the assessment day is typically the same.
We will meet with you and your child. You and your child will have a chance to ask questions, and we will explain the purpose of the assessment and what your child will be doing.
We will remind your child that all they need to do is try their best. We will remind your child that they will be doing easy stuff and hard stuff too. We need them to try their best at all activities so we can learn more and help them.
We will take breaks and plan to have fun while doing the different tasks and activities. While some tasks may remind them of school, this isn’t for a grade.
7 tips to help prepare for the psychoeducational assessment so your child can perform at their best.
We want your child to feel their best on the day of testing. Here are some tips that can help.
1. Get a good night’s sleep.
Feeling rested on the learning assessment day will help ensure they’re working on tasks while at their best. The evaluation can be draining for some kids, so having a full night’s rest can ensure they have the energy and focus they need.
2. Eat a healthy breakfast before the psychoeducational assessment.
Having a healthy breakfast, ideally including protein, will help with their focus and energy. We don’t want them to be distracted by hunger during the evaluation.
3. Bring snacks.
We want your child to feel their best, so they can take snack breaks. We recommend bringing healthy snacks that help them feel good instead of a sugary treat so they can stay focused.
4. Let them know they will get breaks during the psychoeducational assessment.
Taking breaks to recharge is part of the process. We want your child to feel confident and relaxed throughout the day.
5. Avoid the word “test.” Use the words “tasks” and “activities” instead.
The word “test” can have many meanings for students. It can make them feel stressed, feel like they’re being judged, and more. That’s not the purpose of our evaluation. Instead, we recommend using the words “tasks” and “activities” because that’s what your child will be doing.
6. Let them wear comfortable clothes that they feel good in.
The evaluation day can be tiring, so we want your child to feel comfortable. Have them wear clothes they would enjoy wearing to school. Something that feels good even when sitting.
7. Let your child know they will have a chance to ask questions before the evaluation begins.
We want your child to feel empowered by this process. So let them know that we will answer any questions they have about the assessment.
