Clients are often interested in learning how cognitive and emotional functioning interact to affect academic performance. All academic evaluations should be individualized so that they meet your child’s specific needs.

Seeking Test Accommodations

Often, parents are requesting an evaluation to get updated test results because their child is applying for test accommodations on high-stakes tests such as the SAT or ACT. These accommodations might include:

  • Extended time on tests (e.g., 50% or 100% extended time)

  • Distraction-reduced testing environment

  • Use of an alternate test format (e.g., audio recordings of text, typing instead of handwriting)

  • Extra breaks during testing

If warranted, the results of the evaluation can be used to support an application for accommodations.

Academic Evaluations for Younger Children

These evaluations can include the assessment of:

  • Pre-reading, pre-writing, and pre-math skills

  • Phonological awareness (processing of sounds, syllables)

  • Orthographic awareness (processing of print)

  • Print concepts (directionality of text, symbolic nature of print)

  • Numeracy (understanding of math-related concepts such as counting, adding, and subtracting)

Academic evaluations for older children and adolescents

These evaluations can include the assessment of:

  • Basic reading skills

  • Reading fluency

  • Reading comprehension

  • Spelling

  • Written mechanics (punctuation and capitalization)

  • Written syntax

  • Written formulation

  • Math computation

  • Math problem solving (word problems)

Evaluation-Based Recommendations

As part of the testing, you will receive recommendations for use in a variety of settings, such as school, home, or in the workplace. There is also the option of post-assessment services aimed at the implementation of those recommendations.

Language Assessments

Our academic evaluations (regardless of age) always include an assessment of aspects of spoken language as well. This is because spoken language and written language have very strong relationships with each other. Thus, your child’s receptive language (understanding of spoken language) can influence his/her/their understanding of written language (reading comprehension). Your child’s expressive language (ability to express oneself in spoken language) can influence his/her/their ability to express themselves in written language (ability to write). These evaluations can include the assessment of:

  • Vocabulary knowledge

  • Word retrieval (i.e., how well someone can call up the words they know from memory)

  • Syntax 

  • Formulation

  • Listening comprehension

assessment of relevant abilities or cognitive processes

These evaluations can include the assessment of:

  • Auditory memory

  • Visual memory

  • Visual processing speed

  • Phonological awareness (manipulating sounds within spoken words)

  • Visual-motor integration

  • Visual discrimination

  • Perception of spatial relationships

  • Attention

  • Word retrieval

  • Executive functioning

Types of Tests

Different types of tests are chosen to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Some examples include:

  • Timed vs. untimed testing

  • Multiple-choice vs. fill-in-the-blank vs. open-ended responses

  • Spoken vs. written expression

  • Listening vs reading comprehension

  • Handwriting vs. typing vs. speaking

  • Auditory vs. visual memory

  • Recall vs. recognition of information