Educational Assessments​

​Psychologists use educational assessments to help...
  • identify individuals who are significantly below and above their peers in important academic areas
  • identify individual strengths and weaknesses among academic areas
  • evaluate progress in academic areas in response to specific literacy intervention programs​
  • determine whether an individual has a Specific Learning Disorder in reading (aka dyslexia), maths (dyscalculia), or writing (dysgraphia) 

WIAT-III

Age Range
4yrs-50 yrs

Completion Time 
Varies by school year level and subtests administered

Overview
The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-III) is a comprehensive Australian & New Zealand normed standardised achievement test. 

The WIAT-III is frequently requested by parents and school wellbeing leaders who are seeking detailed information to inform the development of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).

The WIAT is particularly useful when combined with the WISC-V so the achievement results can be considered in context with the cognitive abilities of the student.
Psychologists use the WIAT-III to help:
  1. identify the academic strengths and weaknesses of a student
  2. inform decisions regarding eligibility for educational services, educational placement, or a diagnosis of a specific learning disorder 
  3. design instructional objectives and plan interventions​

What does the WIAT-III measure?
​​
  • Basic Reading Word Reading
  • Pseudoword Decoding
  • Maths Problem Solving
  • Numerical Operations
  • Maths Fluency
  • Listening Comprehension​
  • Oral Expression
​​​​
  • Reading Comprehension & Fluency Reading Comprehension
  • Oral Reading Fluency
  • Early Reading Skills
  • Alphabet Writing Fluency
  • Spelling
  • Essay Composition Subtest
  • Sentence Composition Subtest

CTOPP-2

Age Range
4yrs - 24yrs

Completion Time 
30 minutes

Overview
The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, 2nd edition, is a fun assessment children usually enjoy taking which measures phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming.

What is Phonological Processing?

​Phonological processing refers to using speech sounds for coding information when reading, listening, and speaking.

There are three kinds of phonological processing important for reading: phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming. The CTOPP-2 assesses each area, so we get a very clear idea of specific strengths and deficits and can tailor our recommendations accordingly. 

Phonological Awareness is really important because it plays a critical role in learning to read. Deficits in phonological awareness is commonly characteristic of individuals with a Specific Learning Disorder in Reading (dyslexia).

Can you hear the similarities and differences among “bat,” “cat,” and “rat,”? If so, their spellings (bat, cat, rat) make sense. An individual with an impairment with phonological awareness may not be able to hear the similarities and differences in these words.

The good news is that phonological awareness can be taught. Early identification in phonological awareness impairments can help educators provide evidence-based instruction to prevent or at least reduce the severity of later reading problems.