A learning assessment is essentially a cognitive assessment and academic assessment administered together.

What is a learning assessment

How can it help

Common reasons for referral:

Determining whether a child is performing to potential academically based on their cognitive ability
Evaluating whether a child has a specific learning disorder in reading (e.g. dyslexia) and therefore appropriate supports
Determining whether a child has a specific learning disorder in mathematics and therefore appropriate supports
Identifying whether a child has a specific learning disorder in written expression and therefore appropriate supports
Identifying whether a child presents with intellectual giftedness and therefore appropriate considerations
Evaluating a child's cognitive abilities and academic skills to assist with transition to high school

The process

A learning assessment typically involves four stages:

Learning Assessment

What is dyslexia

Initial Assessment

The first step involves meeting with a clinician to discuss the reason for referral and what you would like to get out of testing. Your clinician will also gather a comprehensive history. The initial assessment is imperative in ensuring that the appropriate tests are administered, the findings are interpreted appropriately, and the recommendations are individually-tailored.

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours

Cognitive Assessment

Your child is then administered either the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) (for children aged 2 years and 6 months to 7 years and 7 months) OR the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children – Fifth Edition (WISC-V) (for children aged 6 to 16 years).

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours

Academic Assessment

Your child is then administered the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Second Edition (WIAT-III), which is appropriate for children aged 4 to 19 years and 11 months.

Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours

FEEDback Session

Once testing is complete, it typically takes 3 weeks for your clinician to score and prepare your report. Your clinician will then meet with you to discuss the results and recommendations. Your report will contain a detailed overview of the results and individually-tailored recommendations.

Duration: 1 hour

What is Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a specific type of learning disorder characterised by difficulty with reading. Reading is a complex process that requires our brains to connect letters to sounds and put those sounds in the correct order. Individuals with Dyslexia have difficulty matching the letters they see on the page with the sounds those letters and combinations of letters make.

Problems with Dyslexia are not due to poor cognitive skills or low intelligence. In fact, individuals with Dyslexia have "unexpected" difficulty with reading in that their reading skills are significantly poorer than expected given their intellectual ability.

Common features include:

Preschool Years

Difficulty learning nursery rhymes
Trouble learning/remembering letters of the alphabet
Unable to recognise letters in own name
Mispronounces familiar words
Trouble recognising rhyming words

School Years

Trouble sounding out simple words like "hat" and "mat"
Mixes up visually similar words e.g. reads "block" as "black"
Changes the sequence of letters in words e.g. "was" and "saw"
Makes wild guesses when reading unfamiliar words
Reads aloud in a slow, choppy manner
Complains reading is hard
Avoids or dislikes reading
Poor speller

What is dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a specific type of learning difficulty characterised by difficulty with mathematics. Individuals with Dyscalculia typically have difficulty with number sense, memorisation of arithmetic facts, accurate and fluent calculation and accurate maths reasoning.

Common features include:

Preschool Years

Difficulty learning to count
Trouble associating specific numbers with numbers of items
Difficulty sorting things by category e.g. shape, size and colour

School Years

Trouble recalling basic maths facts
Slow to perform basic calculations
Weak mental arithmetic skills
Uses fingers to solve basic maths problems
Poor sense of numbers and estimation
Trouble telling the time on an analogue clock
Difficulty understanding place value
Trouble recognising number patterns
Highly anxious when completing tasks involving maths

What is Dyscalculia

​ A learning assessment is essentially a cognitive assessment and academic assessment administered together.

What is a learning assessment

How can it help

​

​​

Common reasons for referral:

​

Determining whether a child is performing to potential academically based on their cognitive ability

Evaluating whether a child has a specific learning disorder in reading (e.g. dyslexia) and therefore appropriate supports

Determining whether a child has a specific learning disorder in mathematics and therefore appropriate supports

Identifying whether a child has a specific learning disorder in written expression and therefore appropriate supports

Identifying whether a child presents with intellectual giftedness and therefore appropriate considerations

Evaluating a child's cognitive abilities and academic skills to assist with transition to high school

​

The process

A learning assessment typically involves four stages: ​​

What is dyslexia

Initial Assessment

Cognitive Assessment

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours

Academic Assessment

Your child is then administered the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Second Edition (WIAT-III), which is appropriate for children aged 4 to 19 years and 11 months.

​

Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours

FEEDback Session

Once testing is complete, it typically takes 3 weeks for your clinician to score and prepare your report. Your clinician will then meet with you to discuss the results and recommendations. Your report will contain a detailed overview of the results and individually-tailored recommendations.

Duration: 1 hour

Problems with Dyslexia are not due to poor cognitive skills or low intelligence. In fact, individuals with Dyslexia have "unexpected" difficulty with reading in that their reading skills are significantly poorer than expected given their intellectual ability.

Common features include:

​

Preschool Years

Difficulty learning nursery rhymes

Trouble learning/remembering letters of the alphabet

Unable to recognise letters in own name

Mispronounces familiar words

Trouble recognising rhyming words

School Years

Trouble sounding out simple words like "hat" and "mat"

Mixes up visually similar words e.g. reads "block" as "black"

Changes the sequence of letters in words e.g. "was" and "saw"

Makes wild guesses when reading unfamiliar words

Reads aloud in a slow, choppy manner

Complains reading is hard

Avoids or dislikes reading

Poor speller

​

​

​

​

​

What is dyscalculia

​

​

Dyscalculia is a specific type of learning difficulty characterised by difficulty with mathematics. Individuals with Dyscalculia typically have difficulty with number sense, memorisation of arithmetic facts, accurate and fluent calculation and accurate maths reasoning.

​

Common features include:

​

Preschool Years

Difficulty learning to count

Trouble associating specific numbers with numbers of items

Difficulty sorting things by category e.g. shape, size and colour

School Years​

Trouble recalling basic maths facts

Slow to perform basic calculations

Weak mental arithmetic skills

Uses fingers to solve basic maths problems

Poor sense of numbers and estimation

Trouble telling the time on an analogue clock

Difficulty understanding place value

Trouble recognising number patterns

Highly anxious when completing tasks involving maths

​

​

A learning assessment is essentially a cognitive assessment and academic assessment administered together.

A learning assessment typically involves four stages:

School Years