Educational Psychologists who specialize in Dyslexia, as well as other Learning Difficulties, are employed at the Maharat Learning Center to primarily pinpoint and diagnose the child. The diagnosis is based on patterns of strengths and weaknesses in cognitive abilities and achievements. This is accomplished by administration of standardized psychological tests which are individually administered to each child. The aim of Assessment is to form a complete profile of the individual, their skills (including strengths and weaknesses), the daily activities they undertake, and the areas of participation in life that are affected by their learning difficulty. Therefore, for each individual assessment, the Educational Psychologists will take into account the following:
- Body Functions and Structures: The relevant physiological and psychological body functions and anatomic structures, including the level of any impairment.
- Activity (person as a whole in a uniform level – individual level): The communicative skills of the individual, identifying their strengths, needs and difficulties.
- Participation (person in current environment – societal level): The individual’s use of functional skills in communication within the current and likely environments (including different settings, routines and relationships) and the opportunities and need for communication use in everyday life.
- Contextual Factors (environmental and personal factors): The individual’s (and/or caregivers/significant others, where appropriate) perception of the impact of the disorder on their life; the physical, social and attitudinal environment in which people live; personal factors such as age, race, gender, educational background and lifestyle.
Furthermore, a complete assessment will include, but is not be limited to:
- Case history
- Standardized testing (including related checklists, observations, and/or work samples)
- Scoring test(s) & analyzing data
- Formal assessment report
- Discussion with parents on assessment results and recommendations for intervention
