The Assessment Process

It is sensible to wait until a young child has had adequate opportunity to pick up skills in school before initiating an assessment for dyslexia. Quite often it will be a child’s lack of response to intervention and extra support that will be the trigger to a more formal investigation of needs. Age seven is an appropriate age to consider a formal assessment.

The Assessment itself usually takes about two and a half to three hours to complete depending on the age of the learner. A younger learner may need additional breaks during the period. The assessment will take place in a distraction free environment. A waiting room is available for parents.

Since we know that dyslexia runs in families, a family case history looking at, for example, early developmental milestones, literacy within the family, health, interests, education, reasons for referral, will be taken.
For children and with parental permission, the school will be contacted to gather information around, for example, attendance, approach to work, concentration and attention, confidence levels, strengths and weaknesses within the curriculum, language and literacy attainment levels, extra support received, and any specific concerns the school may have.

There follows a series of tests to assess underlying cognitive abilities in both verbal and visual domains, thus allowing for a profile of strengths and weaknesses to emerge. The Cognitive processes of phonological awareness, working memory and information processing speed are investigated along with a range of literacy attainment tests which may later be used to develop a fine grained intervention programme.
A comprehensive report will be compiled based on the outcomes of the assessment. Recommendations for support form an integral part of the report.

Cost of full diagnostic assessment and report €480.00.

• All information gathered during assessment and final reports are confidential and comply with Data Protection legislation.
• Information will be stored securely.
• Access to the information will be agreed beforehand.
• The Dyslexia Association Code of Ethics and Conduct are strictly adhered to - Copies are available upon request and are displayed in the assessment room.

What happens after the assessment?