‘Assessment’ - A Dirty Word?

In our highly competitive society, many parents of children with special needs shudder when they hear of the word ‘Assessment’.

They think of the bleak picture that they will be presented with and imagine their children going through gruelling examinations that leave them with nothing more than yet another experience of failure.  They mistakenly believe that their children will be (mis)labelled and blacklisted for life because the assessment report might not reflect well on their children.

Not surprisingly thus, many misguided parents decline to have their children assessed, even as the unsupported child continues to struggle with an innate sense of guilt and failure. It does not help when a small minority of educational professionals also argue that most types of assessments are of no value because on the surface, the tests appear to give an arbitrary score that do not mean much to the uninitiated.

We beg to differ.

Assessments Are Not For Labelling!

To understand the value of assessments, we first need to bear in mind that assessments are developed by highly qualified and veteran educational / medical professionals with the backing of the scientific research and empirical data.  Often, they are developed over the course of many years as the developers test the validity and reliability of the assessment across different age groups and cultures.

While we certainly do not ascribe intelligence to a child based on his/her IQ test score, we are interested in how the child performs for each sub-test of the assessment.  By looking carefully at the ways a child completes the tasks required for the assessment, we are able to gain valuable insights into the strengths of the child, the difficulties he/she faces and most importantly, how he/she processes each task.  With this vital information, our specialist teachers can begin to design an individually-tailored learning programme for the child that engages his/her strengths to help compensate or overcome his/her learning difficulties. That is the value of assessments done in an environment of love and integrity – it is certainly not for labelling, naming or shaming, neither must the test scores be manipulated to develop a ‘crutch mentality’.

Our Assessment Services

We provide the following assessment / screening services:

1. Autism
2. ADHD / ADD
3. Dyslexia
4. Adaptive Behaviour
5. Social Skills
6. Learning Styles
7. Educational diagnostic assessment 

Frequently Asked Questions

1.       How do I schedule an assessment for my child / ward?

If you wish to schedule an assessment for your child, please email or telephone us at least 2 weeks in advance to book an appointment.  A deposit of 50% of the assessment fee is payable upon the booking of the assessment slot. Regrettably, assessment bookings cannot be confirmed until the deposit is received.

2.       How long does an assessment take?

Assessment durations are approximately 2 – 3 hours and may need to be split into two sessions in some situations. As part of the assessment, parents / caregivers are required to attend a consultation session where the detailed background history of the child will be discussed.

3.      How much does an assessment cost?

Assessment costs vary significantly depending on the type of assessment required.  Our consultants will be able to advise you during your first consultation on which tests are relevant for your child’s specific needs and the cost involved.  Generally, as a guide, our assessments cost $150 upwards.  A minimum of 50% deposit is required to confirm an assessment booking and you may choose to pay the balance amount on the day of the assessment.

©2010 The Butterfly Cove