Assessments
In order to fully assess a child there must be a combination of factors:
- Formal assessment
- Functional assessment
- Compilation of information. This information is gathered from: parents, teachers, school records, other reports.
Information from parents is usually obtained in the family home, which provides good background information from those who know the child best. Sometimes siblings are present, which can be useful.
Information from staff working with the child in school, obtained directly through interviews, is invaluable. These teachers and teaching assistants know the child well and, although, they often do not realise the implications of behaviours or learning patterns, this can be put into context in the report.
- Formal assessment. Any number of a range of appropriate, standardised assessments are used to indicate the child's level of ability in relation to his peers in curricular areas or with skills directly affecting these. For instance, there may be assessment in reading, maths, language skills, visual perceptual skills, problem solving etc. Some formal assessment are administered via a laptop computer.
- Functional assessment. In addition to formal tests, it is important to observe how a child is able to complete tasks similar or related to ones that are necessary in the school situation. For this reason, the child will be asked to complete, for instance, drawing and writing activities, accessing information, problem solving, tasks involving fine motor and motor co-ordination skills, tasks involving verbal skills and multi-tasking or consecutive tasks involving shifts of attention.
Observation in a small group or whole class situation, if appropriate
may also be undertaken.
It is then possible to comment specifically regarding the child's special educational needs, including strengths and weaknesses. However, continued monitoring is often indicated as the special needs of these children characteristically change, particulary within Key Stage 3 and 4 education during adolescence.
Recommendations can be made for:
Placement
Whether the child has very specific special needs or significant global disability, it is important to accurately identify the most appropriate provision to meet these needs and to identify a school that can do this, either within its current resources, or with additional support, training or funding.
The same issues apply when considering recommendations for further or higher education.
Adaptations
The child may need physical adaptations to be made to the school environment or, more frequently, adaptations to methods of teaching, to the curriculum or to goals and expectations.
Resources
The child may need additional resources in terms of equipment, such as computer hardware or software, or in terms of additional teaching or non-teaching assistance.