Assessments

The Learning Lab @ Lesley … take the mystery out of learning and unlock the learning potential in every child.

• A clear understanding of Learning Style
  We offer a clear understanding of individual learning styles and definitive diagnoses as appropriate for specific learning disabilities, reading disorders, ADD/ADHD, nonverbal learning issues, Asperger Disorder, and other conditions that affect learning. We also evaluate the social and emotional issues that get in the way of learning.
• A collaborative process
  Many people are involved in a child’s learning, and they all have valuable perspectives. We involve parents, teachers, and other professionals in our assessment. Our assessment findings are based not only on test scores, but also on a child’s history of successes and disappointments.
• A written report that is easy to understand
  The final report explains the complexity of a child’s learning style, and documents his or her learning profile in language that is easy to understand. We strive to write a report and targeted recommendations that parents and their teachers find useful and practical.
• Follow-up and Feedback
  A follow-up meeting and feedback are provided. We want parents to clearly understand what the findings mean for their child. We can also meet with a child’s teacher, school team or other professionals to share these results. Feedback and follow-up should support classroom curriculum, as well as other learning goals both in and out of the classroom.
• Ongoing Commitment and Educational Planning
   We encourage families to provide academic and medical updates during the months and years that follow an evaluation. Planning for the summer, the next academic year, and long-term goals are important considerations for parents and teachers. Collaboratively, we can help develop a well-rounded supportive plan each step of the way.

Comprehensive Neuropsychological/Psychoeducational Evaluation

This is the option we recommend if you want to know if your child has a specific learning disability (LD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD). This evaluation is a combination of neuropsychological and educational evaluations, and also looks at emotional factors and self-esteem. This comprehensive service includes IQ testing, an assessment of achievement, tests of attention, a detailed analysis of learning strengths and weakness, as well as an assessment of emotional factors that may be having an impact on learning and social/emotional development. The evaluation involves a thorough family history and communication with your child's teacher(s). The testing generally takes two half-days to complete, after which you will be given a clearly written evaluation which answers parents' and teachers' questions. The report will contain specific recommendations for strategies to use at home and in school. Depending on the needs of your child, the evaluation may be carried out by one or more members of our clinical staff.

Comprehensive Reading Evaluation

This service explores the skills that are necessary for competence in reading at a student's developmental level. There is no standard battery of tests; we select evaluation instruments that will help us answer the specific questions that parents or teachers (or the students themselves) have about reading. Depending on the student's age and ability, the testing looks at a variety of reading related skills. These include phonemic awareness (the relationship between the letter and the sound it makes in isolation and in various combinations), phonetic analysis (sounding out) skills, sight word vocabulary (those words which a student can read automatically without sounding them out-- "by sight"). We also evaluate the student's ability to read single words, sentences, paragraphs, and longer passages. We assess the student's ability to understand or comprehend what he/she has read, both silently and out loud. Reading fluency is also explored. The results of the Comprehensive Reading Assessment are presented in a detailed report, which includes very specific suggestions, based on "best practices" in education, about what teachers, parents and students can do to improve a student's reading skills.

Consultation

You will meet with a member of our Clinical Staff to help you clarify the concerns or questions you have about your child. We will offer you several specific suggestions that you may wish to try out on your own or in cooperation with the school or agency involved with your child. We may at this time discuss other services available at the Learning Lab, or we may refer you to an outside agency that offers specialized services not available at the Lab. You may bring in previous test reports, work samples, or other documents which can be referenced during the session. If you would like us to preview such materials in advance of the meeting, there will be an additional charge.

Record Review

A member of our Clinical Staff will conduct a thorough assessment of existing test data, health and developmental histories and other associated records and files. We will tell you whether we think that the assessments that have been completed are sufficiently current, complete and accurate. We will also let you know if we feel that additional information is needed to generate a comprehensive clinical profile of your child. We will also generate a list of recommendations regarding next steps we think you should take. You will receive a written summary of our findings and recommendations. You may also wish to schedule a consultation to discuss the findings in the written report (see Consultation above)

School Visit/Observation

To carry out the most comprehensive evaluation, we can visit your child's school or program, have a conference with his or her teachers and observe your child in a variety of activities. We can also attend team meetings or conferences, either in person or via videoconference, at your child's school to go over our findings or to help you and the school create an effective individual educational plan (I.E.P.).

School Consultation

Members of our staff are available to provide consultation to administrators, teachers and other professionals working with a child. Consultation can focus on a variety of topics, including but not limited to:

• Curriculum modification and adaptation in the inclusive classroom
• Helping Students with transition (between classes, grades or programs)
• Functional Behavioral Assessment: Developing or evaluating behavioral support plans at school or home
• Assessing the physical environment of the classroom to maximize learning
• Setting up or running "Circle of Friends" groups to enhance understanding and social skills
• Helping school staff and parents have more effective communication
• Students whose first language is not English

Other Assessments

The following testing services are available at the Learning Lab:

• IQ Testing* (as a requirement for private school admission)
• Assessment of Reading, Written Language or Math Skills*
• Early Childhood Screening for Learning Disabilities
• Speech and Language Evaluations
• Occupational Therapy Evaluations (currently by referral only)