Educational Testing for Children and Teens in Melbourne

What Is Educational Testing?

Educational testing, also called academic achievement testing, uses standardised measures to assess how a child or teenager is performing in specific areas of academic learning.

Depending on the referral question, assessment may examine:

• Reading: Word reading, decoding, reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.
• Spelling: Accuracy and application of spelling knowledge.
• Written expression: Sentence construction, written composition, grammar, organisation, and other aspects of writing.
• Mathematics: Calculation, mathematical reasoning, number skills, and problem-solving.
• Oral language: Listening comprehension or oral language skills where relevant to the assessment question.

The particular skills assessed depend on the child’s age, educational history, current concerns, and the purpose of the assessment.

When Might Educational Testing Be Helpful?

Academic achievement testing may be useful when:

• A child is having persistent difficulty with reading, spelling, writing, or mathematics.
• Parents or teachers want objective information about a student’s current academic skill development.
• School performance appears inconsistent across different subjects or skill areas.
• A student has received targeted intervention or tutoring and further information about their current skills is needed.
• A Specific Learning Disorder is being considered.
• A previous assessment needs to be reviewed because the student’s educational needs have changed.
• Assessment information may assist with educational planning, intervention, or adjustment discussions.
• There is a specific question about academic achievement alongside cognitive, developmental, or other assessment information.

Educational testing is not required simply because a child is experiencing difficulty at school. The assessment should have a clear question that the results are intended to answer.

Educational Testing and Specific Learning Disorders

Educational testing is an important component of assessment when there is a question about a Specific Learning Disorder.

Specific Learning Disorders can involve persistent difficulties in reading, written expression, or mathematics. Direct assessment of the relevant academic skills is therefore necessary to understand the nature and extent of the difficulty.

However, a diagnosis is not based on one low academic score. A broader assessment also considers information such as the child’s developmental and educational history, the persistence and functional impact of the difficulties, educational opportunities and intervention, and other factors that may help explain the student’s performance.

Families seeking assessment for a specific area can read more about:

• Dyslexia assessment for persistent reading difficulties.
• Dysgraphia / written expression assessment for persistent writing difficulties.
• Dyscalculia assessment for persistent mathematics difficulties.

Does Educational Testing Include Cognitive Testing?

Sometimes, but not automatically.

Academic achievement testing measures what a student can currently do in areas such as reading, writing, and mathematics. Cognitive assessment examines different aspects of thinking and reasoning.

Cognitive assessment can provide additional information where there is a specific reason to examine intellectual functioning or the student’s broader cognitive profile. It may therefore form part of a broader psychoeducational assessment where clinically useful.

However, cognitive testing is not simply used to establish a gap between a child’s “potential” and academic performance, and an IQ score alone does not explain why a learning difficulty has developed.

What Does Educational Testing Measure?

The measures selected depend on the student’s age and the questions being investigated. Assessment may include standardised tests of:

• Single-word reading.
• Phonic decoding.
• Reading fluency.
• Reading comprehension.
• Spelling.
• Sentence-level written expression.
• Extended written expression.
• Mathematical calculation.
• Mathematical problem-solving.
• Other academic or language-related skills where relevant.

We may use established individually administered achievement measures, together with additional targeted measures where these are appropriate to the referral question.

The assessment battery is selected for the individual student rather than applying the same set of tests to every child.

What Can Educational Assessment Results Tell Us?

Results can help describe:

• Academic skills that are developing as expected for the student’s age.
• Areas of relative academic strength.
• Skills that are substantially more difficult or less well developed.
• Patterns within reading, writing, or mathematics that warrant further consideration.
• Areas that may benefit from targeted instruction or intervention.
• Whether additional assessment information is required to answer the referral question.

Scores are interpreted alongside relevant background information and should not be considered in isolation.

What Does the Educational Assessment Process Involve?

Our educational assessments typically involve:

1. Parent or carer intake appointment: Usually 50 minutes to discuss the student’s developmental and educational history, current concerns, previous intervention, strengths, and the purpose of assessment.
2. Direct assessment: Individual academic testing with the child or teenager. The amount of testing varies according to the referral question. A comprehensive assessment may involve several hours of direct assessment and may be divided across sessions where appropriate.
3. Additional information: School information, previous reports, intervention history, work samples, or educator input may be considered where relevant and with consent.
4. Scoring and interpretation: Assessment findings are integrated with the available developmental and educational information.
5. Written report: Where included in the assessment pathway, the report summarises results and provides recommendations relevant to the referral question.
6. Feedback appointment: Findings and recommendations are discussed with parents or carers and, where appropriate, the young person.

Assessment is conducted one-to-one. Breaks and other supports can be incorporated where appropriate to help the young person participate effectively.

How Can Educational Assessment Help at School?

Educational assessment can provide information that families and educators may use when planning instruction and support.

Depending on the findings, recommendations may relate to:

• Targeted literacy or numeracy intervention.
• Teaching approaches that address identified skill needs.
• Reasonable adjustments where appropriate.
• Individual Education Plan goals.
• Monitoring of academic progress.
• Whether further assessment or allied health input may be useful.

A psychological assessment does not automatically determine what adjustments or funding a school will provide. Schools consider the student’s needs, available evidence, consultation with the student and family, and their obligations to provide reasonable adjustments.

Educational Assessment and Disability Inclusion in Victoria

Victorian government schools now operate under the Disability Inclusion framework, which has replaced the former Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) processes.

The Disability Inclusion Profile is a school-led process designed to identify a student’s strengths, needs, and educational adjustments. A private psychological assessment may provide useful information in some circumstances, but families should speak with their school about what information is actually required for the individual student.

A new private assessment should not be assumed to be necessary simply for a school to provide reasonable adjustments.

What About Giftedness?

Academic achievement and giftedness are different questions.

A child may demonstrate advanced academic skills, but assessment of intellectual giftedness generally requires examination of cognitive ability rather than achievement testing alone.

If the main question concerns advanced intellectual ability, see our Giftedness Assessment page.

If high ability appears alongside a learning, attentional, or developmental difference, a Twice-Exceptional Assessment may be more appropriate.

Educational Testing or Another Assessment?

Educational testing is most appropriate when the central question concerns academic skills.

Another assessment pathway may be more suitable if the main question involves:

• Cognitive or intellectual ability.
• ADHD.
• Autism.
• Autism and ADHD together.
• Giftedness.
• School readiness and transition to Prep.

If you are unsure which assessment fits your child’s needs, our Assessments for Children and Teens page provides an overview of the available pathways.

Educational Testing in Mount Waverley, Melbourne

aMAZEin’ Minds Psychology provides educational and academic achievement assessment for children and teenagers from our clinic in Mount Waverley, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

We work with families from Glen Waverley, Wheelers Hill, Mulgrave, Notting Hill, Burwood, Chadstone, Clayton, Oakleigh, Ashwood, Ashburton, and surrounding areas.

Standardised academic testing is generally completed in person. Parent intake and feedback appointments may be available by telehealth where appropriate.

Enquire About Educational Testing

If you would like to discuss educational assessment for your child or teenager:

Phone: (03) 7046 4528
Email: info@amazeinminds.com.au
Contact aMAZEin’ Minds Psychology online

For further information about assessment of learning difficulties, the Australian Psychological Society provides information about assessment for learning problems.