What Are Educational Assessments

1. What Are Educational Assessments? Educational assessments are formal evaluations that help identify a child’s academic strengths and challenges. In particular, these assessments can help determine why a student struggles with their reading, writing, or language development skills. By gathering comprehensive information on the ways a child processes and uses language, assessments provide a foundation for meaningful intervention and support. Why Educational Assessments Are Important A high-quality assessment involves more than one test or checklist. It is a comprehensive process that combines standardized measures, background information, and professional observations. Specialists assess a variety of factors and functions that impact learning, like: Reading skills Writing skills Spelling skills Memory Attention span ● ● ● ● ● As a result, assessments offer more than just data on what a child can or cannot do—they provide insights into the unique ways that the child learns. This deeper understanding can make it possible for children to receive interventions that support their academic success, such as targeted instruction or classroom accommodations. What Can These Assessments Detect? Professional educational assessments can be used to evaluate and diagnose a wide variety of learning challenges that affect a child’s reading, writing, and language skills. Two of the learning difficulties that are most commonly assessed through this process are: Reading Disorders, Like Dyslexia Dyslexia is one of the most common learning differences that children experience. It affects a child’s ability to decode words, recognize spelling patterns, and read fluently. It may also impact how well a student understands written text and retains information from reading. An assessment that screens for dyslexia will look at several components, including phonological awareness, word recognition, and reading fluency. Reading disorder identification, especially when early, can help children receive support before they experience academic setbacks.

2. Developmental Language Disorder Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects a child’s ability to understand and use language. Children may have difficulty learning new vocabulary, forming complete sentences, following multi-step directions, or organizing their thoughts clearly when speaking. Because Developmental Language Disorder impacts the skills that support reading and writing, it is often mistaken for other learning challenges. Additionally, it often co-occurs with reading disabilities. An assessment can help determine whether a child has DLD, along with any other conditions. This allows for the development of a comprehensive support plan tailored to that child’s needs. When to Schedule an Assessment When a child consistently struggles with their reading, spelling, or spoken language skills over time, it could signal the need for a formal evaluation. If your child faces challenges that impact their academic performance or daily learning, a professional assessment can provide clarity and direction. These difficulties may include: Challenges in remembering letters and sounds. Slow reading progress. Trouble understanding spoken language. ● ● ● Early identification is ideal, as it allows students to receive support while their academic skills are still developing. However, assessments are also beneficial at later stages, including middle school or high school. No matter their age group, understanding the reasons behind learning difficulties can lead to meaningful interventions that support academic growth. Who Can Conduct These Assessments? These evaluations are typically performed by professionals with expertise in reading, language, and cognitive development. For example, at Educational Inspiration, our evaluations are conducted by a certified speech-language pathologist and reading specialist who has specialized experience in literacy and language development. Our comprehensive focus on reading, spelling, and spoken language allows us to consider the full range of factors that may be contributing to a student’s challenges. Providing Comprehensive Support for Students in Oklahoma At Educational Inspiration, we believe that every child deserves to be understood and supported. That is why our evaluations are never one-size-fits-all. Each session is personalized

3. to the individual child, allowing us to uncover the root of their academic struggles and offer actionable recommendations to their parents. If your child could benefit from academic support in school, our expert evaluations could be the first step toward effective support. To meet with our certified speech-language pathologist, Nicole Power, at our office in Edmond, OK, please contact us. We are prepared to support your child’s educational success.