What Parents Should Know About Dyslexia Testing

Dyslexia Testing in Chicago

There is really no such thing as a single definitive test for dyslexia.  Overcoming a reading difficulty is a challenge whether it is officially labeled dyslexia or not.

While some new Ravinia students come to us after testing of some kind suggests a reading difficulty, many do not. That's okay, because a speech-language pathologist at Ravinia can begin teaching most children how to read without having a formal diagnostic report in hand. Upon enrollment in our reading clinic, we will observe your child’s oral reading fluency to track his or her progress over time, but this is not a formal evaluation or dyslexia test.

Good Reasons to Get an Educational Assessment

A psychoeducational assessment is in order when a parent, teacher or speech-language pathologist suspects that attention, social-emotional or other issues co-exist with a reading problem. A knowledgeable evaluator will be able to tease these factors out for you, and follow them up with the proper recommendations.

If your child's school offers exceptional reading help, a good tester might be able to have your child qualified to receive that assistance. A good independent evaluator might also help qualify your child to receive full access to curriculum and a level playing field through accommodations, such as extra time and a quiet room to take tests.

Ravinia Recommended Assessment Services

Anyone can learn to administer tests, score them, and report the scores. That's the easy part of dyslexia testing and reading skills assessment. But there is so much more to a good evaluation than a lot of tests and a long report. I urge parents to use a professional from the field of pediatric neuropsychology. Look for someone who knows how to make children feel comfortable. This is important because you want the test and performance reflect your child's true reading capabilities.

Also look for a practitioner who is knowledgeable about test construction, is competent with data, and knows how to present data in a way that is useful to parents and teachers. The best evaluations will be written in clear language that you understand, and come with excellent tailored recommendations and an advocate who can speak to educators on your child’s behalf. If you would like to pursue an independent evaluation for a specific purpose or concern, we can suggest the names of people or groups whom we personally know to offer top-notch services.

In our clinic, we appreciate valuable assessments from evaluators we trust. If you are thinking about a particular individual, group, or hospital setting that offers educational testing, please feel free to ask us. We’ll be happy to share what we know for the betterment of your child.

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