草莓传媒

Child

We want children to feel comfortable and reassured about coming for an assessment. It can help to explain that they are going to meet someone who is interested in how people learn, and that the assessment is there to understand what they find easy, what they may find more difficult and what might help.

• The child must have had a sight test within the last two years and it is helpful if the child has had a recent hearing check.
• It is important for children to know that they are going to see someone who is interested in how people learn. The assessment will help to work out why some learning is difficult and what might help to make things easier.
• Children can supply examples of school work and reports to the assessor prior to the assessment.
  It is important that assessors have information about any previous assessments and/or study support.
• This will help them to avoid repetition of tests, which may make results invalid.
• Parents/carers may like to take something to keep themselves occupied if they wish to stay during the assessment, as this could be up to about 3 hours. Please note that occasionally, you may not be able to stay at the assessment venue. Please be assured that all BDA assessors are fully checked, qualified and have DBS clearance.
• Parents are not able to stay in the assessment room. This is due to test confidentiality and the standardised procedures of testing, which require one-to-one administration in a private setting. Please be assured that our assessors are adept at making individuals feel welcome and comfortable.

Adult

We want you to feel as prepared and comfortable as possible before your assessment. A few simple things can help the day run smoothly.

• Adults should have had a sight test within the last two years, and an up-to-date hearing check is helpful.
• Ensure that you know where the assessment is taking place, and make sure that you arrive on time as the assessor may have other assessments booked that day.
• In-person assessments take place in a private room at the location where the assessment has been booked. It will be somewhere free from distractions and with a table/writing surface.
• Given the length of the assessment, please take your own refreshments as well as pens and pencils for written work.

For online assessments, please see our remote assessment guidance: Remote Assessment聽

A diagnostic assessment will usually take up to three hours to complete. We understand that this may sound like a long time, but the assessment gives the assessor an opportunity to build a fuller picture of how you learn and where you may experience difficulties.

During the assessment, the assessor will carry out a series of tests to explore areas such as reading, writing and spelling, as well as underlying learning skills such as phonological awareness, speed of processing and memory. The assessment will also look at verbal and visual problem-solving skills.

Before the assessment begins, there is usually an informal chat to gather a little more background information. This gives you an opportunity to share anything that may be helpful for the assessor to know and helps them understand your individual circumstances.聽

The aim is

• To determine if the individual has dyslexia
• To assess performance on a range of items, allowing the assessor to consider strengths and challenges. This isn鈥檛 an exam, so there is no 鈥減ass鈥� or 鈥渇ail鈥� - the intention is to help highlight the person鈥檚 individual style of learning or working and what does or does not work for them.
• To collect information about reading, spelling and writing skills.
• To consider other factors that may be affecting learning.
• To identify whether any Reasonable Adjustments will need to be made in order for a person to fully access the curriculum or workplace.

After your assessment, the assessor may be able to share some initial thoughts with you and answer any immediate questions you may have. However, they will need time to carefully calculate the test scores and analyse the results before reaching a diagnosis.

This detailed information, along with the assessor鈥檚 findings and recommendations, will be included in your assessment report.

After a diagnostic assessment, you will receive a written report that brings together the findings from your assessment and provides a clearer picture of your individual cognitive profile.

The report may also signpost you to other organisations or recommend further assessments for specific learning difficulties, if required.

It will include recommendations for how you may be supported in your studies, in the workplace or in day-to-day life. Any recommendations about support in the workplace are likely to be generic rather than specific to your particular job.

We want the report to be a useful document that you feel comfortable sharing with family members, teachers, tutors, other professionals or employers if you wish. This can help those around you better understand your strengths and challenges, and how they can provide appropriate support.

The BDA quality assures its assessors鈥� diagnostic assessment reports in line with guidelines set by the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee (SASC).

Employer funded

Your privacy is important to us. If your employer has paid for your assessment, we will only share a summary report with your employer or line manager if you have given your permission.

The summary report does not include test scores. Due to data protection law, the BDA needs written proof of your permission before we can release the summary report to your employer.

Disabled Students鈥� Allowance

If your assessment report is being completed for a specific purpose, such as an application for Disabled Students鈥� Allowance (DSA) at university, your assessor will explain what you need to do and guide you through the next steps.