Dr Ian Opperman

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Dr. Ian Opperman

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Psychoeducational Assessment

Once a child has entered formal schooling, teachers can readily identify whether a child has problems adapting to the demands of formal education, whether intellectually, emotionally, or behaviorally. Parents may hear a number of things from the child’s teacher, or they may see changes in their child at home. The school may tell them that their child is not doing homework, is restless, doesn’t pay attention, reads below grade level, or is being recommended to repeat the grade and to go into a special class. At home, their son or daughter may be bad-tempered, might avoid doing homework, say they hate school, seem sad or be difficult to get to school in the morning. The purpose of a psychoeducational assessment is to uncover the cause of such problems..

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Psychoeducational assessment refers to the wide range of psychological tests used to analyze the mental processes underlying your child’s educational performance. The child is assessed on five key areas, namely intellectual ability (IQ), scholastic ability (reading, writing, spelling and mathematics), visual-spatial skills, emotional maturity, and personality assessment.

The behavior during the assessment is also noted by the psychologists, including Attentional ability, ability to relate to the psychologist, motivation to complete tasks, ability to structure work, ability to work independently, ability to recognise errors, etc.

Career Choice/Guidance

During their Grade Twelve year at school, the young adult should be preparing for tertiary education. Going on to University or College – Academic or Technical – the young adult is confronted with a myriad of choices for future careers. This can prove to be extremely daunting and career guidance can be essential in limiting the scope of unsuitable career choices and guiding the young adult into more desirable career fields. At times a Career assessment is a last resort for many individuals at a critical career cross-roads in their lives. Often the choice of a particular career path is considered an innate or “given” factor for many people and, consequently, something which they shouldn’t have to think about especially hard.

 

The assessment concentrates on the individual’s intelligence, personality, and personal preferences, and compared to their career paths of choice, as well as their academic achievements up to the time of the test. The importance of career assessment and vocational guidance cannot be overstated and, considering recent data, it seems that although career assessment and guidance are not the norm, they really should be.

Subject Choice Assessment

During the course of the Grade Nine year, a child is expected to select six or more subjects which will be written as major subjects in their matric year. The wring subject choices could have a major impact on the child’s future career choice, study options, and a preliminary career guidance assessment can be vital in making the most appropriate subject selection. This assessment provides valuable insight and information in order to guide informed subject selections. The assessment includes cognitive-, aptitude-, personality-, values-, study habits- and interest assessment.

 

Biopsychosocial Assessment

Some universities or colleges may request that an applicant undergo a Biopsychosocial assessment after disclosing any mood disorders, addictions (i.e. drug, gambling, alcohol, etc), personality disorders, etc. during their application process. The Biopsychosocial assessment is aimed at determining whether the applicant will be able to cope with the work load presented by the course they wish to study at the respective college or university. The assessment will provide valuable information in understanding the applicant’s general functioning at present, and it will be beneficial to the college or university and the applicant, to have a clear indication of the applicant’s strengths, weaknesses and areas of potential growth. Appropriate recommendations necessary to enhance the applicant’s overall functioning will be made in light of the Biopsychosocial assessment results.

GED and IEB Concession Assessments

Some children, adolescents and students with barriers to learning need to be provided with assistance and additional support in the classroom and when taking examinations. In this regard, an assessment is highly recommended to establish the nature of the concession(s) and/or accommodation(s) to be made. The aim of granting a special concession is to minimize the impact of the candidate’s disability during the writing of the examination and during school-based assessment throughout the school year. The granting of concessions aims to place such candidates on par with other candidates and not to give them any additional advantages. Learners who experience barriers to learning can be granted concession early in their school careers.

In other words, a concession is for learners with specific learning difficulties, not those learners working in a second language or having low cognitive functioning. Learners may apply for an examination concession for example requesting extra time if they meet the criteria given by the respective educational authorities. Additional time is only given concession to learners of average or above average cognitive ability. Accommodations are alterations in the way tasks are presented that can allow a learner to complete the same assignments as other learners. Accommodations do not alter the content of assignments, give students an unfair advantage or in the case of assessments or change what a test measures. They do make it possible for students with learning challenges to show what they know without being impeded by their difficulties.

School Readiness Assessments

School readiness assessment is performed just prior to a child entering formal schooling and evaluates a child’s level of development to determine whether the child is equipped with the skills necessary to meet the demands of formal schooling. The assessment includes intellectual, emotional, and sensory-motor skills assessments. School readiness is of prime importance in ensuring that a child does not encounter difficulties through placement in a grade or school environment that they do not have the ability to cope with.

Secondary School Selection Assessment

At the end of Grade Seven, a child has to go on to secondary education. Different types of high schools are available, some specialise in academic achievement, others in technical achievement, as well as remedial high schools, and special schools. This assessment is designed to assist the child and his or her parents in choosing the most appropriate school according to the child’s abilities and needs. The child is assessed on intellectual ability (IQ). Scholastic skills (reading, writing, spelling and mathematics), emotional maturity, and personality attributes.

Individual Therapy

Psychotherapy provided by an Educational Psychologist refers to a variety of techniques and methods used to help children, adolescents and young people who are experiencing difficulties with their emotions and/or behaviour which may influence their learning and development. Although there are different types of psychotherapy, each relies on communications as the basic tool for bringing about change in a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Psychotherapy helps children and adolescents in a variety of ways. They receive emotional support, resolve conflicts with people, understand feelings and problems, and try out new solutions to old problems. Goals for therapy may be specific ex. in behaviour (improved relations with friends or family), or more general (ex. less anxiety, better self-esteem). The length of psychotherapy depends on the complexity and severity of problems.

Play Therapy

School readiness assessment is performed just prior to a child entering formal schooling and evaluates a child’s level of development to determine whether the child is equipped with the skills necessary to meet the demands of formal schooling. The assessment includes intellectual, emotional, and sensory-motor skills assessments. School readiness is of prime importance in ensuring that a child does not encounter difficulties through placement in a grade or school environment that they do not have the ability to cope with.

Family Therapy

Family therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on the needs of the family as a unit. Through working with the family as a whole system, the approach is rooted in the belief that people as well as relationships are interconnected. These relationships shape and affect one another in the family. Family beliefs sustain who an individual is. It is for this reason that these beliefs and the family as a whole are sustained. The therapist works with the whole family and underlying patterns to facilitate relevant changes and growth.

Learning Support

Learning support is all about providing resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual support needed to learn. Learning support my therefore focus on study skills, utilizing assistive technology, learning styles and many other strategies which can enhance learning.

Therapy & Support Groups

Group therapy is a type of psychotherapy that involves one or more therapists working with several people (children, adolescents & adults) at the same time. Group therapy allows people to receive the support and encouragement of the other members of the group. In addition, people participating in the group are able to see that there are others going through the same thing, which can help them feel less alone. Another benefit of group therapy is that members can serve as role models to other members of the group. By seeing someone who is successfully coping with a problem, other members of the group can see that there is hope and recovery is possible. As each person progresses, they can in turn serve as a role model and support figure for others. This can help foster feelings of success and accomplishment.

  • Single Parent Support Groups
  • LGBT Support Groups
  • Depression & Anxiety Support Group for Teens
  • Teacher Wellness Support Group