Benefits of Psychological Testing @ Year 10
Year 10 in Victoria is often seen as a transitional year for students. Many students are given the opportunity to sample a VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) subject. This prepares them for what lies ahead in Year 11 and 12. Many schools also implement specialised programs at Year 10 to help students with subject selection and study skills. Work experience is also common at this year level.
Why Assess at Year 10?
Psychological Testing is beneficial at Year 10 for several reasons. Psychological Assessment seeks to answer some of the following questions:
- Is there is reason why a student does poorly on exams and tests?
- Is the student capable of achieving success in certain subjects? This will assist with planning for relevant subject selection.
- Should a student take verbally based subjects or opt for more practical subjects? This will review an individual’s best learning style.
- Is the student under achieving? If so, is there a reason for this?
- Are there problems with the speed of processing information? If so, does the school need to apply for extra time for exams?
- Is the student struggling with reading and comprehension?
- Does the student experience problems with short term memory? If so, does the student need memory strategies?
- Does the student have problems with visually or verbally presented information? If so, do teachers need to modify the way the material is presented in class?
- Does the student have an auditory processing difficulty? If so, what needs to be put in place for the best possible outcomes?
- Does the student have a specific learning disability? If so, what specific help does the student need?
- Does the student need a specialised tutor to assist them in certain subjects?
- Does the student need help with organisation and planning?
- What areas will a student naturally succeed in?
The best way to answer many of these questions and many more is to conduct a full WISC-IV and WIAT –II assessment. This will give a learning profile that reflects both cognitive ability and academic achievement. Students many then benefit from specialised coaching programs that are designed to assist with maximising their potential to achieve VCE success.