What is Educational Psychology?

Educational and developmental psychology covers all factors which affect learning and development, including ability  IQ, memory, information processing, literacy and numeracy skills, visual-spatial perception, study skills, behaviour, attention and anxiety.

Educational and Developmental Psychologists are specialists in helping children, adolescents and adults to better understand their learning strengths and weaknesses.

Consultation with an Educational and Developmental Psychologist is advised if you have concerns about, or need help with:

• a child’s development
• learning difficulties, e.g. in maths or reading
• school readiness
• giftedness and talents
• diagnosis of specific learning disabilities, including dyslexia, mathematical learning difficulties (sometimes called dyscalculia), maths anxiety
• attention, concentration, ADHD
• anxiety, stress, coping
• educational planning
• learning, study or exam strategies
• behaviour issues

How can Educational and Developmental Psychologists Help?

Our Osteopath room

Educational and Developmental Psychologists are asked to help with a wide variety of learning and developmental issues.

• Help parents and adults clarify the issues which are concerning them
• Establish plans and priorities for investigating issues and intervening to lessen problems
• Work with parents, teachers and other specialists in developing and coordinating intervention plans
• Conduct assessments to gain information about specific concerns or interests
• Interpret assessment results and their effects, including reports from other professionals.
• Provide intervention for behaviour, attention, anxiety and academic skills problems.
• Develop strategies to lessen the effects on workplace performance of learning, memory, academic, and attention, problems.
• Refer to other specialists, as needed.
• Provide workshops for teachers and learning support staff on learning difficulties.

There are two educational psychologists at the Bardon Counselling & Natural Therapy Centre. Sali Smith is a general educational and developmental psychologist, and Dr. Maureen Finnane specializes in the area of learning difficulties in mathematics, and maths anxiety.

What does an assessment involve?

Careful, comprehensive information gathering, assessment and reporting is essential in establishing the nature of a person’s problems and developing individualised recommendations and support for the client and others involved.

Assessment is usually done at the Bardon Counselling Centre, but can also be done at a school. Sali is happy to assess young children at home. Observations can also be done at home, school or a workplace.

Although parents are  often concerned about having their child assessed, almost all children enjoy the individual attention and the varied tasks, which are presented at their own pace.

A general assessment, that is  cognitive ability  (IQ) test, and tests of achievement in reading, writing, spelling and maths, usually take 3 to 4 hours. A third session may be needed to investigate other areas of difficulty, such as memory. An extended maths assessment will take 2-3 hours.

The results are explained in a feedback session and a written report is provided.