The Testing Process
You might be wondering if you should have your child tested for dyslexia. Dyslexia is the most common reason students struggle with reading,writing and spelling, but there are other reasons students struggle.
It is important to accurately diagnose dyslexia so appropriate accommodations and remediation can implemented into your child's education.
Public schools do not test for dyslexia. Schools test to determine if a student is eligible for special education services. If eligible, the conclusion will be that the student has a large enough discrepancy that the IEP team at school should agree that he is eligible for special education services under the category of Learning Disability. Most children with dyslexia will NOT have a large enough discrepancy to be eligible for special educational services.
ReadingWrite provides accurate diagnostic testing. The goal is to find out if a child's academic struggles are due to dyslexia, and if so, to prove it in a written diagnostic report with the evidence and wording necessary to give the parent a very good chance of getting their child's school to provide classroom accommodations on a 504 Plan. The diagnostic report will also state the severity of the child's dyslexia and the most appropriate research-based intervention (tutoring program) for that particular child, but it would be the parent's responsibility to provide that type of tutoring after school.
ReadingWrite's Testing Process
1. First phone conversation:
Katie will be asking you some general questions regarding your concerns about your child. By the end of the phone call, Katie will have a better idea of whether your child is a likely candidate for testing.
Because testing your child for dyslexia will involve a considerable investment on your part, as well as significant man hours for Katie, Katie wants to be as certain as possible that your child is a viable candidate for dyslexia testing before she begins.
You will be asked to:
- Watch a webcast video called “Could it be Dyslexia?" (click on link to view the webcast). It is necessary for both parents to watch the video. As you watch the video, write down any of the warning signs of dyslexia your child shows or has shown. Click here to see a list of warning signs you can use as a checklist.
2. Second conversation:
Katie will ask the parents to call back and share their experience watching the video. We will discuss the classic warning signs of dyslexia that your child shows. If we decide to proceed with testing, Katie will send out a testing agreement letter.
You will be asked to mail to Katie copies of all:
- Prior testing reports and any Student Study Team reports
- All report cards (from each grade level starting with Kindergarten)
- Four schoolwork samples (preferably written compositions with no teacher corrections, spelling tests, etc).
Katie will also schedule a meeting with both parents.
3. First meeting with both parents (approximately 2 hours).
Because dyslexia is an inherited condition, Katie must meet with both parents for this important gathering of background information, which will help Katie accurately diagnose your child. Your child will not attend this meeting.
4. Testing: (approximately 4 hours)
- If the child is on any medication for attention, please make sure she/he has taken those meds on schedule. Katie wants to see her/his best work.
- If the child wears eye glasses, please be sure she/he wears them that day.
- Please send a snack with the child to eat for renewed energy during the testing.
5. Evaluation of Test Results:
Evaluation of the battery of tests and compiling the data into a final report will take between 30 and 40 hours. Please plan on approximately 2-3 weeks to receive the evaluation.
6. Final Parent Meeting:
At this meeting, Katie will go over the full evaluation report.
You will receive:
- Two copies of the final report
- An explanation of the test results, if dyslexia is present, a stated diagnosis of dyslexia
- An action plan for remediation in reading, writing, and spelling
- Suggested accommodations to present to the child's school for a
To learn more, please contact Katie Smith
Phone: 612-845-9095
