The Kaufman Survey of Early Academic and Language Skills is used yearly in early May as a school readiness assessment for 5 year-olds on entering grade 1 (group 3). Based on the outcome the teachers can set up a remedial plan with the parents for the last months in K2. The evaluation is done as a standard procedure by the Education Coach of the EC2.

The K-SEALS is a program meant for Kindergarten children between the ages of 3 and 6. It assesses skills development in several areas:     

a.   Vocabulary: Naming or pointing to objects or actions shown in the pictures; identifying objects from descriptions and riddles.

b.   Numbers, Letters & Words: Naming or pointing to numbers, letters or words; counting; solving number problems; recognizing words and numbers.

c.   Articulation: Pronouncing the names of common objects or actions.

d.   Expressive Skills: Naming objects or actions shown in pictures; naming objects from descriptions; naming numbers, letters and words.

e.   Receptive Skills: Responding to verbal instructions by pointing to objects or actions shown in pictures; identifying objects from their descriptions; pointing to numbers, letters and words.

In case a teacher suspects dyslexia, a checklist can be filled out. If the results are affirmative, the Dyslexia Screening Test can be administered. The EC2 uses the second edition of the DST in either the Junior (ages 6.6 to 11.5) or the Secondary version (ages 11.6 to 16.5).

The DST was designed to determine the at-risk factor of reading failure, so extra support can be given. Unlike most psychological tests, it is intended for use by school professionals rather than educational psychologists. It provides a profile of strengths and weaknesses that can be used to guide the development of in-school support for the child. Further testing of the student’s abilities and academic skills is necessary to confirm dyslexia. At EC2 we use the WISC-IV and KTEA-II for this purpose.

A student with a formal dyslexia statement is entitled to extra facilities in the school. This statement is recognized internationally.

The exact level of functional school achievements of the Saban students is being assessed by administering the Comprehensive Form of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, 2nd edition. The KTEA-II is a test battery designed for students in the age range from 6 - 22. The test results are given in standard scores on 5 test items:

a.    Mathematics Applications indicating comprehension of math concepts;

b.    Reading Decoding indicating technical reading skills;

c.    Spelling indicating spelling skills of high-frequency words;

d.    Reading Comprehension indicating understanding of written texts;

e.    Mathematics Computation indicating mastery of practical math operations.

The standard scores have a high correlation with IQ scores. They are converted to age and grade equivalents (didactical age). The scores are transferred to error analysis schemes, indicating specific strengths and weaknesses of the student.

The error analyses show what has to be worked on in class. The diagnostic reports give ample ideas for remedial and special education activities and can be used in the IEP.

The KTEA-II is also available in a brief from, allowing for timelier reporting of results. This form is used for student placement.

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition, assesses the intelligence and achievement of 2½ to 12½ year-old children. The KABC-II is intended for psychological and clinical assessment, psychoeducational evaluation of learning disabled and other exceptional children, educational planning and placement, preschool assessment, neuropsychological assessment and research.

The test results are given in standard scores on the four global scales:

a.   Sequential Processing: solving problems where the emphasis is on the serial or temporal order or stimuli (for example: copying a sequence of hand movements performed by the examiner).

b.   Simultaneous Processing: using a gestalt-like or holistic approach to integrate many stimuli to solve problems (for example: completing a visual analogy).

c.   Mental Processing Composite: a combination of sequential and simultaneous skills, yielding a global estimate of intellectual functioning.

d.   Achievement: demonstrating knowledge of facts, language concepts, and school-related skills such as reading and arithmetic.

Checklists are available at the EC2 to identify and communicate on several topics:

a.     Dyslexia (Ronald Davis; dyslexia protocol purchased and implemented in May 2013);

b.     Child Behavior Checklist;

c.     Social attributes checklist;

d.     Multiple intelligences test (Howard Gardner);

e.     Speech & language development (different levels).

The checklists are meant to possibly confirm a concern of a teacher and to decide if a specialist should be called in for diagnosis. 

Behavior modification plans can be recommended whenever the teacher, School Care Team or Care Coordinator has a concern about a certain behavior of a child. When a child is referred for educational or psychological testing, advice can be given on behavior issues. The advice usually comes in the form of a plan that can be carried out by teachers and parents.

EC2 uses two resource books in preschool and primary education:

a.   Randall Sprick. The Solution Book, a Guide to Classroom Discipline. Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.

b.   Triple P Tip sheets. The University of Queensland and Families International Pty Ltd.

After observations by the behavior coach, psychologist or educationalist, a priority is set for behavior modification. An appointment can be made for teacher coaching.

IDEAS is an Interest Determination, Exploration and Assessment System that we use to explore students’ career interests. It helps students to decide on future options, a college major or a career path at work. The outcome is given in a student profile, picturing current interests. Some of the fields of interest checked are: mechanical, protective services, science, medical, business, sales, education.

When a child is bilingual or has a problem in the language development, it can be wise to test the abilities of the child without depending on language. The EC2 performs such assessments using the Standard Progressive Matrices or the Colored Progressive Matrices prepared by J.C. Raven. The S/CPM was developed for use in homes, schools and workplace to measure eductive ability. Eductive ability involves making meaning out of confusion, perceiving and identifying relationships. It must be understood that cognitive ability in general involves a variety of distinct psychological processes that build upon one another. The S/CPM in our setting is used as one of many indicators to assess the student’s options.

The assessment consists of 60 problems divided into 5 sets of 12 items. The student is asked to complete a broken pattern.  In each set the first problem is as nearly as possible self-evident. The items that follow become progressively more difficult. Each set provides opportunities to grasp the method of thought required to solve the problems and assessments of a person’s capacity for intellectual activity.

The Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, 4th edition, is an individually administered screening tool designed to screen students ages 5 through 22 years for language disorders. Specifically, the CELF-4 is meant to assist in the identification of students who may need in-depth assessment of their language abilities. It measures if the student’s language abilities appear adequate for his or her age.

The CELF-4 is not a timed test. Criterion scores are provided for each half-year interval for ages 5 and 6, and for each one-year interval for ages 7-16. Ages 16-22 have been collapsed into one group.

The CELF-4 is administered by the Speech & Language Therapist.