Is your child receiving schooling in French—whether in French Immersion, Extended French, or in a French school? Is your child’s first or dominant language English? If you answered “yes” to both questions, and your child is struggling in school, it can be tough to pinpoint the exact reasons.
Are struggles happening because your child is more comfortable in English?
Are they happening because French is something new, and struggles are inevitable in the early stages of learning?
Are they happening because your child has a learning difference, making it difficult to read, write, and learn in French—and in English?
How are you going to figure all this out? Should you wait and see what happens, or should you act now?
Waiting to See Can Lead to Bigger Gaps
It might be tempting to wait and see if things improve with time. However, this approach can lead to widening learning gaps that become much harder to close later on. Identifying strengths and difficulties early on—and starting treatments early, too—are crucial when it comes to leveraging the brain’s neuroplasticity to support new learning. A comprehensive Psychoeducational Assessment can help you figure things out, but you need to keep some considerations in mind when French schooling is in the picture.
Key Considerations for Assessments
When seeking a Psychoeducational Assessment for your child, especially in the context of French education, it’s essential to ask specific questions to ensure a comprehensive evaluation:
- Will all of the testing be done in English?
- Will any of the testing be done in French?
- If there’s a mix of French and English testing, what kinds of tests will be done in French?
The Gold Standard for Assessments
Following the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) guidelines, the gold standard for assessing predominantly English-speaking students in French programs includes:
- Conducting the majority of cognitive and attention testing in English
- Administering academic tasks (reading, writing, and spelling) in both English and French, with French testing conducted by a proficient examiner
- Collaborative interpretation of results by English-speaking and French-speaking clinicians—or a Bilingual clinician proficient in both languages and the interpretation of Learning Disabilities—to ensure an accurate diagnosis and understanding within the context of French instruction
Our Approach at Possibilities
At Possibilities, we adhere to these guidelines in our Signature Psychoeducational Assessments. Our approach includes:
- Cognitive and attention testing in English to accurately gauge your child’s potential
- Academic testing in both English and French to compare learning progress and identify potential Learning Disabilities
- Collaboration between English-speaking and French-speaking clinicians to provide a thorough and precise assessment of Learning Disabilities and related areas of functioning
Why Assessments Should Include Both Languages
A Learning Disability shouldn’t be diagnosed if there isn’t one. Relying solely on English testing for a student in a French program can lead to inaccurate diagnoses. For example, if your child is learning to spell words in French, an English spelling test would probably reveal lots of misspelled words. These errors might reflect a Learning Disability—or they might reflect learning to spell words in another language that isn’t English! With this kind of complexity, it’s critical to test your child’s academic skills in both languages. A clearer picture emerges when challenges appear in both English and French across multiple academic tasks, suggesting they may be a learning difference like a Learning Disability.
When to Seek an Assessment
The best time to seek an assessment is when you begin to see challenges. Remember, early treatment is typically more effective than delayed treatment. At the earliest, we recommend considering an assessment starting in late Grade 1 if academic difficulties are observed. Persistent challenges into late Grade 2 and Grade 3 should be evaluated promptly to determine if a Learning Disability is present and to begin appropriate interventions. If your child continues to struggle after Grade 3, seeking a comprehensive Psychoeducational Assessment as soon as possible is strongly recommended.
How to Get Started
You can find out more about our Signature Psychoeducational Assessment we do combining French and English testing on our website. You can also get started right away by completing our Intake Form. A doctor’s referral is also required. Once we have your Registration Form and doctor’s referral, one of our Care Team members will contact you.
