WERKLUND

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Integrated Services in Education

EDT 408, 2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
werklund.ucalgary.ca/ise/

_________________________________________________________________________
Director: Gabrielle Wilcox PsyD, NCSP, RPsych
Tel: 403.220-2851 Fax: 403.210.8712 Email: ise@ucalgary.ca
PSYCHOLOGICAL REPORT
CLIENT NAME:
BIRTHDATE:
AGE:
SCHOOL:
GRADE:
ASSESSMENT DATES:
DATE OF REPORT:
ASSESSED BY:
SUPERVISING
PSYCHOLOGIST:

XX XXXX

July 16, 2015

Kelly DeCoste, B. Sc., B. Ed.
ISE Student Clinician
Cheryl Chase, M. Sc.
Registered Psychologist

Statement of Confidentiality
All psychological assessments are confidential in nature as they contain private information, which may
be used inappropriately by others. To protect the privacy and ensure confidentiality of the persons
involved, please ensure that this report is only circulated to those who are considered essential to related
judgments and decision-making. The intent of this report is to provide opinions and recommendations in
the context of psychological intervention and educational decision-making, and any use of this report
outside of that purpose should only be done with the informed consent of the parties and in consultation
with the writer.
REASON FOR REFERRAL:
XX was referred for the evaluation by her parents, Mr. XY XXXX and Mrs. XX XXXX on the
recommendation of her pediatrician, Dr. VVVV. Mrs. XXXX reports that her daughter experiences
significant difficulties in all subject areas. Specifically, XXs reading and math skills are below grade level
expectations, despite receiving acceptable standards on her report cards. They would like to gain a
clearer understanding of her learning profile and any underlying causes of her academic difficulties so
that they can better support her in improving her academic performance. This is XXs first formal
psychoeducational assessment.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Background information was gathered through a semi-structured interview with XXs parents and
background questionnaires completed by Mrs. XXXX and XXs Grade 2 teacher.
Family Information
XX is a seven year old female who resides in Calgary with her parents and two sisters, aged X and X. XX
reports that she enjoys playing with her younger sister; the two experience some sibling conflict according
to her parents. When XX misbehaves, Mrs. XXXX reports using time-outs or having privileges taken
away.
Mrs. XXXX relates that XX is a very caring and creative girl, and that she enjoys participating in family
activities, such as camping. XX helps out around the house by performing chores, such as cleaning the
bonus room with her mother and sister and emptying the dishwasher daily. Mr. XXXX works as an auto
technician and Mrs. XXXX is a stay at home mother. Both Mr. and Mrs. XXXX report having had some
academic difficulties themselves and Mrs. XXXX relates having difficulties with anxiety.

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Birth & Development

No concerns are reported with respect to pregnancy or birth. Mrs. XXXX reports that, with the exception
of expressive language skills, XX achieved developmental milestones within normal limits. Specifically,
she reports that XX did not say her first word until after 18 months but was speaking in 2-3 word
sentences by age three.
Medical
Mrs. XXXX describes XX as currently healthy; however, she experienced recurrent ear infections until her
tonsillectomy in February of this year. Dr. Taylor diagnosed XX with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder-Inattentive Type at the same time. She appears to be a positive responder to medication and is
currently taking 15 mg of Biphentin daily. As she struggles with her weight, XX is also followed on an
annual basis by the Pediatric Centre for Weight and Health. Annual vision and hearing tests do not
indicate any concerns.
Psychological
Mrs. XXXX reports that XX does not have any significant psychological concerns.
Educational
XX completed Grade 2 at XX School this June and reports that she enjoys school but acknowledges
struggling with reading and spelling tasks. Her parents relate that XX struggles in math and language
arts, specifically reading, spelling, and written output. Mrs. XXXX believes that her daughter is not
meeting grade level expectations, despite her Grade 1 and 2 report cards indicating acceptable levels of
academic achievement. However, on the School background questionnaire, XXs Grade 2 teacher reports
that she receives additional help from an educational assistant when available, and that she is below
grade level in reading, spelling, and numeracy.
Her teacher also reports that XX often fidgets with her hands, particularly during instructions, has minor
struggles with sustaining attention to task, giving close attention to details, and organizing tasks and
activities. Further, XX at times makes careless mistakes in her schoolwork and avoids or reluctantly
engages in tasks that require sustained mental effort. Mrs. XXXX concurs with the teacher and states that
XX hates doing homework, often spending a lot of time complaining or refusing to do it. XX has also
acknowledged to her mother that she often daydreams and looks out the window instead of listening to
instructions during class. XX is described by her teacher as a creative girl with a natural sense of
curiosity.
XX had many school absences due to medical issues and somatic complaints in Grade 1 and the first
part of Grade 2. Mrs. XXXX reports that she now believes that some of the complaints, including
stomachaches and headaches, were an attempt to avoid going to school. Since the tonsillectomy in
February, her attendance has improved.
Behavioural, Social, and Emotional Functioning
Mrs. XXXX and XXs Grade 2 teacher do not report any significant concerns, though both indicate minor
concerns with her motivation and school enjoyment. Mrs. XXXX also reports that her daughter is
beginning to make negative comments about her appearance related to her weight.
ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS/PROCEDURES:
Parent and Child Background Interviews
Parent and Teacher Background Questionnaire
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Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4 Edition
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Wechsler Individual Achievement Test 3 Edition
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Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing 2 Edition
Comprehensive Executive Function Inventory Parent Report
Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration 6th Edition
Report Card Review
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Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4

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ASSESSMENT OBSERVATIONS:
Assessment occurred in a quiet room that was relatively free from distraction and interruption. XX
presented as a cooperative and polite child who willingly engaged in conversation with the assessor.
Despite fidgeting throughout the assessment (e.g., swinging her legs, fidgeting with her hands), these
behaviours did not appear to influence her performance. XX attempted all activities with a positive attitude
and gave slow and considered responses. In the afternoon session, during the academic portion of the
assessment, she appeared to be tired and yawned more frequently. She often looked at her reflection in
the mirrored window and played with her hair between questions and activities, but appropriately attended
to the questions and tasks. Occasionally when prompted to elaborate on her responses, XXs
explanations were unrelated to the question asked of her, although connected to earlier assessment
content, suggesting that she had forgotten what was asked of her. She did not appear unduly anxious
about her performance and was able to work through tasks with minimal breaks. In general, XX
progressed through all the tasks in a typical manner, successfully completing easier tasks and missing
only a few items until the subtest was complete or she reached her upper limit of knowledge.
Throughout the assessment XX was on her ADHD medication regimen. In view of the good testing
conditions, this assessment appears to be a valid and reliable estimate of XXs current level of
functioning.
ASSESSMENT RESULTS:
Tests of cognitive functioning, or intelligence, are important predictors of school performance and future
development. However, cognitive scores represent only one aspect of the child and do not measure
motivation, creativity, or other important influences on a childs success in school. Test results should
always be interpreted in the context of the childs day-to-day behavior and the events and circumstances
of his or her life. Test scores provide a snapshot of a childs development at a particular time in his/her
development and may not necessarily represent the child accurately in the future. Important decisions
should always be made on the basis of current information about the childs functioning.
Intellectual Functioning
The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) is an individually administered,
comprehensive clinical instrument for assessing the intellectual/cognitive abilities of children ages 6
years, 0 months through 16 years, 11 months. The WISC-IV provides composite scores that represent
intellectual functioning in specified cognitive domains (i.e., Verbal Comprehension Index; VCI, Perceptual
Reasoning Index; PRI, Working Memory Index; WMI, and Processing Speed Index; PSI). Lastly, the
WISC-IV provides a composite score that represents a childs general intellectual ability (i.e., Full Scale
IQ; FSIQ). Percentile scores, scaled scores, and confidence intervals are also provided to assist in
interpretation. The FSIQ and Index scores have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Each of
the subtests has a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3.
The results of the WISC-IV indicate that XXs overall cognitive abilities are in the Average range of
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functioning (50 percentile). This means that her overall performance across the WISC-IV is equal to, or
better than, 50 percent of same-aged peers. However, a more comprehensive picture of XXs current
intellectual functioning is obtained through consideration of her performance within each domain.
Verbal Comprehension - XXs ability to understand, process and use verbal language to communicate
and engage in verbal reasoning was assessed using the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI). Overall, her
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performance on the VCI is in the Average range (45 percentile). Within this domain, XX was able to
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solve socially based problems using practical knowledge and conventional standards (50 percentile),
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accurately define words at an age-appropriate level (37 percentile), and find common relationships by
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indicating similarities between two items (50 percentile). Overall, she was able to process and problem
solve with verbal information at an age-appropriate level. These abilities are crucial for success in an
academic environment as the ability to think about many key concepts requires the ability to access
related ideas, determine the essential components of each idea, understand the logic or reasons behind
abstract verbal concepts, and be able to verbally communicate these ideas clearly.
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Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4

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Perceptual Reasoning - XXs ability to process and reason with visual information was assessed using
the Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI). Overall, her performance on this domain is in the Average range
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(68 percentile); however, there is significant discrepancy in her performance across tasks. Specifically,
on a task that required XX to perform mental rotation and manipulate spatial relationships by having her
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use blocks to recreate a visual design, she performs at the 37 percentile. Similarly, she performs at the
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50 percentile on a task requiring her to look at a visual puzzle or pattern and select a missing item from
one of five options, thus, demonstrating the ability to solve logical problems (e.g., judging relationships
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between visual objects). Conversely, XX performed at the 91 percentile when asked to identify
conceptual relationships by looking at rows of pictures and identifying which pictures were related.
Overall, these results demonstrate that XX is able to examine visually presented problems, organize her
thoughts, and create solutions to reason conceptually with visual information. The ability to process
information spatially and through imagery is important for school success and optimal understanding,
especially in mathematics, science, and in a variety of artistic, motor and mechanical activities.
Working Memory - XXs ability to hold and organize auditory information in memory was assessed using
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the Working Memory Index (WMI). Overall, her performance places her in the Average range (50
percentile). She is able to listen to and repeat a string of numbers both forward and backward,
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demonstrating an age-appropriate capacity to mentally manipulate and hold information in memory (50
percentile). Due to an administration error, a task that required XX to listen to a sequence of letters and
numbers and re-arrange the information before verbalizing it was replaced by a task that required her to
solve verbally presented math problems without paper. On this substitution task, XX again performs at the
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50 percentile. Overall, she demonstrates age-appropriate abilities for completing activities that that are
dependent on working memory. These abilities are an important component of learning and achievement,
as one must be able to hold information in the mind long enough to complete activities like understanding
directions, remembering part of a math problem while working on another aspect of the problem, or
holding in mind what to say next in a conversation while attending to what a person is saying.
Processing Speed - XXs ability to rapidly process visual information was assessed using the Processing
Speed Index (PSI). Tasks in this domain require the use of visual discrimination and tracking of simple
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visual information. Overall, her performance on this domain is in the Average range, at the 42
percentile, with some discrepancy between her performance on the two tasks in this domain. Specifically,
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XX performs at the75 percentile on a task that requires rapid copying of shapes, but only at the 16
percentile on a task that requires rapid recognition of shapes. It should be noted that XX required
prompting to work as quickly as she could when she appeared to have forgotten that it was a timed task
(i.e., she began to shade in the entire box or form squiggly lines instead of marking her responses with a
simple line). To rule out the possibility that her performance on this task was due to a deficit in her ability
to integrate her visual and motor skills, XXs visual-motor integration skills were assessed in further detail.
Together, findings suggest that she is able to quickly process information and produce output at an ageappropriate level.
Attention and Executive Functioning
XX has recently been given a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-Inattentive Type.
ADHD is a neurobiological disorder that interferes with an individuals executive functioning skills,
including the ability to plan, remain flexible, monitor and correct performance, and inhibit responses while
working on a task. To gain a clearer understanding of her executive functioning abilities her mother
completed the Comprehensive Executive Functioning Inventory (CEFI), which is used to quantify
observations of a childs executive functioning behaviours. In combination with other information, results
from the CEFI help to calibrate the childs level of executive functioning in the following areas: attention,
emotional regulation, flexibility, inhibitory control, initiation, organization, planning, self-monitoring, and
working memory.
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Overall, Mrs. XXXX rates XXs executive functioning skills in the Low Average range (14 percentile),
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except for emotion regulation, which is in the Average range, at the 32 percentile. These results indicate
that XX experiences minor difficulties with tasks involving attention, planning, organizing, initiation, selfmonitoring, flexibility, inhibiting responses, and working memory, and requires support to be successful.
Integrated Services in Education
EDT 408, 2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4

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Learning & Memory

As XX did not experience difficulty meeting the demands of the cognitive and academic portions of this
assessment, her learning and memory abilities were not explored in further depth.
Language
Receptive
No concerns are reported with XXs receptive language skills. Her performance on WIAT-III receptive
vocabulary and listening comprehension tasks are in the Average range, suggesting age-appropriate
skills.
Expressive
Although her mother reports that XX did not achieve expressive language developmental milestones
within the expected period, her expressive oral language skills, as assessed by the Verbal
Comprehension Index on the WISC-IV and three subtests on the WIAT-III, are in the Average range.
Taken together, these findings suggest that XX possesses age-appropriate expressive language skills
and consequently, her expressive language abilities were not explored in further depth.
Visual-Spatial
Due to the discrepancy on the PSI Index of the WISC-IV, and because her teacher reports some
concerns with fine motor skills, the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration
Sixth Edition (Beery VMI-6) was administered. This standardized test examines a childs ability to
accurately integrate visual skills, visual perceptual skills, and motor skills to produce visual models using
paper and pencil. To measure the degree to which her visual perception is coordinated with her fingerhand movements, XX was required to copy basic, visually presented images, such as lines, circles, and
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arrows. Her performance indicates that she has Average abilities (55 percentile) as compared to her
same age peers in visual motor performance. This finding confirms the hypothesis that her lower
performance on the WISC-IV subtest was not due to a deficit in visual-motor integration skills, but may be
better explained by her inattention to the timed nature of the task.
Academic
The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test Third Edition (WIAT-III) is a standardized individually
administered measure of achievement and functioning that examines performance in the areas of Reading,
Mathematics, Written Language and Oral Language. Scores in each of these domains are then combined to
provide an overall achievement score based on Canadian norms. WIAT-III scores do not reflect the Alberta
curriculum or age/grade placement relative to that curriculum.
A comprehensive picture of XXs current academic functioning is obtained through consideration of her
performance within individual domains on the WIAT-III. Further assessment using The Comprehensive
Test of Phonological Awareness Second Edition (CTOPP-2) was also completed to explore her reading
difficulties.
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Reading - In reading, XX scored in the Borderline range overall (7 percentile), and within the Borderline
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to Low Average range across tasks in this domain. She cannot yet read age-appropriate words (7
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percentile; Borderline range) or use phonetics to sound out non-words at an age-appropriate level (14
percentile, Low Average range). XX had difficulty answering questions about the main idea and specific
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details during a task that explored her reading comprehension skills (14 percentile, Low Average range).
She looked to the passage to answer each question and would read the relevant line(s) verbatim to
respond. Though her answers were sometimes correct, it was apparent to the examiner that she did not
always understand what she was saying; at times, her word reading errors affected the meaning of her
responses, and at other times, her responses were incomplete. Similarly, XX had difficulty completing a
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task that required her to read texts fluently (8 percentile, Borderline range). Reading aloud was observed
to be slow, inaccurate, and effortful. Taken together, XXs performance indicates that she does not yet
understand the basic units of reading and comprehension, which will hinder her ability to read and
complete assignments based on reading in the classroom. Her reading skills were further explored to
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Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4

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determine the specific nature of her difficulties using the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Awareness
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2 Edition (CTOPP-2).
The CTOPP-2 is a standardized test that measures phonological awareness and consists of seven core
subtests and two supplemental subtests that can be combined to form the following composite scores:
Phonological Awareness Composite Score (PACS), Phonological Memory Composite Score (PMCS), and
Rapid Naming Composite Score (RNCS). Norms are provided for individuals from age 4 to 24 years old.
The CTOPP-2 measures phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming abilities, as a
deficit in one or more of these kinds of phonological processing abilities is viewed as the most common
cause of learning disabilities in general and of reading disabilities in particular. XXs awareness of and
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access to the phonological structure of oral language as measured by the PACS is at the 18 percentile
overall (Below Average range). The PACS contains tasks that are designed to measure awareness of
sensitivity for different phonological segments, ability to identify and count phonological segments, and
ability to manipulate phonological segments. XXs ability to remove phonological segments from spoken
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words to form other words, as measured by the Elision subtest, is at the 16 percentile (Below Average
range). Conversely, her ability to synthesize sounds to form words, as measured by the Blending Words
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subtest, is at the 25 percentile (Average range), and her ability to identify target sounds in words, as
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measured by the Phoneme Isolation subtest, is at the 25 percentile (Average range). Taken together,
her performance indicates that she is able to isolate individual sounds within words and synthesize
sounds to form words at an age-appropriate level, but cannot yet remove phonological segments from
spoken words to form other words.
XXs ability to code information phonologically for temporary storage in short-term memory, as measured
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by the Phonological Memory Composite Score (PMCS), is at the 16 percentile (Below Average range).
The PMCS is representative of her functioning of memory related to brief, verbatim storage of auditory
information. Her ability to repeat numbers and nonwords accurately, as measured by the Memory for
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Digits and Nonword Repetition subtests, are significantly different (50 percentile; Average range, and 5
percentile; Poor range, respectively). Though she can repeat numbers accurately, she has difficulty
repeating nonwords because she does not have a semantic representation in memory to help her repeat
them.
XXs ability to efficiently retrieve phonological information from long-term memory quickly and repeatedly,
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as measured by the Rapid Naming Composite Score (PNCS), is at the 16 percentile (Below Average
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range). Her ability to rapidly name digits was better than her ability to rapidly name letters (25 and 16
percentiles, respectively). Execution of sequences of operations is needed when children attempt to
decode unfamiliar words and negatively affect reading fluency. Thus, XXs weakness on the three
composites provides support for a reading disability.
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Mathematics - XXs overall performance on tasks involving mathematics is in the Low Average range (19
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percentile). Specifically, she performs in the Average range (25 percentile) on the Numerical Operations
subtest, though she made numerous number reversals and could not complete addition or subtraction
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problems that required her to re-group. XX performs in the Low Average range (19 percentile) on the
Math Reasoning subtest. On this task, XX was required to solve problems related to time and money,
interpreting graphs, and deciphering word problems. Her Math Fluency subtest score (i.e., how quickly
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and efficiently math problems are completed) is in the Borderline range overall (6 percentile),
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demonstrating difficulty in her fluency of recall for computing addition (4 percentile; Borderline range)
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and subtraction (10 percentile; Low Average) problems. Overall, XXs performance demonstrates that
she does not yet possess automatic recall of the numerical operations needed to solve mathematical
problems and problem-based questions.
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Written Language - XXs overall performance on written expression tasks is in the Borderline range (8
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percentile). She performs in the Borderline range (7 percentile) on a task that required her to write letters
under timed conditions. On a dictated spelling test, XX tended to spell words phonetically, performing in
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the Low Average range (18 percentile). On a Written Expression subtest that required her to write
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sentences from a target word and combine sentences, she performs in the Low Average range (14
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percentile); though XX could combine sentences at an age appropriate level (30 percentile, Average
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range), she had difficulty generating sentences on her own given target words (8 percentile, Borderline
range). Together, her performance indicates that she has difficulty expressing herself through writing in
an effective way at an age-appropriate level. Given that XXs phonemic awareness skills are not yet well
developed, it follows that she would have difficulty with written expression tasks.
Oral Language - XXs overall performance on tasks that measure listening comprehension and oral
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expression is in the Average range (53 percentile). Within this domain, XX performs in the Average
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range (75 percentile) on a task that examined her receptive vocabulary by having her choose a picture
that matches a verbally provided statement, and verbally provide answers from a spoken prompt.
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Furthermore, she performs in the Average range (50 percentile) on an oral expression task that required
her to provide words from a descriptive prompt, repeat sentences, and quickly generate words. Overall,
XXs performance indicates that she is able to express herself and verbally communicate her thoughts
and ideas at an age-appropriate level.
CONCLUSIONS:
XX is a seven year old female who is struggling with developing grade level academic skills and has
recently been diagnosed with ADHD. She was referred for assessment by her parents due to academic
concerns. She presented within the assessment setting as a cooperative, polite and sociable child who
put forth her best effort. Her parents and Grade 2 teacher also describe her as kind, curious, and creative.
No significant emotional or behavioral concerns are reported by her parents or teacher or observed
during the assessment.
Current assessment results indicate that XXs overall cognitive abilities are in the Average range, but she
struggles with the development of age appropriate academic skills, particularly in reading. Findings from
the CTOPP-2 indicate that XXs awareness of and access to the phonological structure of oral language,
her ability to code information phonologically for temporary storage in short-term memory, and her ability
to efficiently retrieve phonological information from long-term memory quickly and repeatedly are weak,
negatively affecting the development of reading fluency and decoding unfamiliar words. XXs executive
functioning abilities are in the Low Average range, which impact her ability to plan, remain flexible,
monitor and correct performance, and inhibit responses while working on tasks in her daily life.
Clinical Impressions
Given the results of the current assessment, XX meets the Alberta Education criteria as a student with a
Learning Disability in reading (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition Specific
Learning Disorder 315.00; F81.0 with impairment in reading) concomitant with ADHD (medical disability).
She is eligible to receive additional support, accommodations and programming modifications in order to
meet her learning needs and her perception of self as a learner. Moreover, her frequent absences,
combined with instruction from multiple teachers in Grades 1 and 2, suggest that XX may benefit from reteaching of foundational skills in reading, writing, and mathematics to address any gaps in her knowledge
and skills. XXs parents may wish to provide Dr. Taylor with these assessment results.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Based on the current assessment the following suggestions are offered for consideration. XXs parents
and teachers may already be implementing some of these strategies, so it is expected that they choose
those recommendations that best fit with the needs and structure of the classroom and home
environment.
School-based
To address XXs ADHD symptoms:
Organize tasks and environment to increase success and decrease difficulties. This may
include removing items not needed for a task to reduce distractions, providing a list of items
to be completed that day and providing clear rules and supervision during peer interactions.

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Provide a preferential seating arrangement, whereby XX can be easily redirected and receive
frequent feedback because of close proximity to the teacher. An alternative quiet working
place within the classroom may also be beneficial.
Break large tasks into a series of clear and small tasks. Setting time limits may be helpful for
improving the timely completion of small tasks. A visual timer may be helpful for XX to view
how much time she has to complete a task.
Establish increasing objectives of time to remain focused on a task within a particular setting
and provide praise for meeting the time objective. For example, maintaining 3 minutes of
focused work on math problems in class, and then increase the goal to 4 or 5 minutes when
she is consistently successful for 3 minutes. Make sure the time objectives are clearly
explained to her.
Ensure XXs is paying attention before giving instructions, provide clear instructions, and
ensure understanding by encouraging him to ask for clarification of expectations or
paraphrasing the instructions back. Instructions can be repeated in multiple formats (e.g.,
oral, written). Additionally, provide sufficient wait-time for XXs to process questions and
instructions.
Model the task and work together with XX, providing her with immediate redirection and
feedback on her work.
Once she understands the task and has successful practice completing it, have XX begin to
use self-monitoring sheets to record when she has successfully completed a task. This may
be as simple as using a checklist.
To increase XXs ability to stay focused and alert, she may benefit from fidget tools or
chewing gum (as appropriate and with rules).
Provide XX with opportunities for meaningful movement to provide physical breaks and
physical activity (e.g., handing out papers in class, taking something to the office).

To support XXs executive functioning skills:

Given XXs difficulties with organization and planning, she will do best in a highly structured
environment with consistent routines and expectations. A visual reminder (e.g., posted
schedule) will help her organize her day and anticipate what will be expected.
Write down all the things that XX needs to do, and place them in order of importance. Put the
most important tasks at the top of the list. She can make her way down the list dealing with
the most important things first.
XX will do best when information is presented to her in a well-organized fashion because she
will have difficulty imposing her own structure and order on information.
Provide one instruction or task at a time.
Have XX approach her teachers when she does not fully understand the directions or missed
some of the instructions.
Outline small achievable goals, and reward XX as she meets them. The most effective goals
are specific, measurable, and achievable.
Provide XX with positive reinforcement for on-task behaviours.
Reduce demands on XXs ability to attend to and switch between tasks (e.g., provide math
practice worksheets that contain only addition or subtraction problems).
Establish a cue to be used between XX and her teacher that is always used to help her
recognize when her attention is lost and to help her re-focus.
To support XXs academic functioning:
XX will require specific reading intervention programming and goals for her individualized
learning needs.

As XXs ability to retrieve phonological information from long-term memory is low, overlearning phonemes associated with letters or letter pairs, pronunciation of common word
segments, and sight words may help her retrieve them more easily from memory.

Increase phonemic awareness skills by playing games where she has to listen for or
generate words that start or end with a specific sound.
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XX needs to attach meaning to sight words and build her vocabulary through specific, explicit
instruction and practice. Keeping a personal sight word dictionary may be of benefit to her.
Opportunities should be provided for XX to demonstrate her knowledge in different ways
(e.g., taking a test orally, reducing writing demands).
Praise and rewards should be based on XXs effort and persistence rather than on the actual
accomplishment.
Continue to encourage XX to ask for help when she does not understand something. Make
sure she knows that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
Access to a reader and scribe as appropriate.
Emphasize individual differences and that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Work
with XX to identify her own strengths, as well as areas that she would like to have as
strengths. Provide her with opportunities to use her strengths to demonstrate her
understanding, as these may be areas in which she is highly motivated to work.
If available, XX may benefit from using online personalized learning programs, such as
DreamBox Learning, SuccessMaker, or Raz-Kids to help develop her academic skills.

To support her with development of writing skills:

XXs written expression skills may be enhanced through meaningful writing activities that
emphasize the communicative and interactive nature of writing (e.g., writing emails).
Permitting her to write about areas of personal interest may also help increase her
motivation and the quality of her written output. As writing tasks continue to advance, XXs
will require additional support and structure (e.g., graphic organizers, sentence starters,
explicit sentence-combining instruction) to be successful in these tasks while minimizing
task-related anxiety.

XX would benefit from writing strategies to ensure that she is working to her potential in the
areas of idea generation, idea development, and editing. Strategy instruction should support
reflection on and practice of the writing process:
Step 1 planning (teach framework strategies such as semantic mapping
Step 2 letting ideas flow without worrying about spelling or punctuation concerns
Step 3 editing writing piece using a strategy like COPS (check for capitalization, overall
organization, punctuation, and spelling). Then move on to the next editing step and use a
homonym checker or thesaurus. The use of a computer for all three phases of the writing
process will also assist XXs with organizing her ideas and editing her work.

Provide XX with copies of notes to ensure that she has the necessary information for
lessons, which would encourage her participation without excessive writing demands.

XX may also benefit from the use of assistive technology, such as a Netbook or IPad, Read,
Write & Gold, and a speech to text program such as Dragon Dictate to complete her writing
assignments. She may also benefit from alternative demonstrations of her learning (e.g.,
hands-on project rather than a book report).
To help XX continue to develop a positive sense of self:

Provide opportunities for XX to experience academic success (e.g., reading picture books to
kindergarten students) to help foster a positive attitude and perception of school and her
academic abilities.

There should be an effort to promote a positive self-concept in XX given her reading

difficulty, ADHD, and potential self-image issues. She should be given plenty of leadership
opportunities and access to an adult mentor in school to build connections, enhance her
strengths, and foster a positive sense of self-esteem.
Home-based
To help parents better understand executive functions and learning disabilities:
Print Resources:

Late, Lost and Unprepared: A Parents Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning
by Joyce Cooper-Kahn & Laurie Dietzel.
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XXXX, XX. Page 10 of 15

The Everything Parents Guide to ADHD in Children by Carole Jacobs and Isadore Wendel.
The ADHD Book of Lists: A Practical Guide for Helping Children and Teens with Attention
Deficit Disorders by Sandra F. Rief.
The ADHD Workbook for Parents: A Guide for Parents of Children Ages 2-12 with AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder by Harvey C. Parker
ADD/ADHD Behavior-Change Resource Kit: Ready-to-Use Strategies & Activities for Helping
Children with Attention Deficit Disorder by Grad L. Flick
No Mind Left Behind: Understanding and Fostering Executive Control - The Eight Essential
Brain Skills Every Child Needs to Thrive by Adam J. Cox www.dradamcox.com
nd
Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents - 2 Edition, by Peg Dawson and Richard
Guare
Smart But Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
The Learning Team: A Handbook for Parents of Children with Special Needs. This handbook
can be downloaded for free from the Alberta Education website
http://www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca/rs/learning.
To learn more about AD/HD, it is recommended that XX read the book Why Cant I Pay
Attention?, which outlines information regarding symptoms of and treatment for ADHD from
the perspective of a child who has been diagnosed with AD/HD. As the reading level is fairly
advanced, parents may need to provide support to her to ensure that she comprehends the
material.
Handout: What Does Executive Functions Mean?

Websites/Organizations:

Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD;

http://www.chadd.org) is parent-based alliance to support individuals who have AD/HD. The
national CHADD website also has excellent information and resources.

Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta (LDAA; http://ldalberta.ca) is a registered charity

that provides information and support for people with learning disabilities. A voluntary, notfor-profit organization of parents, professionals, and other concerned people, the LDAA
works locally to promote understanding and improved services for children and adults with
learning disabilities.

CanLearn Society - http://www.canlearn.ca/ which provides workshops and camps.

To help XX with organizational skills:

Have daily routines and be as consistent as possible implementing them. Communicate

expectations clearly.

Provide one instruction or task at a time.

Break tasks into clear steps and provide short, clear instructions. Use key words or pictures
to prompt them and to help them prompt themselves.

Use checklists. For example, a morning checklist listing the steps to get ready for school.

Reinforce XX for concentrating on a task for the length of time she can be successful.
Gradually increase the length of time needed for reinforcement.
To help promote a positive sense of self-esteem:

Continue to involve XX in extra-curricular activities or summer group activities that she

enjoys (e.g., art classes) and can interact with other children. This gives her the potential to
meet other like-minded individuals while being involved in an activity she enjoys and can
also increase her self-confidence.
To support XXs academic functioning:
Opportunities to practice literacy and math skills in a fun and engaging way (e.g., board
games, online math and literacy websites).
Praise and rewards should be based on XXs effort and persistence rather than on the actual
accomplishment.
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XXXX, XX. Page 11 of 15

It was a pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with XX and I trust that the information contained in
this report, as well as the recommendations provided above, will aid in providing her with the most
appropriate support and opportunities.
______________________________
Kelly DeCoste, B. Sc., B. Ed.
Masters Student, ISE Clinician

_____________________________
Cheryl Chase, M. Sc.
Registered Psychologist

Note: Recommendations contained in this report are intended for current use. Care must be taken not to
characterize an individual on the basis of statements in this report, and not to assume that such
statements apply indefinitely. Any reference to these results and recommendations in the future should be
made with caution.
This clinic does not conduct parenting capacity or custody and access assessments, and
parents/guardian/client were informed that this report is not intended to be used for such purposes.

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Appendices
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition
The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) is an individually administered,
comprehensive clinical instrument for assessing the intellectual abilities of children ages 6 years, 0
months through 16 years, 11 months. The WISC-IV provides composite scores that represent intellectual
functioning in specified cognitive domains (i.e., Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual
Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI) and Processing Speed Index (PSI)). The WISC-IV
also provides a composite score that represents a childs general intellectual ability (i.e., Full Scale IQ
(FSIQ) or The General Ability Index (GAI) when applicable. Percentile scores, scaled scores, and
confidence intervals are also provided to assist in interpretation. The IQ and Index scores have a mean of
100 and a standard deviation of 15. Each of the subtests has a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3.
The subtests can be broken down as follows:
Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI): is composed of subtests measuring verbal abilities utilizing
reasoning, comprehension and conceptualization. Similarities, Vocabulary and Comprehension are the
three core subtests that comprise the VCI, and Information and Word Reasoning are the two
supplemental subtests of the VCI.
Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI): is composed of subtests measuring perceptual and fluid reasoning,
spatial processing, and visual-motor integration. Block Design, Picture Concepts and Matrix Reasoning
comprise the three core subtests of the PRI, and Picture Completion is the sole supplemental subtest of
the PRI.
Working Memory Index (WMI): is composed of subtests measuring attention, concentration and working
memory. Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing comprise the two core subtests of the WMI and
Arithmetic is the sole supplemental subtest of the WMI.
Processing Speed Index (PSI): is composed of subtests measuring the speed of mental and
graphomotor processing. Coding and Symbol Search are the two core subtests that comprise the PSI,
and Cancellation is the sole supplementary subtest of the PSI.

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Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV)

Composite Standard Scores Summary

Composite Scale

Standard Score

95% CI

Percentile

Classification

Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)

Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI)
Working Memory Index (WMI)
Processing Speed Index (PSI)

98
107
100
97

91-105
98-105
92-108
89-106

45
68
50
42

Average
Average
Average
Average

Full Scale IQ (FSIQ)

100

94-106

50

Average

Subtest Scores Summary

Subtest

Scaled Score

Percentile

Classification

Similarities
Vocabulary
Comprehension

10
9
10

50
37
50

Average
Average
Average

Block Design
Picture Concepts
Matrix Reasoning

9
14
10

37
91
50

Average
High Average
Average

Digit Span
Letter-Number Sequencing*
(Arithmetic)

10
6
10

50
9
50

Average
Low Average
Average

VCI

PRI

WMI

PSI
Coding
12
75
Average
Symbol Search
7
16
Low Average
Note. The Letter-Number Sequencing subtest was substituted with the Arithmetic subtest due
to an administration error.

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Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Third Edition

The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Third Edition (WIAT-III) is a source of information about an
individuals academic skills and problem-solving abilities that can be used to guide appropriate
intervention. It is a comprehensive yet flexible measurement tool useful for achievement skills
assessment, learning disability diagnosis, special education placement, curriculum planning, and clinical
appraisal for preschool children through adults. The WIAT-III provides composite scores that represent
academic ability in several domains (i.e., Reading, Mathematics, Written Communication, and Oral
Communication). Percentile scores, scaled scores, and confidence intervals are also provided to assist in
interpretation. The Composite and Scaled scores have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.
The composites can be broken down as follows:
Total Reading Composite: is composed of subtests measuring pre-reading, reading, and decoding
skills. Early Reading Skills, Word Reading, Reading Comprehension, Pseudoword Decoding, and Oral
Reading Fluency are the subtests in this area. (Note: Early Reading Skills subtest is only calculated for
students from Kindergarten to Grade Three. Oral Reading Fluency is not used in the calculation of the
Total Reading Composite for students in Kindergarten and Grade One).
Mathematics Composite: is composed of subtests measuring the ability to evaluate and write numbers,
to solve written calculation problems, identify geometric shapes, solve multi-step problems, and identify
mathematical patterns. Numerical Operations and Math Problem Solving are the two subtests in this area.
Math Fluency: is composed of subtests measuring how quickly and accurately students can complete
math questions. Separate scores can be derived for Addition, Subtraction and Multiplication (Grades 312).
Written Expression Composite: is composed of subtests evaluating spelling and written communication
including sentence and paragraph construction. Alphabet Writing Fluency (Grades K-2), Spelling,
Sentence Composition (Grades 1-12), and Essay Composition (Grades 3-12) are the subtests in this
area.
Oral Language Composite: is composed of subtests measuring the ability to listen for details, generate
a word that matches a given picture and oral description, generate stories from visual cues, and generate
directions from visual or verbal cues. Listening Comprehension and Oral Expression are the two subtests
in this area.

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Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Third Edition (WIAT-III

Subtest and Composite Scores Summary
Subtest or Composite

Standard Score

95% CI

Percentile
rd

Oral Language Composite

Listening Comprehension
Oral Expression

101
110
93

91-111
97-123
82-104

53
th
75
nd
32

Reading Composite
Early Reading Skills
Word Reading
Reading Comprehension
Pseudoword Decoding
Oral Reading Fluency

78
77
78
84
85
79

74-82
68-86
74-82
76-92
81-89
71-87

7
th
6
th
7
th
14
th
16
th
8

Written Expression Composite

Alphabet Writing Fluency
Spelling
Sentence Composition

79
78
86
84

71-87
62-94
81-91
76-92

Mathematics Composite
Math Problem Solving
Numerical Operations

87
87

80-94
78-96

19
th
19

90

80-100

25

Math Fluency Composite

Addition
Subtraction

77
74
81

68-86
61-87
71-91

6
th
4
th
10

TOTAL ACHIEVEMENT

81

77-85

10

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CDN

Classification
Average
Average
Average

th

Borderline
Borderline
Borderline
Low Average
Low Average
Borderline

8
th
7
th
18
th
14

th

Borderline
Borderline
Low Average
Low Average

th

Low Average
Low Average
Average

th

th

th

Borderline
Borderline
Low Average
Low Average