What is the psycho-pedagogical evaluation?

These are the elements and areas of exploration of psycho-pedagogical evaluation.

Contrary to what we may think, to evaluate does not have to do with judging in its most classical conception, but rather, when we speak of psycho-pedagogical evaluation, we refer to measuring the aspects involved in the process of learning, rather, when we speak of psycho-pedagogical assessment, we refer to measuring the aspects involved in the teaching and learning process.What is the psycho-pedagogical evaluation?These are the elements and areas of exploration of psycho-pedagogical evaluation.

Contrary to what we may think, to evaluate does not have to do with judging in its most classical conception, but rather, when we speak of psycho-pedagogical evaluation, we refer to measuring the aspects involved in the process of learning,

• when we speak of psycho-pedagogical evaluation, we refer to measuring the aspects involved in the student's teaching/learning process with the objective of knowing what his or her needs are. in order to know what are their difficulties and most importantly, their skills and abilities.

However, the evaluation does not focus exclusively on the assessment of the individual, but also includes aspects that have to do with how the student relates to the context and environment, both educational and family. Areas closely related to their educational response.

The psycho-pedagogical evaluation

provides us with a snapshot of the areas of development in which the person has greater or lesser difficulty.

. And this information serves us to accompany the student in the achievement of an optimal development, designing the appropriate instruments that put in value its potentialities and compensating in this way the difficulties. We could say that it would be like making a "tailor-made suit", which is not only comfortable but also functional..

When to evaluate?

It is true that evaluation provides us with very valuable information,

• it is not always necessary and convenient to perform it A child should be evaluated whenever there is any type of difficulty related to the handling of symbols (language), if changes are detected in academic performance or difficulties are observed in basic instrumental areas, if oppositionism is observed in the acceptance of rules, if there are conflicts in social interaction, if emotional and coexistence crises or discipline problems are detected.

We can also determine the realization of a psycho-pedagogical evaluation to accompany in the decision making process for vocational and/or professional orientation.

How to evaluate? It is important that we inform the student that we are going to conduct an evaluation..

. It is common in the consultation room to find a high percentage of children who come to the session without knowing why they are coming. Of course we will have to adapt the message to the age and maturity of the child, but it is important that we inform them.

Adults tend to interpret that there are things that it is better that children do not know, or perhaps there are issues that are difficult to address because parents do not know how to explain them. Accepting that we do not have to know everything is a fact that must be admitted, and this attitude can be of great value in this attitude can be of great value in the construction of our children's self-concept.If we feel unsure in this area, we can ask for advice from the professionals who will be in charge of the assessment so that they can guide us on how to convey the information.

Children cope better with the task if they know something about what they are going to do, so giving them the information and preparing them for action will improve results,

equipping them with the information and preparing them for action will improve the results of the assessment.

. The child already generates an expectation and will not encounter a new situation in which they may be more inhibited.

Another factor that influences the inhibition or not of the evaluee in the development of the session has to do with the feeling of private space. It is important to communicate to the child that the evaluation will be carried out under the premise of privacy and that everything that is going to be said outside the space about the evaluation itself, will be consensual.

What should be taken into account when carrying out a psycho-pedagogical evaluation?

These are the main elements to consider in a psycho-pedagogical evaluation.

1 Starting from the school's requestTutor, teachers, guidance department, or the family's request. Establishing a first premise helps us to focus on the problem and to be able to assess what type of evaluation we have to carry out and what areas are susceptible to be evaluated.

2. Age

It is important to adjust the evaluation to the age of the person being evaluated.. It is not the same to evaluate a child who is at an early stage as it is to evaluate a child who is entering the pre-adolescent stage. Therefore, age is fundamental to know what type of evaluation we are going to perform.

3. Difficulty analysis

Establish the evaluation criteria

based on the information gathered.

4. Observation In order to carry out an adequate evaluation it is necessary to learn to observe.

5. Use broad-spectrum evaluation instruments

These can be

observation checklists, structured interviews, etc. The use of these instruments is fundamental since in many occasions the initial demand does not coincide with the basic problem or the one that is generating difficulties associated with the learning tasks. This evaluation of the general aspects guides us as to which are the focal points for further evaluation.6. Assessing skills

These

have to do with academic competencies

. Motivation, memory, executive functions, learning information processing.

7. Assessing emotional aspects and competencies can be of great help.

These variables are closely related to academic performance. And in many cases an apparent learning problem may be determined by a difficulty in emotional management.