The Foreign Service Journal, December 2013

78 DECEMBER 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT a child is experiencing difficulty in a specific area. For example, if a child has trouble reading single words, tests of phonological processing and reading efficiency may also be administered to determine the cause. 5. Social/emotional functioning. In the process of understanding strengths and weaknesses in a child, it is impor- tant to examine not only their cognitive and academic functioning, but also their social and emotional functioning. This may be done in a variety of ways, depending on the age of the child and the examiner’s approach. For younger children, social/emo- tional and behavioral functioning is often assessed through parent questionnaires. Teachers may also be asked to complete questionnaires regarding your child’s learning and behavior. As children get older, they may complete questionnaires assessing how they feel; and tests may be administered to measure how they cope with and view social relationships. Screening the Evaluator When interviewing a potential evalua- tor for your child, ask the following ques- tions to help find the “best fit” for you and your child: ■ What is your experience assessing students this age? The amount of time an evaluator spends with a child can vary from several hours on a single occasion to shorter periods of time on multiple occasions.