Diagnostic Unit
The Diagnostic Unit relies on psychological and educational assessment to identify the various disabilities that some students may experience. This is achieved through the application of a set of standardized tests that assess cognitive abilities, academic skills, and the student’s level of achievement. The Diagnostic Unit is considered the unit that provides educational diagnosis in the State of Kuwait. The Center has succeeded in building a team of highly specialized technical professionals who have acquired extensive skills in the field of diagnosis. As a result of more than thirty years of continuous work, the unit now delivers diagnostic services with a high level of quality and professionalism.
The Diagnostic Unit provides a comprehensive assessment of the child based on clear standards. Once the assessment process is completed, the psycho-educational specialist discusses the results with the parents and presents appropriate recommendations. This diagnostic process enables parents to identify and understand their child’s strengths and areas of difficulty.
The diagnostic services cover age groups from 4 to 23 years and include two main types of assessment (psychological and educational):
Psychological Diagnostic Service
Psychological assessment aims to determine the child’s general intellectual ability, from which the intelligence quotient (IQ) is derived. It allows the examiner to set appropriate expectations regarding the individual’s abilities in relation to their age, through the use of a battery of standardized tests.
Educational Diagnostic Service
Educational assessment aims to measure achievement in core academic skills and is usually the primary reason for initiating the diagnostic process. This aspect includes assessments of oral and written language skills and mathematics, and is not limited to any single area. Assessments may be conducted in both Arabic and English.
The diagnostic process results in a final report that includes:
A concise summary of significant medical information, motor and language development, family history, and educational history.
A brief description of the diagnostic assessments conducted during the evaluation process, along with a summary of their results.
Analysis and evaluation of the diagnostic findings.
Presentation of the results in the form of a final summary for both the home and the school.
Provision of guidance and recommendations for the home and the school to support future planning and interventions.
Consultation Service
The Diagnostic Unit offers a consultation service as part of its range of services for parents. This service is available for cases assessed by the unit, as well as for cases evaluated at other centers where parents may not have received sufficient explanation or guidance regarding the student’s condition.
The consultation typically includes an explanation of the assessments and their results, guidance on how to support the student by addressing areas of weakness, and recommendations for appropriate educational programs whether individual or group-based such as suitable schools and centers.
School Visit Service
The Diagnostic Unit provides a school visit service, during which specialists from the unit visit the schools of students diagnosed with Specific Learning Difficulties at the Center. These visits are arranged in advance in coordination with parents and the schools, with the aim of explaining the student’s case and providing appropriate recommendations.
Kuwait Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Third Edition.
Kuwait Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scale – Fourth Edition.
Bender–Gestalt Developmental Test (Koppitz).
Visual–Auditory Digit Span Test.
Human Figure Drawing Test.
Picture Vocabulary Test.
Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Diagnostic Scale – Home Rating Form and School Rating Form.
Standardized Working Memory Test for Children (normed by the Child Assessment and Education Center, 2015).
Standardized Phonological Processing Test for Children (normed by the Child Assessment and Education Center, 2011).
Standardized Graphomotor Processing and Morphological Awareness Test for Children (normed by the Child Assessment and Education Center, 2013).
Standardized Reading and Spelling Test for Children (normed by the Child Assessment and Education Center, 2013).
Standardized Phonological Processing Test for Middle School Students (normed by the Child Assessment and Education Center, 2018).
Standardized Reading and Spelling Test for Middle School Students (normed by the Child Assessment and Education Center, 2020).
Academic diagnostic assessments in Arabic language (based on the Ministry of Education curricula in the State of Kuwait).
Academic diagnostic assessments in Mathematics (based on the Ministry of Education curricula in the State of Kuwait).
Educational Assessments for Students in Foreign Schools:
The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test—Third Edition (WIAT III –USA + UK + CANADIAN)
Gray Oral Reading Test-Fifth Edition - (GORT-5)
The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP)
Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH)
Test of Early Reading Ability (TERA-3)
Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency
Test of Silent Contextual Reading Fluency
TOPEL: Test of Preschool Early Literacy
Early Reading Assessment (ERA)
Word Identification and Spelling (WIST)
Required Documents to Open a File and Schedule a Diagnostic Appointment:
A recent personal photograph of the student.
A copy of the student’s birth certificate.
A copy of the student’s civil ID.
Medical report (hearing test).
Medical report (vision test).
Copies of academic certificates from the beginning of the student’s enrollment in school up to the current stage.
Copies of any previous diagnostic reports or intelligence tests conducted by other entities, or notes from the school psychologist, if available.
A brief report from the teacher on the student’s classroom performance in the core subjects (Arabic, Mathematics, and English), if possible.