Educational Psychology Appendix 1 - Guide to casework

Core values

Level 3 to 4 individual casework

Additional purchased time for further direct work with the young person (and longer report) can be negotiated and could include assessment activities such as: classroom observations, analysis of schoolwork, questionnaires, curriculum-based assessments, play-based assessments and/or creative tools to gain pupil views.

Working dynamically

Dynamic Assessment (DA) enables a play-based exploration of a range of cognitive and learning skills such as language processing, recall, attention, number skills and problem solving. Working dynamically allows for an EP to provide mediation (teaching) to the young person within a task; this is a process in which alternative strategies/ approaches to learning can be introduced or modelled to the young person. Fun and purchasable games, toys and activities requiring sorting, matching, pairing and analogical thinking such as Grabolo, Rush Hour, Dobble, etc., can all be used dynamically by trained practitioners.

EPs within Southampton Psychology Service have been trained in using evidence-based dynamic assessment tools based on the Feuerstein, Rand, and Hoffman (1979) theory of dynamic assessment of cognitive modifiability and delivered by Professor David Tzuriel (Clinical and Educational Psychologist). The Children’s Analogical Test of Modifiability (CATM) is one such DA assessment which uses shapes that can be sorted according to colour, size and shape. The young person has to use logical thinking in order to solve analogical problems i.e. the young person has to work out the relationship between two shapes in order to complete the pattern, placing a missing shape in a further set of two shapes. This activity assesses a range of cognitive functions such as the ability to move between concepts and considering two or three sources of information simultaneously.

The Complex/Simple Figure Drawing (C/SFD) is another example, which involves the CYP being shown and asked to copy a picture of a simple figure, before being asked to reproduce it from memory. The CYP is then given a second opportunity to complete copies from using the stimulus and from memory, following mediation. This test assesses perceptual skills and visual short-term and working memory skills.

Working in a person-centred way

Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) explores the ways in which people make sense of the world around them, gathering information to develop a construct (like a template) which helps them to form judgements and evaluations (Kelly, 1955; Beaver, 2011). Here are some examples of PCP.

The Ideal/Non-Ideal Classroom Activity is a solution-focused activity in which the CYP is encouraged to construct their ideal classroom using LEGO or drawing. This activity can help to elicit the chil /young person’s views as to how they would like school to be as well as considering features which they consider to be helpful when learning (Moran, 2011).

The Blob Classroom (Pip Wilson and Ian Long) is an emotional literacy resource which can be used to explore a CYP’s awareness and understanding of a range of emotions, feelings and issues. Without words, the Blobs can be interpreted in many different ways. Each picture is a means to a conversation (Wilson& Long, 2015).

The Strengths Cards Sorting Activity: A Therapeutic Treasure Deck of Strengths and Self Esteem Cards: Feeling empowered is one of the key domains of resilience outlined by Ttofa (2017).  In order to feel this empowerment, an individual will benefit from the ability to reflect on their strengths and values. To elicit a child’s personal values, level of self-esteem and awareness of self, the EP would present a deck of cards, each outlining a value and its meaning. The child is asked to organise these values into those that matter to them most, matter to them a bit, and don’t matter to them. The strengths cards activity involves the child being asked to consider their key character strengths from a selection of illustrated strengths cards. (Dr Karen Treisman).

The Good day/bad day activity is a person-centred planning tool, designed to elicit child views about the factors that can impact on their success and happiness. The child is asked to consider what a good/bad day would look like and describe the contributing people, activities, and environment (Inclusive Solutions).

Person-centred approaches and thinking tools can be supportive in engaging CYP in planning for transitions so that they have a way of expressing their views as to what is important to and for them in education, identifying features of a good day / bad day (e.g. what features must be present and which must not happen), future hopes, and what /who can support them to achieve these. It can be helpful to consider the use of a PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope) which provide a forum in which CYP can communicate their views regarding their future.

Cognitive assessment

Though now only occasionally used, the British Ability Scales 3 (BAS3) and the Weschler Intelligence Scale (Children) V (WISC V) are a collection of individual standardised cognitive assessment tests that are used to assess the general thinking and verbal/non-verbal/spatial reasoning skills of children aged from three to 17 years. The tests are designed to measure abilities that are important for learning, such as problem solving, working out how things relate to one another, understanding / using language and working memory.