Dyslexia Assessment & Screening

1. What are the available dyslexia assessments in Hong Kong?

In Hong Kong, students with learning difficulties in the public sector schools are screened by their teachers in Primary One. The students who are suspected to have dyslexia are then referred to an educational psychologist for a dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong so that early intervention can be arranged. The dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong can only be done at or above the age of 6. For children with learning disorders at an earlier age, parents can consider letting their child complete a dyslexia screening test and receive support service available at private service agencies outside of their school.

2. What are the differences between a screening test and a dyslexia assessment in

Hong Kong?

A dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong can only be carried out by an educational psychologist. The assessment will assess the cognitive and linguistic areas of the student, which the results can determine whether the student is diagnosed to have such a disorder or not.

A screening test on the other hand is not a diagnosis assessment. However, it can assess the actual ability of the student in academic performance, for example, in subjects like Chinese, English and Mathematics. Through the screening test, the academic needs of a particular student can be identified which provides educators and instructors with some very useful information to advise suitable future support services as well as teach the students the right strategies.

3. What kind of support will my child receive after completing the dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong?

With the diagnosis given after the dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong, parents can decide to report to the school and seek further support services. In Hong Kong, depending on the schools' approach and policy, some schools can provide academic support or adjustment in teaching and assessments. Parents should discuss with the school their child is currently enrolled in to understand what kind of support the child can receive.

As an alternative, parents can consider bringing their child to seek professional support from private agencies, where there can be various intervention programs available for children with learning disorders. At Boaz, we provide personalised teaching for each child with an initial screening test to identify the specific academic needs of the child.

4. After completing the dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong, does my child still need to do the screening test?

Upon completing the dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong, the performance of the child in various cognitive and linguistic areas will be indicated, for example, their phonological awareness, morphological ability, word recognition ability etc. Consequently, the recommended solutions to the problem will be suggested to the parents for consideration. However, parents might find it difficult to follow up on such recommendations at home unless they find professionals for intervention.

Before intervention, a screening test must be carried out with the child to highlight the needs of the child in that specific subject. For example, with regards to spelling, through the screening test we can tell the practice of how the child spells and suggest solutions of how we can help and equip the child with the required skills to spell independently with strategies.

5. My child is 10 years old now and he faces learning obstacles. Should I bring my

child in for a screening test or dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong?

It is our recommendation that bringing the child in for a dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong can get a diagnosis and help the child find the right services, whereas a screening test can fully identify the needs of the child and let educators intervene from the right point to help the child build the necessary foundation. Without a diagnosis or a dyslexia assessment in Hong Kong, we can still identify the learning needs of the child and let parents know how they can help the child going forward. A screening test is the most important step before providing appropriate intervention for children. We recommend it is always better for the children to seek and receive intervention earlier rather than later.

6. What are the associated fees for a screening test or dyslexia assessment in

Hong Kong provided by Boaz?

If your child is suspected to be dyslexic, it is recommended to bring your child to visit us for a dyslexia screening test. You are always welcome to contact us for further information prior to booking a screening test or dyslexia assessment at our Hong Kong centre, and our professional staff will explain the scope of our services as well as the associated fees to you in detail.