1 The distinctive role of the educational psychologist
The school and child development psychologist works within educational establishments or private practice to support young people's overall adjustment to academic and social demands. They have expertise in the cognitive processes involved in acquiring language, reading and numeracy, as well as the social and emotional issues specific to each age group, from preschool through secondary school.
2 Assessment tools and a collaborative clinical approach
When a pupil is struggling, the practitioner conducts classroom observations, supportive individual interviews and, where necessary, psychometric assessments of intellectual functioning using the WISC scales. The aim is not to attach a label, but to distinguish between a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or dyspraxia, misunderstood high intellectual potential, an attention disorder or emotional distress in response to family conflict, school bullying or performance anxiety.
3 Introducing individual educational adjustments
The school psychologist acts as a bridge between bewildered parents and teaching staff. They draw up supportive educational recommendations, including extra time in examinations, less copying and suitable visual materials. Their support helps children regain a sense of competence, take mistakes less anxiously and rediscover the pleasure of learning within a safe setting.
4 Working with the educational team and protecting pupils' self-esteem
The school psychologist actively participates in educational consultation meetings to help teachers adapt their approach to a pupil in distress. They take particular care to ensure that academic difficulties do not destroy a child's self-esteem, reminding everyone that a person's worth can never be reduced to the marks on a school report.