Knowing what to expect can help to alleviate some of the stress of testing, which may result in a more accurate representation of a child’s skills.  Give children specific information about where, when and who will administer testing.  Initiate a discussions about how everyone has different strengths and challenges: ask about theirs and disclose your own.  Make sure they understand that these tests are to gather information about how to support them in their learning, not about how “smart” they are.

 

Understood.org produced a video about the evaluation process that you can watch together, which includes questions to guide your conversation.

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Understood.org: What to Say if Your Child is Nervous About Getting Evaluated

PDF article with scripts for parents about how to address specific concerns

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Understood.org: How to Talk to Your Child About Getting Evaluated 

PDF article for parents about topics to cover for students in grades K-12