Page 38 - Silver Lakes Issue 8_2022
P. 38

TODAY’S CHILD












































        CHOOSING SUBJECTS AND STUDY PATHS



                                                      By Dr Ilse Ruane



            or Grade 9 pupils, choosing subjects   Psychometric  assessments  can  be  divided   Aptitude represents the learning potential
            that will determine their future can   into two main areas of inquiry:   a  child  possesses  –  in  other  words,  their
       Fbe  daunting.  The  same  applies  for   •  Learning or cognitive strengths and   ability  to  learn.  Within  the  school  and
        matriculants trying to decide on a suitable   weaknesses                  tertiary  education  environments,  the
        study field for university. Psychologists can   •  personality functioning  ability and potential to learn can outweigh
        use  a  psychometric  assessment  to  help                                the  innate  IQ  of  a  child  and/or  teenager.
        these  students  decide  what  subjects  to   The  first  area  –  intellectual  or  cognitive   Intellectual  ability  and  learning  potential
        take.                               strengths and weaknesses – is where your   can  only  get  a  child  so  far  within  the
                                            child  is  evaluated  for  possible  learning   scholastic  and  tertiary  environment;
        A  psychometric  assessment  is  used   disabilities,  attention  problems  or  other   in many cases, factors such as their
        to  assess  a  person’s  cognitive  ability,   obstacles  to  their  academic  and  social   personality type and interests far outweigh
        personality  and  interests  so  as  to   success. With regard to subject choices, the   intellectual or aptitude potential.
        help  them  make  an  informed  decision   psychologist would make use of assessments
        and  guide  them  in  determining  these   such as an aptitude assessment, along with   The second area – a personality assessment
        sometimes  tricky  choices.  Psychometric   personality and interest questionnaires, to   – is part of any psychological evaluation. If
        assessments are also able to help parents   gain  a  fuller  picture  of  a  child’s  academic   academic  and  intellectual  factors  do  not
        or schools when they suspect learning or   potential  within  the  relevant  school-  and   seem to be the problem, then an evaluation
        emotional problems. Clients, parents and   university-offered subjects or fields.    into  other  areas  of  functioning,  such  as
        schools  enlist  the  skills  of  psychologists                           personality  and  overall  psychological
        and  psychometric  assessments  on  an   By  including  these  three  assessment   wellness and functioning, is in order.
        annual  basis  to  help  determine  subject   instruments  into  a  battery  of  tests,  an
        choices for grades 10, 11 and 12; degree   informed decision regarding subject choices   A  personality  assessment  can  be  a  very
        choices for university; as well as changes   and university degree field choices may be   useful  way  to  look  at  a  problem  from  a
        in a person’s career path.          made.                                 different perspective. It can give you new


        36 | INTRAMUROS SEPTEMBER 2022
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