The term Individual Learning Plan might be confused with an Individual Educational Plan, otherwise known as an IEP. This is a document created through the public school system for a student with a diagnosed learning disability. It describes how a student learns best and what accommodations should be made in order for that student to achieve specific objectives and academic goals. A neuropsychological evaluation, often referred to as a neuropsych, is more common in the private school community, and tend to be a more detailed outline of a student’s learning profile and offers strategies to address specific points.
Regardless of who does the testing, both documents help lay the foundation for a school to develop a plan that best suits the learning style of your child. A series of test results will be included in your report. While you may want to review this data, the most important information will be toward the end of the report. Look to see what the conclusions and recommendations are, based on an analysis of the test results.
Your school will be able to address every recommendation made and let you know if they can provide the accommodations that are being suggested. This will outline a learning strategy for you that can appropriately support your child during his/her education process.
At Beekman, testing results are always available to teachers, and the information is shared at a faculty meeting when a new student first enters the school. That information is revisited as the need arises. From the date where a student first begins classes, a plan is developed that incorporates the learning styles of the students. Parents are encouraged to offer comments and suggestions and, where possible, those recommendations are built into our learning plan. We feel that input from the student and parents helps validate the requirements that have been identified in the evaluation and empowers a student to take ownership of his/her education.
Parents, students, and teachers should communicate frequently to ensure that the guidelines of the individual learning plan are being followed. When the entire family feels invested in the leaning process, everyone benefits.