Psychological assessment of immigrant children: Logic or intuition?

Abstract

Current assumptions regarding psychological assessment of immigrant and minority language children are examined in this paper. It is argued that immigrant children tend to acquire fluent surface skills in their second language (L2) more rapidly than they develop L2 conceptual and literacy skills. Data are presented which show that immigrant children require, on the average, at least five years of residence in the host country to approach native norms in L2 conceptual and literacy skills. Failure by psychologists to take account of this developmental process, and of the limitations of psychological assessment instruments, can result in incorrect diagnoses of immigrant students’ academic difficulties and, consequently, in inappropriate academic placement. Some of the potential pitfalls in current assessment procedures are illustrated by examples from an ongoing study in which the psychological assessments of over 400 immigrant students are being analysed, and suggestions are made for developing more appropriate assessment procedures for immigrant and minority language children.