Diagnostic tools for assessment of cognitive functioning in children and youth – the implementation project

PurposeThe aim of this article is to present the application value of a diagnostic toolkit for assessment of cognitive functions based on a proprietary Multidimensional Model of Cognitive Functioning which combines executive functions with the field of perception, language, and communication. ThesesThe developed tools assess the level of executive functions (attention control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and reasoning), the speed of perceptual processes, as well as linguistic functions in terms of speech- and writing-based communication. ConclusionsAll tasks have been prepared in a computer-based version. The innovativeness of the proposed battery of tests stems from the fact that the adopted model creates a coherent theoretical framework for the entire spectrum of functions describing the effectiveness of cognitive processing in people of different ages and varying educational needs. In the context of the tools available in psychological and pedagogical counselling centres, this technically advanced tool will be the first test available on the Polish market covering such a broad spectrum of cognitive functions. The tool has been designed to enable the diagnosis of diverse groups of people with special educational needs – from gifted children, through people with intellectual disabilities, visual and hearing impairments, neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g. autism), and language disorders and dyslexia, to migrant children. This broad scope of application was made possible by implementing the WCAG 2.1 and universal design principles.