Comprehensive Educational Support Decision Guide

Educational Psychologist or Private Tutor? - A Comprehensive Educational Support Decision Guide

Instructions

Answer each question by selecting the option that best describes your child's situation. After completing all sections, count which letter appears most frequently in each section and refer to the interpretation guide.

Section 1: Academic Performance

1 / 18

How is your child performing in school overall?

Struggling consistently across most subjects

Struggling primarily in one or two specific subjects

Performing adequately but inconsistently—good days and bad days

Performing well but needs more challenge or enrichment

2 / 18

How does your child respond when academic concepts are explained one-on-one?

Still struggles significantly even with individualized explanation

Understands better with one-on-one help but only in certain subjects

Usually understands when given individual attention

Quickly grasps concepts and seeks more advanced information

3 / 18

How do your child's grades compare across different teachers or teaching styles?

Consistently struggles regardless of teaching style

Performs noticeably better with certain teaching approaches

Performance varies significantly depending on the teacher

Generally performs well across different teaching environments

4 / 18

Has your child shown improvement with previous tutoring or extra help?

Little to no improvement despite consistent tutoring attempts

Some improvement but only in specific areas

Moderate improvement that plateaus after initial gains

Significant improvement or hasn't needed tutoring

5 / 18

How does your child handle homework and assignments?

Consistent difficulty completing tasks across subjects

Struggles with assignments in specific subjects only

Completes work but often with frustration or extensive parent help

Generally completes work independently but may need organizational help

Section 2: Learning Patterns and Cognitive Factors

6 / 18

Has your child been diagnosed with or do you suspect a learning disability?

Yes, diagnosed or strongly suspected

No diagnosis, but I've noticed some concerning patterns

Unsure, but there seem to be some inconsistencies in learning

No, and learning seems to follow typical patterns

7 / 18

Do similar learning difficulties appear in family members (siblings, parents)?

Yes, definite pattern of similar challenges in the family

Some similarities but not as pronounced

Unsure or haven't noticed patterns

No family history of learning difficulties

8 / 18

Does your child have difficulty with attention, focus, or organization?

Significant challenges across school and home environments

Noticeable issues in certain situations only

Mild difficulties that vary by interest level or subject

Generally age-appropriate attention and organization

9 / 18

How does your child's verbal ability compare to written work?

Significant discrepancy—speaks well but struggles greatly with writing

Moderate difference between verbal skills and written output

Slight inconsistency depending on the subject or task

Verbal and written abilities seem fairly well-matched

10 / 18

How does your child handle abstract concepts or problem-solving?

Consistent difficulty understanding abstract ideas across subjects

Struggles with abstractions in specific areas (e.g., math concepts)

Can understand with extra examples or concrete illustrations

Grasps abstract concepts readily or even seeks more challenge

Section 3: Emotional and Social Factors

11 / 18

How does your child feel about school and learning?

Shows significant anxiety, frustration, or avoidance behaviors

Experiences negative emotions around specific subjects or tasks

Generally positive but occasionally frustrated or anxious

Mostly enjoys school or is simply bored/unchallenged

12 / 18

Has your child's confidence or self-esteem been affected by academic challenges?

Significant impact—often expresses negative self-perception

Some impact in specific academic areas

Occasional self-doubt but generally maintains confidence

Maintains healthy self-confidence or demonstrates resilience

13 / 18

How does your child interact socially at school?

Struggles significantly with peer relationships, possibly related to learning challenges

Has some social difficulties that may be connected to academic frustrations

Generally socially appropriate but may have occasional issues

Social development seems age-appropriate and separate from academic concerns

14 / 18

How does your child respond to academic challenges or mistakes?

Becomes extremely upset, shuts down, or refuses to continue

Shows disproportionate frustration in specific subjects

Initially frustrated but can usually recover with support

Demonstrates resilience and appropriate problem-solving approaches

Section 4: Background and Environmental Factors

15 / 18

Has your child experienced significant changes or stressors at home or school?

Major ongoing stressors or changes affecting multiple areas of life

Some significant changes that may be impacting performance

Minor stressors or changes with potential limited impact

Relatively stable environment at home and school

16 / 18

Has your child missed significant school time?

Extensive absences that could explain substantial knowledge gaps

Some absences that might explain specific skill gaps

Minimal absences with likely negligible academic impact

Regular attendance with no significant gaps

17 / 18

Are basic health factors (vision, hearing, sleep, nutrition) being addressed?

Multiple unaddressed or ongoing health concerns

One specific health factor that may need attention

Basic health needs met but could be optimized

All basic health factors appear well-managed

18 / 18

What is your primary goal for seeking additional support?

To identify and understand underlying learning difficulties

To improve performance in specific academic areas

To build better study habits or address motivation

To provide enrichment or more advanced learning opportunities

Comprehensive Educational Support Decision Guide: Educational Psychologist or Private Tutor?

Instructions

Section 1: Academic Performance

Section 2: Learning Patterns and Cognitive Factors

Section 3: Emotional and Social Factors

Section 4: Background and Environmental Factors

Take the first step in fully realising their potential.

Book a lesson below

Hello@NkosiPrivateTutor.co.za

© 2025 NPT. All Rights Reserved.

Comprehensive Educational Support Decision Guide: Educational Psychologist or Private Tutor?

Instructions

Section 1: Academic Performance

Section 2: Learning Patterns and Cognitive Factors

Section 3: Emotional and Social Factors

Section 4: Background and Environmental Factors

Take the first step in fully realising their potential. Book a lesson below

Hello@NkosiPrivateTutor.co.za

© 2025 NPT. All Rights Reserved.

Take the first step in fully realising their potential.

Book a lesson below