(BA(Hons) Dip. RSA, SpLD; MA (Psych. Ed); PhD; CPsychol; AFBPsS; HCPC Registered)
Module Leader – Cognitive Abilities Profile (CAP) course, Educational Psychologist
Ruth is a practitioner psychologist and a leading international trainer in the field of dynamic assessment and cognitive education. She is also the author of the Cognitive Abilities Profile (CAP).
As an educational, child and adolescent psychologist, she combines ongoing practice with training and wide ranging consultation to psychologists, therapists, teachers and parents.
Ruth practices and teaches a holistic and person-centred approach to assessment and intervention, drawing on the latest research in education, clinical interventions and neuropsychology and works directly with children and adolescents.
Her practice does not end with school years; Ruth also works with adults and holds a strong belief in lifelong learning, personal growth and development. She teaches on the Doctorate for Educational and Child Psychologists at Queen’s University, Belfast and supervises doctoral studies and dissertations in the field of Dynamic Assessment, mediated learning and cognitive development.
A short Q&A with Ruth
Q: Why did you devise the CAP and what can delegates stand to gain from studying how to use it?
Often useful interventions are tried in schools, but the desired progress does not happen. The CAP is a unique consultation and observation tool that helps psychologists, teachers, and therapists explore a pupil’s cognitive needs in depth. It is not a test, but draws on the combined knowledge and experience of those who know that person best, which powerfully includes family carers and the client themselves.
It is not age-limited and addresses the needs of those for whom standardised testing may not be appropriate or valid. This may include refugees, asylum seekers, and those whose home background linguistically or culturally, may be different from their educational context.
CAP explores strengths and challenges leading to selection of targets for intervention and structured monitoring. It deepens awareness of the difficulties that may be lying in the way of pupils becoming more effective and efficient learners.
CAP can also be adapted flexibly for use in non-direct consultation.
Based on theories of cognitive development including social constructivist and neuropsychological concepts, CAP is practical and realistic in terms of professional time and access to those in need. It explores the individual’s needs from a novel perspective. SInce CAP’s publication it has been widely taught and used in many parts of the world.
Q. What are you most proud of about the course?
The opportunity to reach so many people across their different occupations and from so many parts of the world who have one important thing in common. The wish and commitment to help others achieve their potential in a healthy and balanced way. The course shares diverse ways of understanding and working with others.
As Vygotsky challenged us more than 100 years ago: Our work needs to copy nature. Nature does not test children.. We learn with them.
Publications:
Birnbaum, R. and Deutsch, R. (1996) The use of dynamic assessment and its relationship to the Code of Practice. Educational and Child Psychology: Vol.13, 3.
Deutsch, R. (1997). Excellence for All. The use of Instrumental Enrichment for Children with Special Needs. Special children: October 1997.
Deutsch, R. and Reynolds, Y. (2000) The use of Dynamic Assessment by Educational Psychologists in the UK. Educational Psychology in Practice. Vol.16,3.
Miller, M. Deutsch, R. Hansen, A. Haywood, C, Karpov, Y: (2003) The Meaning of Mediation: Varying Perspectives International Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, Vol.3 no;1.
Deutsch, R. (2005) The impact of Dynamic Assessment on Educational Services in the United Kingdom, in Lebeer, J and Janos, R. (eds.) Special issue on Dynamic Assessment, Erdélyi Pszichológiai Szemle (Transylvanian Journal of Psychology) 131- 148.
Deutsch, R & Mohammed, M (2008) The Cognitive Abilities Profile: in Seng-Tan & Hoon Seng (Eds.) Cognitive Modifiability in Learning and Assessment: international perspectives: Cengage Learning, Singapore.
Deutsch, R (2018) Reliability, Validity and Educational Use of the Cognitive Abilities Profile: PhD thesis. City University, London.
Deutsch, R. (2020) The Cognitive Abilities Profile, (Revised) Real Press.
Burns, M. Deutsch, R. Haywood, C. (2021) Bright Start CCYC (Cognitive Curriculum for Young Children) Revised edition.