The focus and scope of my professional practice and research are
children with an "atypical" background: those who are
outside of the social/cultural mainstream, who were underserved,
subjected to deprivation, maltreatment, and abuse in their early
formative years: internationally adopted post-institutionalized
children. My theoretical background is deeply rooted in the "Social-Cultural
Activity Theory" formulated by L.S. Vygotsky.
See Vygotsky
Project, Publications
on Vygotsky and the new course "Contemporary
Bilingual Psycho-Educational Assessment in the Context of Vygotsky's
Social-Cultural Activity Theory"
for details.
I believe that contemporary
psycho-educational assessment and remediation must be interdisciplinary,
culturally inclusive, and technologically advanced. Following
Vygotsky's appeal and in addition to existing tests and procedures
for evaluating children's needs, I look for other ways and means
of assessing and rehabilitating children.
I believe that developmental
and school psychologists should be more involved in direct remedial
services to students and am in the process of developing cognitive
remedial programs for internationally adopted children with the
background of early childhood institutionalization.