Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment WPPSI and DYS help

Help please. My ds took the WPPSI test at 5.8-years-old in July. On two subtests (information and matrix reasoning) he scored 91% but on other tests they were in the average or low average range.

Overall his performance was scattered and inconsistent - so I have no score. I know my ds is a creative/visual spatial type who doesn't always perform to his capability.

Last year, my ds was a pre-k student in a structured, gifted school. He whizzed through the pre-k/k/1st grade curriculum within 2 1/2 months and multiplied visually without any instruction. We had to pull him because the school refused to accelerate him into the 2/3rd grade class or accommodate him.

This year, my ds is a kindy in a creative (less-structured) gifted school (pre-k to 8th grade in one-room schoolhouse) and he is whizzing through the reading and writing. He's now reading at 3rd grade or above and writing sentences. He's starting to grumble about the lack of math and other academic opportunities, which are normally offered at the 3rd grade level or higher.

I was going to apply for Davidson's since my ds is working 3 grades or higher, but I'm worried about the WPPSI scores. I asked the evaluator if she had experience with eg/pg kids and she said she did, but I have questions regarding the WPPSI test. She said it was a starting point and that my ds6 should have further evaluations. Urgh.

My problem, of course, is the school situation and how to get appropriate services. We're thinking we might have to homeschool our ds6 soon. I was already told by this second gifted school that my ds might not be there long, but I'd like some advice on where to turn next.

It seems that you feel that the testing doesn't reflect him at all. Did you comment this with the tester? Did she say she had noticed something unusual?

You could still advocate for him or look for yet another school. You might consider retesting next year on the WISC. I wouldn't submit a DYS application even with a strong portfolio showing his advanced work because you still need to show the IQ part of it.

One possibility that seems to work for many kids is to supplement at home or "afterschool". If he likes his school otherwise, he has friends in there, etc. I would probably keep him there.

I agree with Mam. I wouldn't sweat it now, if the current year seems to be going well. Once he is old enough to take the WISC, it seems that would be the best option. Remember that one test is just one test on one day, and it doesn't always match what can be observed.

However, unless you live in a state with GIEP's (and even if you do), having a high test score or being a DYS will not necessarily make the schools pay attention and accommodate your son. Some will, some will try, some won't make an effort at all...

Good luck, Cat

Thanks.

We live in non-gifted state or one that does not mandate giftedness. Both the public and private schools have been in a dilemma with what to do with my son. This second private school requested we get the testing because they wanted to know what happened at the first private school and if there were any learning disabilities or other issues going on.

It's frustrating because I had spent an hour with the tester explaining what happened at the 1st private school and how the school and I thought he was possibly pg.

When the tester gave me the scattered and inconsistent scores, I asked her how this reflects my son's ability to do multiplication without any instruction or complete the pre-k/k/1st grade curriculum in 2 1/2 months. She said she couldn't and didn't have an answer me. URGH.

The tester did say that my son might have ADHD and Asperger's. I completely disagree with the Asperger's. I'm not sure about the ADHD because there are attentional issues at times, though my son is now reading Geronimo Stilton books in an hour and has good attention when he's being challenged. So perhaps I should post something on the twice exceptional page.

Yes, I'll definitely get further testing. I'm still puzzling out what's what. It's just exhausting some days.

Yes, one test on one day - not exactly a complete picture of your child!

The primary symptom of ADHD in young children is NOT attention span. ADHD is primarily a problem with executive function. The child hears and understand direction, for example, but is completely unable to complete it.

A typical morning with my DS7 who is ADHD:
7:00am - I wake him up. I usually have to sit with him for 5 mins to make sure he's actually out of bed.
5 mins later - I return to his room to tell him to get dressed.
5 mins later - I go back again to his room to find him playing with Legos. I remind him it's now 10 after and he still needs to get dressed and eat breakfast.
5 mins later - I go back to his room AGAIN and stand there while he gets dressed. (This is typically preceeded by a small fit.) We then make it to the kitchen, where he slowly, slowly gets his meds out and I ask him about cereal. Usually takes about 2-3 times asking to get him to answer what cereal. I then ask him to get a spoon. Most of the time I just get it myself, because it will take 3 more times of asking before he gets it. He then sits down to eat and I go get dressed.
10mins later - I come out of my room, dressed, to find him reading a book at the table. I remind him to finish eating and get his socks/shoes on because it's time to go.


I think you get the picture. DS can sit and read for HOURS. Last night he actually stayed up until 2 am (!!!!) reading Horrible History, The Woeful Second World War. I think ADHD + giftedness especially masks any attention issues, because they are interested in so much, especially at school.

Yes, thanks epoh. It's a big help. I understand what you're saying. I agree that ADHD + giftedness complicate matters and there seems to be overlap between the two.

It's possible my son has ADHD because he does show some characteristics of it; my son needs the prompts to get him to the table for breakfast or dinner but not to get dressed or put on his shoes most days. Still, he is also showing characteristics of being pg and that seems to be the stumbling block for us.

What's annoying for us is that private gifted school #1 was specifically for kids with ADHD and executive functioning issues and they didn't want to accommodate him because they thought he was pg (with ADHD perhaps)! Private gifted school #2 has a lot of kids with ADHD but takes a less structured approach to the issue, but even they have been stumped at times.

I'd seek further evaluation, this time with a professional who is familiar with the information in this book.

If the school is a one room school house, and has material up to grade 8, why in the world would they deny him math and other academic opportunities at his level? What did they say? In the long run it doesn't matter what he scores on an IQ test as long as he keeps getting acadmic material inside his readiness level.

DYS is great for social opportunities for the parent and the child, but any school that truely wants to accomidate your child can ask for help at Davidson's Cybereducator's Guild. It's not limited to kids who are in the Young Scholar's Program.

It's a mystery for sure, but the key part is that he have a chance to interact with kids who are in some senses peers and get academic material within the ballpark of his readiness level.

Peace,
Grinity

My thoughts are that the WPPSI may have been insultingly easy for him and he just would not engage, and the tester may have been unable to tell that is what was going on. I watched my DD do the WPPSI at 4yrs9mths and could tell she was doing well but was also really puzzled as I kept waiting for the interesting or hard bits... She was pretty disengaged and did much better on the SB5 administered by a tester that gets gifted kids - because she was happy to participate.

Coming back to add that I am not suggesting he does or does not have ADHD or Aspergers. We completely failed to miss ADHD and possible ASD in our DD until 9, so please do consider and investigate these too.