Originally Posted by Displaced
aeh -- Thank you so much for your insight. I'll list the whole kit and caboodle in case it may be helpful for interpretation or for us. I'm not sure what should be listed. Sorry it's so long! Because of the achievements being low vs his Verbal IQ, is it possible/likely the verbal IQ was inaccurately elevated?
Doubtful, at least not enough to make the achievement discrepancies insignificant. It's more likely that something is interfering with his acquisition of academic skills--aka a learning disability of some kind.
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RIAS:
Verbal IX 143
subtest guess what 77
subtest VR 71
Nonverbal IX 118
subtest odd item out 51
I assume OIO is where he reached a premature ceiling?
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subtest what's missing 68
Composite index 135
90% confidence interval 129-138
Composite memory index 115
verbal memory 44
nonverbal memory 72
This verbal memory score concerns me, falling as it does at the lower end of the Average range, especially with those high VIX scores. I'm always on the alert for memory and processing speed issues in dyslexia/dysgraphia situations.
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WJ-III COG cluster
cognitive efficiency 113
subtest visual matching 94
subtest numbers reversed 115
Long term retrieval 112
subtest visual-auditory learning 118
subtest retrieval fluency 97
Short term memory 114
subtest numbers reversed 115
subtest memory for words 107
Visual spatial processing 108
subtest spatial relations 107
subtest picture recognition 105
Processing speed 106
subtest visual matching 94
subtest decision speed 122
Again, auditory-verbal memory scores have relative vulnerabilities in them (memory for words (short-term), retrieval fluency (long-term)). Also, now we see processing speed relative concerns, especially with symbols (visual matching). Interestingly, decision speed, which uses pictures of common objects, is a strength.

The nonverbal/visual area is a bit of a mixed bag over the two tests (RIAS and WJ), with a good score in attention to visual detail of concrete images, and average-to-unclear results in spatial and reasoning areas.
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WJ-III ACH cluster
Oral language 126
subtest story recall 118
subtest understanding direction 123
Oral language achievement approaches the level found on the RIAS VIX, which suggests that the verbal cognitive ability is grossly accurate.
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broad reading 100
subtest letter word ID 111
subtest reading fluency too hard
subtest passage comprehension 90
Reading achievement is far below levels predicted either by the RIAS VIX or by the WJ OL achievement. Notably, the speeded, fine-motor involved aspect of reading was untestable, and reading comprehension was even further below expectations than word calling. (Keep in mind that a typical five year old is not expected to have much reading comprehension at all, so a low average result in this area in a child with this level of verbal cognition is quite striking.) Also, at this level, almost all of the words read are sight/high-frequency words, or simple cvc words, so minimal draw on sophisticated phonological awareness or phonics skills is needed.
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broad written language 113
subtest spelling 109
subtest writing fluency too hard
subtest writing samples 119
broad math 118
subtest calculation 118
subtest math fluency 107
subtest applied problems 111
academic skills 115
subtest letter word ID 111
subtest spelling 109
subtest calculation 118
academic applications 108
subtest passage comprehension 90
subtest applied problems 111
subtest writing samples 119
Same thing happens in the remainder of academic achievement. Untimed skills are slightly low-to-approaching appropriate for this cognitive ability, and timed, fine-motor-involved tasks are untestable.
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CTOPP-2
rapid digit naming 11
rapid letter naming 11

PAT-2
Rhyming 106
subtest discrimination 91
subtest production 114
Rhyming appears age-appropriate overall, but there is a 23 point difference between ability to produce rhymes and ability to hear rhymes.
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segmentation 101
subtest sentences 94
subtest syllables 99
subtest phonemes 110
isolation 116
subtest initial 110
subtest final 114
subtest medial 117
deletion 119
subtest compounds and syllables 122
subtest phonemes 114
substitution 109
subtest with manipulatives 109
blending 116
subtest syllables 112
subtest phonemes 106
phonological awareness total 114
Lots of graphemes and decoding listed, either 0 for ones he didn't know yet, or range from 112-125
Overall, did adequately on this level of phonological awareness, but still well below verbal ability in several areas, especially rhyming, segmenting, and substitution.
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Beery VMI 89
visual perception 100
Fine-motor definitely looks like a relative weakness, in the bottom of the average range, well below verbal cognition, and even aspects of nonverbal/perceptual cognition.

I would be investigating reading and writing disabilities (dyslexic/dysgraphic), with the related cognitive processing areas mainly visual-spatial reasoning, language processing/memory, processing speed, and fine-motor/visual-motor integration. I would consider speech and language eval (especially for language memory, retrieval fluency, and auditory discrimination), and definitely include OT.

While the process is winding its way, do lots of read-aloud, with him narrating back to you, to maintain intellectual stimulation and access to higher-level vocabulary, as well as to exercise auditory working memory. And scribe any written response longer than a word or two.


...pronounced like the long vowel and first letter of the alphabet...