Jool, I agree completely, especially about overconfidence in IQ tests and using the test for diagnosing things beyond the scope of the test. Absolutely right! Yes!
Dazey, I think it depends upon what you mean by "adverse effect" there. A relatively big difference between FS vs. GAI *DOES* have an effect on performance. I say that anecdotally from watching my son, not from any study that I'm reading. But I do think it's just common sense. If you can't think through things as fast or you can't remember things as well, but you have more in your brain to think through and remember, it IS going to affect how you can do things. It has to, doesn't it?
But does that issue have an effect on performance that acts as an actual LD that puts a kid BEHIND in class? And not merely "not as far ahead as he could be if his speed and memory were as strong as his comprehension." (Which always seems to me to be floating into a useless "what if" land. As in the "impaired" vs. "relative weakness" that Jool described above.)
I guess I have trouble seeing "average" as necessarily bad.
Now, if it interferes with learning, obviously that's different. I see that potential for that problem with my son, and we do have to use some work arounds--less focus on mental math and more writing things down, more time to think through his work, etc. But these are not major adaptations for us as homeschoolers.
In a formal school setting, however, with a teacher who didn't get him, they *could* be major--and ungettable!
So "how low is low" is a good question, I think. It's certainly one to consider as we make decisions for our own kids, even if we're not overthrowing the IQ testing system!
