Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment V score seems to be very low, should I be worried?

My son was going to a Montessori school, but this year he started going to a public school(a very good one). We found out the district has a very good gifted program, and we were thinking that he might be gifted, so we had him tested. My son could read when he was about 4 and I caught him(and video taped) writing the names of his thomas trains names by looking each letter written underneath of each train and writing them diligently on his write-erase board. He was able to do simple math. He loved numbers, was able to count over 100 and backward. He plays piano, in fact got many trophies in last 3 years. His teacher says he is the first student of his who has a perfect pitch. He loves math and pretty good at it. He calls himself a_the_problem solver ( he fixes his toys using different materials and says problem solved ...Well, but he doesnt like to explain ( or can not explain what he knows), as if he cant put the correct words together. I speak to him Turkish in %90 of the time while his dad speaks to him in English.

He is accepted to the gifted program, but just on the verge.....
After he was tested first time, they said the result is split and they needed to test him again. So about 2 weeks ago, he was tested again and also given an achievement test on the same day. Here are the results:


First test: WASI-II
V:104
NV/P: 133
FULL IQ: 120

Second test: SB-V
Score: 124

There is a kind of point system says:
Points Possible: 20
Points assigned: 11

There is a chart underneath for Points vs. IQ Score where The IQ score for the assigned point 11 is given as 132.

Achievement test: KTEA-II
Area : Math
Points possible: 10
Points assigned: 10
Percentile: 99


My question is the verbal score seems to be very low, should I be worried? Do you think that could be a sign of LD?

What is the actual IQ of my son according to those numbers? is it 120, 124 or 132?

Thanks
momofonlyone

I see no one has answered your two posts. I'm no expert but I see that you speak to him 90% in Turkish. I've seen other posts in the past that reference that the verbal portion can be depressed in bi-lingual kids esp. if tested in the language that isn't primary. Does he need help in school? I've seen many times people recommending to test/re-test delve into problems if program placement is needed or there is a problem. Sounds like you got into the program so I don't know if I'd worry esp. if it's not what you observe in day-to-day life or school work.

Also, The SB-V also has different scores for verbal and performance. It looks like they probably used his Non-verbal performance score in the points matrix but that is of course just a guess.

OK, when we're talking about standard scores, you have to realize that the term "very low" has a technical meaning, usually less than 70! Your son's Verbal score is average. That is a low score for him, but it is not "very low"!

The traditional way to look for a learning disability using these tests is to look for a discrepancy between IQ and a specific subtest score on an academic achievement test like the KTEA, where the subtest score is lower than the IQ. In the limited information you have provided, I do not see any evidence to suggest a learning disability. Most students are better at one academic area than they are others.

I know it's un-American to trust experts ; ) , but I rely on the school psychologists who give these assessments. Sometimes, where there is a significant difference between subtest scores in a cognitive assessment, the psychologist will say that one of the subtest scores is a better summary of cognitive potential than the IQ. If they do not put it in their report, I ask them when we meet. I say, "In your professional opinion, is the full-scale IQ the best measure of this child's cognitive potential?"