Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy portfolio q, probably way over thinking this....

I am choosing what to include in DS 7 portfolio for DYS. I have two analogy sheets: one done a year ago which is probably 3 years advanced, with written word answers. The other was just done, it is 5 years advanced, but with circled multiple choice answers. What do you think?

Are you using the portfolio because you lack IQ scores or because you lack achievement scores? The type of items you are considering, at least in my estimation, would be a better stand in for missing IQ scores than missing achievement scores because analogies are more similar to ability or aptitude tests than they are 'what you've been taught and learned.'

[quote=Cricket2]Are you using the portfolio because you lack IQ scores or because you lack achievement scores? The type of items you are considering, at least in my estimation, would be a better stand in for missing IQ scores than missing achievement scores because analogies are more similar to ability or aptitude tests than they are 'what you've been taught and learned.' [/quote

He doesn't have achievement scores. I was thinking the opposite of you. I was thinking that since analogies relies a lot on vocab, and is found on the SAT, I thought they would be great to display achievement.

I guess that the reason I am thinking the way I am is that analogies used to play a prominent part on the SAT back when it was a reasonable proxy for ability. While it does still have a big focus on vocab on the critical reading portion, analogies really aren't so much a part of it anymore. Vocab can be picked up through reading a lot and other exposure and, once the big analogy section was removed, the test was no longer considered to be so much an aptitude tests as an achievement test. For instance, Mensa no longer takes it as an IQ proxy and the acronym SAT no longer stands for "scholastic aptitude test."

I didn't know that SAT doesn't stand for that anymore!

Anyway, does anyone have any input as to which worksheet I should use? I wanted to try to include one verbally oriented sheet since the others are not. Any suggestions would be really helpful!

FWIW, I'd go with whichever one you think shows his strength more.

I sent a portfolio for DS6 in May, as he was missing achievement scores and he was admitted. I debated which reading video to send -- one from his 5th birthday where he was fluently reading a 2nd-3rd grade book or a more recent clip which showed him reading more complex words fluently.

I ended up sending a link to a short video w/clips (~ 2min) of (1) him reading right at 5 and (2)a recent clip of him where I had him read a few paragraphs from a middle school history book he hadn't seen before, asked him 2 or 3 questions about the text and had him do a bit of mental math. Good luck!