Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Comprehensive Eval--received proposal

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link- http://www.interventioncentral.org/curriculum-based-measurement-reading-math-assesment-tests

Pearson clinical assessment SSIS link - http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/en-us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=PAa3400

blackcat, I don't have much time to reply so this will be in a hurry - I hope it makes sense!

I would ask for the full suite of WJ-III Achievement tests. I would also ask what they hope to gain from looking at only the WJ-III writing test - I'm guessing that they are using it to assess for challenges with written expression associated with dysgraphia (perhaps?). If so - what we have found is that the limitations of *handwriting* specifically are much more obvious when you have the full WJ-III suite of tests - what we see with our dysgraphic ds is a very telling set of trends when you plot the test scores together. The subtests that are not timed and do not require a written response line up with what we would expect based on his IQ, subtests that require a handwritten response but aren't timed are all grouped together with significantly lower scores which have nothing to do with his knowledge but show the impact of using handwriting to communicate, and the subtest which require handwriting and are also timed - *very* low scores. I think I first saw this method of charting results by response type in one of Linda Silverman's books (not sure) - it's just a really easy *visual* representation that has worked well for us in advocating for handwriting accommodations for ds.

If they have any concerns at all about written expression, request the TOWL (Test of Written Language). It's a very common assessment so I would imagine they have it available.

Re whether or not to ask for reading and math achievement testing - you can get a piece of that through the WJ-III if you can convince them to administer the full suite of tests. OTOH, it's been our experience (in our small part of the universe) that SPED evals and gifted/acceleration evals are kept quite separate in our school district, and advocating for gifted services and acceleration was easier for us when separated from advocating for ds' SPED IEP. All districts are different though, so I have no idea what I'd do if I were at your school!

Best wishes,

polarbear

ps - what you have listed looks like a really good list!

Hmmm. I would want a WJ-III reading and math in order to push differentiation or do you have those from the neuropsych eval?

Also when they evaluated my guy, they did a Bender-Gesalt, which assess visual motor functioning and was very telling for us. The OT did several tests in addition and I can list them for you if you want? They did the NEPSY too, which was useful I think for figuring our how DS learns and teasing out how his working memory operates.

I am not sure what a "Curriculum Based Measurement for writing fluency" is or what "Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS)" is...

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Also just curious--DS just started first grade, so what are they really expecting in terms of "written expression"? Some kids can barely spell. I'm worried that since DS IS so good at spelling he will score very high on anything having to do with written expression since many kids his age are just learning the basics right now. But that has more to do with his mental ability than physical ability.

Unfortunately, for the most part teachers do not tend to have solid plans for differentiation. Some have explained that a grade-level teacher is typically very familiar with their own grade-level materials but not those of other grades. Support team meetings involving teachers from several grades may run into speed bumps. When parents can suggest something which they see as suitable for their child and which has been implemented elsewhere, this may help avoid reinventing the wheel.

Many parents have shared that differentiation has been done without goals and measurement, was socially isolating, and was largely self-taught. Some have asked for participation in a cluster group with other kids of similar readiness and ability, or joining the appropriate grade-level classroom for math class. Do you envision something like this for your son? Do you envision an aide or tutor due to 2e issues? Do you envision independent work on a computer-based system?

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