Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Question about 504 plans

Actually, I am thrilled they do the Processing Speed Index and, for obvious reasons, I am thrilled the index is most often not used against a child in terms of gifted id. The processing speed index was a strong tool that I used to advocate for accommodations and proving my son is gifted as well as learning disabled and BOTH need to be addressed. I love the WISC for that very reason.

One of the primary uses of "IQ" tests is to measure deficiencies, not areas of excellence. I would venture a guess that they are used far, far more often (probably by an order of magnitude) to evaluate the mentally disabled, the neurologically impaired or people with brain injuries than they are to determine 'giftedness'. They are imprecise tools that weren't really created simply to evaluate intelligence to being with. One of the first uses of IQ testing was to determine the mentally impaired vs the mentally ill. They are great at helping people determine many things about individuals, and populations at large.. the least of these being a 'full score iq'.

I see IQ tests as measuring a spectrum of separate abilities. The information contained in that type of testing has been extremely helpful in understanding my children's learning strengths and challenges. My 2e kiddos both have an area they score extremely low in relative to their other scores, but I don't see it as having their overall intelligence impaired... I see it more as a specific challenge. I don't particularly enjoy it when my ds' teachers like to say "we all have something" but really... we all do have *something* that is a challenge. Some challenges are larger than others... what the IQ test does is quantify the specifics of it. A bit like measuring eyesight in each eye. I don't go around thinking of my vision as impaired, but I do wear contacts to get it back to 20/20. And yep, that's a simplification and it didn't feel all that simple when my kids were in early elementary - learning challenges take work... but the thing is as my ds in particular has gone through middle school and he's getting older, he's grown into being very comfortable with who he is. Yes, he has a challenge but at the same time, he's come through those early years where we have to focus so much on that challenge to being at a place where he knows how to cope with the challenge, he continues to work hard at getting more proficient in the skills he's weak at, and now his strengths have the chance to take front and center stage and be recognized.. and it really does get more to the point of being similar to putting on your contacts in the morning.

Also re why is processing speed even included in the WISC (or other ability tests) - one of my kids has an exceptionally high processing speed and working memory. It really does make a difference in her ability to learn! Not in the same way that an exceptionally out-of-the-box thinking ability makes a difference, but in her ability to take in knowledge quickly, sort through data quickly, express her thoughts clearly, get work done so she can move on to other work.

polarbear

good points everyone. I guess my concern is how to use the information. Take the magnet school for highly gifted, for example. GAI 133 (for DS) whereas full scale IQ was more like 126. The 133 score probably shows his ability to understand the material, but the 126 probably shows his ability to actually perform the work. In a few years, assuming his scores stay the same, he could get into the program based on 133 but does he really belong there? Or are the deficits going to cause a child to struggle so much that it's detrimental to them? Also, his strength is in non-verbal, not verbal and there is a discrepancy there as well.
I was just talking to another mom about this this morning. Her 4th grader is in the gifted magnet school and we were talking about DD and her ADHD and speed issues. I'm pretty sure DD is bright enough to do the work. But maybe not in a timely fashion. So is that the best place for her if the majority of the kids don't have discrepancies or weaknesses like that? If not, than what IS the best place for her? The normal classroom where she would do grade level work for the most part?

Love reading all these points as well. I think I've been so hyperfocused on my DS having the IQ testing done to show his giftedness that I failed to look at all of its uses. It definitely showcased some extreme weaknesses, along with only one strength.

I think I have a lot to learn.

Yeah, one of the best IEP meeting moments I had happened at the last iep with my DS's WISC scores. We were adding gifted services and also just reviewing accommodations and discussing with his new teachers how and why DS really needs his accommodations and the principal (whom I have had one hell of a battle with last year) said "see how some of these subtests in the verbal section are so high and yet look at these tests in the processing index some of them are in the single digits" I am paraphrasing but in was in the context of 'look here is a really smart bright kid but look at how incredibly difficult it is for him to show us via traditional methods (like handwriting)' It felt like he really got it - got the full picture, i.e., he is gifted AND learning disabled - it is possible.

blackcat, I think the answer to your questions is going to depend on the interaction of quite a few variables: your child's personality, the nature of your child's challenge, the actual program, and the attitude of the teachers and program staff. A key to your child's success, no matter what program - is going to be accommodations (and remediation where it is needed). Once you have a good set of accommodations in place, and your child knows how to use them, in theory I would expect they should be able to be placed in a highly gifted program. I can't speak for all kids but I can speak for my own 2e ds, and he's happiest (and has done his best work) when he's appropriately challenged *intellectually*. He does spend more time on homework than neurotypical peers - not because he doesn't understand the concepts but because it just takes longer to slog through all the output of what he does know and understand. He is a-ok with that, however... and he's become very adamant that he does not want to be stuck in classes that are slow-paced. I've also seen over the years that the times that he was able to break through and do his best work in the areas he's most challenged with were... when he had apprpriately intellectually challenging assignments. Just assuming he needed to start at square one and work through very remedial work really didn't work well for him.

polarbear

Ok, thanks. Since she was grade accelerated she has the benefit of being the youngest in her grade so that helps in terms of leveling things out. I just worry that the combination of 2e issues and the grade acceleration that already occurred may prove to be too challenging. She'll be with highly gifted kids that are older, plus most will not have other challenges. I guess the next step should just be getting a WISC and see exactly what we're dealing with. If she's kind of borderline I'm not sure what would be best. Not her current school but we can try to get her in somewhere else.