Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Brainstorming DYS Portfolio Items

I was disappointed to learn that my son was not given enough subtests to show his qualification for DYS based on achievement testing we have done. I am still considering further testing but have started to think of portfolio items.

I have a page where he sat down and started writing multiplication of 9s up to 9 x 17 in K. He likes to play with algebra now so I may write a few problems up for him to solve.

I also have an "end of 2nd" language arts test that school gave him in K where he outscored their average 2nd grader at 89% correct.

Science is his favorite and he loves studying cells. He has an animal cell model that he likes to explain the parts and function. I might video tape that if I can figure out how to put in the proper format to upload.

Still thinking of what best shows his out of level work at the PG level. It is always hard to conceptualize what age mates do and how out of level things are.

I think his reading abilities and comprehension are truly his strongest skill but that seems harder to demonstrate in portfolio.

All of our work in homeschool since we started a month ago has been at the 3rd grade or above level but little is written with his Dysgraphia and vision challenges.

You could video him reading from an above-level book and then asking him questions to demonstrate his comprehension. Filming him talking about his cell sounds like a great idea.

I think that DYS looks for an achievement level >=2years ahead of 'age-grade level'. I have read of people videoing their kids doing maths type type stuff ahead because that is easiest to quantify but I like KADmom's suggestion too.

I am also pulling together a portfolio for my DS6 since we don't have achievement scores. Does each work sample need to show a different area listed (math, reading, writing, science, social studies), or can they be from the same area but different topics? For instance, in math showing addition and geometry.

Also, my DS has difficulty writing (may have dysgraphia) so writing samples will be difficult. Is it a good option to walk him through a worksheet and just have him give answers on video rather than writing?

Any other tips for making the strongest portfolio I can?

Most children aren't globally gifted. I think the idea is to have enough solid evidence in an area(s) where your child particularly shines to make it clear that a child fits in the very specific demographic that DYS serves.

Mine is also dysgraphic. Output volume and quality are affected. I'm trying to think about how I know he is working on that level and find examples of that which can be shared.

You MUST have a qualifying test score for DYS regardless of the portfolio. DYS accepted ds's portfolio. I had provided plenty of samples across different subjects which DYS acknowledged was pg material. But I did not have a qualifying test score.

DS re-took the WJ-III Academic Achievement after I applied to DYS and submitted the portfolio for DYS, but ds 7.5-yr-old fooled around and was using his fingers to add. Same child who was doing algebra with a college textbook today effortlessly and whizzing through it.

DS is 2e and is more globally gifted, yet he doesn't have those darn test scores yet and my hands seem to be somewhat tied without them.

Cdfox that must be so frustrating! I'm fearful of ending up in a similar predicament. I didn't mention it in my post but my DS does have qualifying WISC scores(and qualifying subtests on WIAT and WJ... but not enough subtests were given for DYS). Perhaps I shouldn't have assumed that was understood. I'm debating whether to test further (my concerns are whether to put the extra $$ on this and whether he will even be able to show his achievement level through further testing right now.) So here I am considering if it would be easier to show ability in a portfolio.

We did IQ and portfolio. I just sent in 4 worksheets. His strength is in science and math. He had just finished 1st grade when I applied. I sent in a K math sheet from when he was 3, a 5th grade math sheet from 1st grade, a 6th grade science sheet from 1st grade and a middle school vocab analogies that I wrote for him for the application. He was accepted.

Somewhereonearth - where did you get the science sheets? Were they from online or a book you bought in the store? DS is also very strong in science, and I think he would do well with those.

DS6 was accepted with IQ and portfolio, as the school hadn't yet done achievement. Reading and math are strengths, so we sent (1) a video of him reading a book on his 4th bday, which he'd just unwrapped and was seeing for the first time; (2) a clip of him reading a new book at 6 (a 7th grade history text) and with me asking him to infer the meaning of a few new words he hadn't seen before, answer a content question or two and then do a little mental math at the end, adding mixed fractions; (3) & (4) math worksheets I'd created to highlight his range. Good luck!