Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment SB5 & WIAT-III Results:

We recently received our DS9's SB5 WIAT-III scores. For the most part we didn't see any surprises except for his WIAT-III Numeric Operation's score.

Sometimes I think we just don't want to see what is right in front of us.

We are wondering is the N.O. score requires we revisit our GIEP or start to think more about a longer term plan. DS just finished 3rd grade and is subject accelerated in math by two years. What does the Num. Op. number imply? Is his current plan going to be enough? Any feedback or thoughts on the scores is welcome.

SB5: FSIQ: 138, NonVerb: 134, Verb: 140

WIAT-III:
Read Comp: 142
Math Prob.: 141
Word Reading: 127
Numerical Op: 160

Thanks in advance.

Overall, his achievement scores look fairly consistent with his SBV cognitive scores, with the obvious possible exception of Numerical Operations. I will note, though, that it is possible for a mere two additional items correct to take a nine-year-old from 144 to 160, and that it is also possible to score 160 without knowing anything beyond arithmetic operations on fractions, which I would imagine he has learned, if he has completed grade 5 math. So the significance of his 160 depends on whether he obtained it with the minimum necessary raw score for a SS 160, or something above that.

Between 5-10% of the standardization population had the difference between MPS and NO that he had, which would be moderately rare. Also, BTW, his Mathematics Composite is 153.

Do you have any other information from his classroom teachers or himself that suggests that his math acceleration is insufficient?

He is very mathy and his spring NWEA (for Math) was 261.

We've just begun to explore AoPS. .. very impressive. Would his numbers indicate he may benefit or be able to handle AoPS pre-alg.?

Thanks again...

Well, if this had been the MAP 6+ plus goals level, then yes, that would likely suggest readiness for at least pre-algebra. If the test was the grade 2-5 level, or a survey form, then it probably would not have included enough depth of material to assess pre-algebra readiness one way or the other.

Depending on his temperament (response to failure, if it turns out to be inappropriate in instructional level), it might not hurt to try it and see.

igbu, AoPS has an "Are You Ready?" as well as a "Do You Need This" section on its website for the classes: http://data.artofproblemsolving.com/course-docs/diagnostics/prealgebra1-pretest.pdf). This might give you/your DS a better idea of whether the class sounds like a good fit. Best of luck!

igbu, the AoPS pre-algebra book is pretty comprehensive, so your DS could work with it without worrying too much about missing any pre-requisite knowledge. It's a great book to work through at your own pace, and allow your DS to wallow in the depth and the extensive challenge problems available.

If you are thinking of an on-line class, though, they move pretty fast and might not suitable for a child being exposed to a lot of the concepts for the first time. He might get the basic operations but miss the chance to really work at how to use them to solve the more complex problems (which is really the whole point of AoPS).

Thanks everyone.