Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Mismatch between IQ and achievement scores

Thanks for the assistance with my DS12 WISC-IV scores!

We got his WJ-III scores back and they seem to me to be markedly lower than his IQ scores, so was hoping to get some feedback.

The WJ scores had Broad Reading 108, Broad Math 126, Broad Written Language 136, and Total Achievement 126. I have all the subtest scores but am not sure if that's helpful for giving feedback - the lowest scores he got were all in speed-related categories like Reading Fluency, Math Fluency, and Writing Fluency.

His WISC-IV scores, on the other hand, were VCI 162 (using the extended norms), PRI 129, WMI 120, PSI 91, with a FSIQ of 134 and GAI of 155 (using the extended norms).

Is the WJ III scores lower because of speed elements of that test? Or is the WJ III a better indication of where he is and the WISC IV score is the outlier?

Thanks for any thoughts!
Grif

I will do that, thanks so much for your help! The report we got was pretty detailed in terms of scoring, but with very little perspective. The IQ and achievement reports were done completely separately (although he was tested at the same place on the same day), so there isn't any analysis or advice about what they mean together.

Thanks again!
Grif

Just a random thought, but if he did both tests on the same day, any possibility tiredness has played a role on this?

Golly, I sure hope they let him take the Math Class!
My son also did very poorly on the 'match up numbers/letters to symbols' subtest, but the tester did use that score anyway. How Deflating! LOL.

Anyway. Today's word is 'bottleneck.'

Once you get over the hurdles to get him into the Math Class, the next order of business is to take a look at his life and see if the parts of him that cause low 'processing speed' on the test are getting in his way at home or at school. Around her we use the term 'bottlenecks.' They are sort of like learning disabilities that allow a child to perform well above grade level expectations, but limit the child compared to their own strengths.

Also, it can matter if a child is 'clumsy with a pencil' or 'distracted during speed activities' or 'tires easily' or 'so perfectionist that they miss the point and go for perfection even when the task shifts.' Or maybe this is one of those situations where you child is perfectly fine and only the test score is affected.

My son was 'pencil clumsy' and was having a real problem with writing assignments in early elementary. He learned to type at age 9, and now writing is one of his strongest strengths.

I'm wondering what your son 'looks like' at school - does he appear as gifted as his GAI would suggest? Is he happy? Social? Is he learning to work hard and learn how to learn? Has he done accelerations or enrichment?

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Thanks!

FWIW they did include the Coding subtest score (scaled score of 7, 16%ile) in the WISC IV calculation, and honestly that is probably an accurate characterization. He is not a perfectionist (his report cards can attest ) and definitely has the kind of pencil issues you describe. It's been a challenge as a parent to hear the great stories come out of his mouth and see the one sentence result on the paper! The tester did mention typing and that we should consider asking for a 504 plan for him.

I guess I don't know how gifted he appears! What would a kid with a GAI like that look like? He is intensely interested in his topics of choice (science, history, military, aviation) and very knowledgeable about those things - in many ways he stands out just because he has a lot of things he is deeply interested in. But he also stands out because many of the other kids in GATE are straight A students and he has never been able to pull the grades in line with the way he "seems".

He has not been and not wanted to be accelerated before now, but in terms of enrichment he's been at CTY the past 3 summers (and prior to that he went to a normal science camp, until after his 3rd grade summer when one of the counselors told him that if he's so smart maybe he should teach the class, and he hopped up to the table ready to do it).

Bottleneck is a great way to think about the writing issue. I really hope it works out for him the way it did for your son!

Thanks!
Grif