Hi,
This is my first post here, I'm hoping I can get some insight as I don't know what else to do at this point. I have an eight-year-old son who needs to be in the gifted program. His teachers have recommended him for the program each year of school so far, but the problem is that he doesn't talk to adults, and because of that he can't take the verbal IQ test that is required for his entry into the program.
I don't like to use the word "shy" because it goes beyond that. He doesn't talk to any adults other than close family and never has. He has no problem talking to other kids, which makes his teachers think he's just being stubborn. He's not just being stubborn. He very much wants to be able to talk, but he can't. He's been in tears over not being able to make himself do things like give oral book reports and participate in the spelling bee.
His standardized test scores are ridiculously high, he is reading high-school-level books, there isn't any doubt that the program would benefit him. As a volunteer in his classroom I see him finishing his work way before the other students and then sitting there fidgeting and squirming in his seat for half an hour while the other students finish.
The school decided to send him to meet with the gifted teacher once a week although he hasn't been tested for the program. So he can get used to her, and so they can "gather data." I was called in for a meeting last week where the gifted teacher said that he isn't responding or participating so she doesn't think he should be in the program. I thought they understood that he's not going to be volunteering to speak or maybe even not answering questions. I don't know how else to get them to understand that he's not just making a choice to be difficult, he really can not make himself speak.
I have a degree in education and I know that there is a big emphasis put on making accommodations for every student, yet there are no accommodations being made for my kid.
What I'm hoping to learn here is if anyone knows of any non-verbal assessments that can be used to test for the gifted program. I know the criteria is different for each district, but maybe a non-verbal IQ test exists out there that I can talk them into using.
Thanks!
