First, I have to say that I don't actually belong here because my son is not gifted. However, I have been scouring the web and keep coming across posts from this site because it seems like many of you have a wealth of information about what test score patterns might indicate. I will gladly depart if I am unwelcome, of course, but I'm really hoping you might share that wisdom with me.
My son is 6 and just finished Kindergarten. We had an evaluation done for him by an independent neuropsychologist this spring. Our goal was to better understand his strengths and weaknesses and preferred learning style so that we could help him enjoy school. He had always been an enthusiastic learner - so curious and energetic about everything! However, while he did fine in school, he reported being miserable every single day. He complained even to the last day of school about going. We thought there was something maybe behind it other than the usual little boy whining about having to do structured activities while sitting 7 hours a day.
Like I said, he had a comprehensive assessment done, but I still feel unclear about the results. We had the conference before getting the report, and now that I have had a chance to consider the results, I feel somewhat confused again. We did find out he has ADD (inattentive type), which explains some of it and wasn't hugely surprising to us. I am not going to say a lot else yet because I'm curious to hear what your initial reactions are to his test scores.
WISC-V
Verbal Comprehension: 133/99th
-similarities (15)
-vocabulary (16)
Visual Spatial: 117 (87th)
-block design (12)
-visual puzzles (14)
Fluid Reasoning: 103 (58th)
-matrix reasoning (11)
-figure weights (10)
Working Memory: 112 (79th)
-digit span (11)
-picture span (13)
Processing Speed: 83 (13th)
-coding (11)
-symbol search (3)
I just don't feel like I have sufficient explanation for why there is such a huge difference between his verbal comprehension and his processing speed - that's 50 points! Even between verbal comprehension and fluid reasoning there is a 30 point difference. Isn't that a big difference on a test that is supposed to measure a global construct?
Scores on a auditory/verbal learning and memory task:
Stories
-immediate memory 120/91st
-delayed memory 120/91st
-delayed recognition 120/91st
Word lists
-learning 120/91st
-delayed memory 135/99th
-delayed recognition >125/>95th
He also did the Woodcock Johnson Tests. Math is a weakness for him. Reading is a strength. Writing is a relative weakness because of his handwriting.
Math
-Math calculation 106/66th (1.7)
-Math fluency 77/6th (<K) (she told me that what happened here is that on one of the first items, Graham realized he made a mistake and added vs subtracted and laboriously took the time to erase and re-write his answer and so lost a lot of time)
-Applied problems 104/59th (1.6)
-Mathematics 106/66th
Reading
-letter/word identification 124/94th (3.2)
-word attack 117/87th (2.8)
-basic reading skills 121/92nd (3.1)
-sentence reading fluency 121/92nd (3.2)
-oral reading 123/93rd (3.5)
-reading fluency 124/95th (3.3)
-passage comprehension 119/89th (2.5)
-reading 124/95th (2.9)
-broad reading 126/96th (3.0)
Written language (he struggles with his handwriting - terrible grip, letter formation, flipping letters even in his own name)
-spelling 105/64th (1.7)
-sentence writing fluency 101/53rd (1.4)
-writing samples 116/86th (2.6)
-written language 113/80th (2.0)
-written expression 111/77th (1.9)
-broad written language 110/74th (1.8)
He is a wonderful kid. He is creative, funny, quirky, independent, and affectionate. I worry that the things that are unusual about him, which may make him an awesome human, aren't going to help him succeed in or enjoy school. While I believe in the benefit of adversity, I don't want him becoming demoralized across time. I just want to better understand him so I can help him better.
I apologize for the tome, and appreciate any and all perspectives on what I've shared!
