Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Eval results (lots of info)

Yes, the GAI can be figured by looking at WISC Technical Report #4, which is available online (just google it). Her GAI would be 139. My youngest had a similar pattern on the WISC with high VCI and PRI and lower/average WMI and PSI although her WMI wasn't as low as your dd's. It is funny how subjective interpretation of IQ patterns can be. The psych who tested my dd said that she didn't have any LDs or anything wrong. Another psych dxed her with ADD with the same data and input from dd and me.

aculady-

Wow, you don't waste any time do you?

Thanks!

I had dd12's eligibility meeting for gifted education as well as a 504 education plan. Both were approved.(!!!) She will start next year in all 3 gifted classes that are offered (science, geography, language arts). If the work load is too heavy, we can back off 1 or 2 of them. She had already signed up for honors algebra.

Her 504 individualized plan has the following accommodations:
*Seating considerations: preferential seating-near front;
*Repeat & simplify instruction: check for understanding of written directions;
*Testing accommodations: extended time (+100%), flexible setting, small group (as needed), allow her to retake assessments that she scores below 60%;
*Use of assistive technology: allow her to use computer for written assignments as needed;
*Organizational techniques: encourage dd to use her planner to keep track of tests, projects;
*Other: reduced assignments for mastery in math & spelling, allow extended time on assignments in class.

She still does not qualify for remediation because of her grades/state test scores. But with the testing we had done I now know more of what she is actually dealing with & can look for help on my own. Also, my mom is a retired teacher in TX who works part-time with kids who may be dyslexic (not yet identified) & she may have some resources for me. If anyone of you have any ideas for us, I am pretty wide open.

Anything that has a time component (reading, writing, academic fluency), you see much lower scores. While they are still in the "average" range, they are MUCH lower than overall cognition - especially compared to the GAI. This is sure to cause frustration, doubt, fatigue.

A 504 will help by providing accommodations. But, at age 12, I wonder if you would consider remediation, to see if you could actually help her increase fluency in the area of reading and math? I also notice relatively low working memory scores. She would probably benefit from help learning to study and approach school work to overcome these deficits. I am especially concerned about HS and college when the volume of information increases - she will be slower getting through it (fluency), and may not be able to access/recall it very well if she doesn't know how to get it to her long term memory.

I do want to remediate, but again, she does not qualify for services under the RTI model. Does anyone know of free services for children with dyslexia? I talked with my mom & she gave me some strategies to use with dd; I can use some of the techniques we teach at Sylvan as well. I am have signed her up to take keyboarding through FL Virtual School this summer. But I feel strongly that she needs guidance from someone who has expertise in this area.

I have another question for those who are knowledgeable in interpreting scores: What do you make of her very high score in math computation? The psychologist said that it could have been even higher; that he saw her make a few minor errors here & there. He also said that she was very persistent in working the problems. I have never noticed a natural ability for math in her before.

I am beginning to realize just how much effort she puts into her work & I so want to help her reach her full potential.

There are private Orton-Gillingham tutors-- I'd go for one of the methods that's had the best track record for remediation...

DeeDee

The Scottish Rite tutoring centers run by the Mason's offer free, quality, OG tutoring. http://www.childrensdyslexiacenters.org/

Waiting lists are often long.

Mich, do you have any suggestions for methods of teaching this? Specifically, how do you teach someone how to get info into their long-term memory so it can be accessed/recalled? Thanks!

I met someone who runs a private reading clinic for children with dyslexia & related language difficulties when I was at a conference for SES providers. It is relatively close (1.75 hours away). We talked about her work & she was kind enough to share several techniques to try with dd12. She also offered a phone consultation. This lady has worked with dyslexic people for over 15 years & really had some great insight from her experiences. She helped me to see why dd12 has never developed a passion for any one thing like my my other two kids. It's as if she is trying to get from point A to point B but is always being led off the road or having a roadblock put up in front of her. It must be completely confusing & frustrating. So we put the accommodations in place to get her around the roadblocks & work on remediation to get her back on the road. Then she should be able to see her way much more clearly & begin to develop those interests.

Nik -
Regarding strategies to overcome WM issues - I am not a teacher, just a mom that has hired tutors to work with my kids! This is what I observe:

WM issues often result in "careless" errors. For instance, my daughter has very good math comprehension skills, but often "gets the wrong" answer. Her tutor taught her how to organize and show her work so that she could avoid some of these issues and at the very least, leave a trail so that she could more easily check her answers.

Sometimes kids with WM issues find it difficult to take notes, remember details for tests - even though they have an EXCELLENT understanding of the big issues and how they interconnect. Tutors have taught my children how to "preread" text books (scan headings, picture captions, graphs, read end of chapter questions) PRIOR to reading the text. This helps to alert them to the important issues that they should pay attention to while reading. As they read through assigned text, they take two column notes. On the left is the info, date, vocabulary word, even etc on the right is the "so what" explanation, definition.

Previewing/Reviewing is important. By previewing a topic, it is easier to connect the important details to the big picture during the lecture, discussion, reading. Reviewing what they learned, gives the brain a second chance to store it away in a manner that it can be retrieved more easily later on.

My kids also consciously connect new ideas to what they know - for instance, when reading "To Kill a Mockingbird", my daughter connected what she read to "A Time to Kill" - a book with similar themes. In French, she tries to remember roots to help her learn the vocabulary. And Mnemonic's and acronyms are helpful to (although not so much for my dyslexic son - he has a harder time with the mnemonic than the content!).

Here's a good article:
http://www.ldonline.org/article/5736/

Ginger - it sounds like the person you spoke with really "gets it"! I hope that the accommodations make a difference for your daughter. Extra time made a HUGE difference for mine.