Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Test presentation to kids

I've read some great threads from those of you who have had your Dx7-9's enjoy the WISC b/c they were being challenged.

Not knowing what DS8 is up for, any advice on how to present this appointment to him - WISC-IV & Wood/John?

He does love puzzley things and mind games - so sounds like that could be an angle.

Love to hear how others presented, "hey you'll be going to this appointment..."

My DS was younger when he took his tests (4-5 yrs), and they were SB-V and WJ, rather than WISC/WJ. We told him he was going to take some tests to see how his brain worked so we could figure out the best type of schooling for him. We also told him that he needed to answer all the questions even if they seemed really easy, because that was the only way to get to the more interesting and fun questions. He thought the SB-V was really fun and wanted to do it again. The WJ he thought was fun, just not as much fun because part of it included writing, which he wasn't so keen on.

Here's a link to Aimee Yermish's useful advice on Hoagies: http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/test_prep.htm

This what we read before talking to our children. It was very helpful.

Don't forget to warn him that they will keep going on each section until he gets several wrong, and they'd do it for anyone who does the test (even for an adult), and it doesn't mean he's doing badly.

Oh my goodness, I think I just deleted my post, so I'll try again! Sorry if both show up!

When I do gifted evals, I suggest to the parent that they not use the word "test", just to explain that they are going to answer interesting questions, work with puzzles, etc. with a lady who likes to find out how children think, so that she can help parents and schools make the best decisions for their placements, and that most children find it fun.For those who do refer to it as a test, the child can be assured that it is not like school questions, that they will know the answers to some items, but can try to gear up their brain to make good guesses on others. Most like that challenge.I reiterate this in the session, which we start off by talking about the child's activities, friends, and events from an Intake form that parents have filled out prior to the appointment

this is very helpful, thanks.

The psych said he'd spend some time building rapport and I've said, only in passing, there is one more appointment that will help the schools figure out how he thinks & learns.

Closer to the appt. I think I'll reiterate those points along with the idea that it's puzzles and interesting questions.

Thanks again.

We told our DS7 this summer when he took those assessments that he was going to be asked a whole lot of questions and he just needed to answer the best he could, and that they would keep getting harder and getting something wrong wasn't bad, it wasn't like a grade in school. He does not have test anxiety however, so the word test intrigues him and makes him more motivated ( he sure didn't get that from me, even today I get test anxiety...). We just explained that the tester was going to learn more about how his brain worked, and how we could better serve him in his school plans in the future from the information in the assessment. I only explained it briefly when I asked him if he would like to undergo the assessment however, and didn't mention it after that until we were flying to go to it. Even right before I just told him to do his best, and be confident. Over explaining would only add to possible anxiety I would think.

Good luck! I hope his testing goes well!

My experience giving academic assessments (like the WIAT) is that students of all ability levels tend to enjoy it for two reasons. One on one attention is one of them. Another is that the tests are designed so that you will have a few questions that are too easy, and a few questions that are too hard, but that most of them should be just right.

The school psychologist in my district was much more experienced than I was, and could give the WISC-IV very quickly. One thing I used to tell my test-takers is that they were the only kid in the class, so they should open or close windows and doors or turn lights on and off until the room was exactly the way they liked it, before we got started.