Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Testing a 5yo with 7 of the WJ III subtests

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These subtests seem to be a mixture of the WJ Cognitive (IQ) and Achievement subtests. I can see a certain logic to the subtest selections as a preliminary screen for learning difficulties. This small and mixed battery will not give you enough information for a gifted program, as they will not yield an IQ score or even a battery score for any of the WJ achievement batteries. Processing, memory and attention tests are the most sensitive for LDs but not the best picture of a child's actual cognitive ability.

I had great luck with a referral to a tester at a local university, a Ph.D. with gifted kid experience, who administered the full WISC and WIAT and gave me a full written report for $300. Check with your closest university and you might find someone suitable.

The Hoagies website has some testers listed and my tester actually appears on this list (she is in TX)

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/psychologists.htm

Also you could look through the Regional Forum on this board for tester recommendations. Good luck!

Hmm.. I don't see what I posted earlier today...

Anyway thank you for that reply, looks like the GDC is the only suggestion in my state.


Wondering, what are the names of the 7 subtests that can be used to get a General Intellectual Ability score?

"The General Ability Sum of Scaled Scores is the sum of scaled scores for three Verbal Comprehension subtests (i.e., Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Similarities) and three Perceptual Reasoning subtests (i.e., Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, and Picture Concepts)."

When you add these subtest scores you plug them into the chart provided in the WISC Technical Report #4

http://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/Special%20Education%20Services/gifted/WISCIVTechReport4.pdf

and that's the GAI calculation.

I have read some raves about the GDC on these boards but I can only imagine how expensive it is. Do you know anyone in your area in education, especially GT education? They may know a good tester. I got the name of my tester from a GT educator at church.

Oh okay, thanks.... anyone know about calculating the WJ-III GIA? The link above shows how to do the GAI for the WISC.

I found this which says you find the WJ-III GIA "by administering the first 7 tests" but I can't figure out if it's weighted or what.


I do actually have quite a few teacher friends, I asked my closest one and she said the district doesn't do IQ testing for gifted, only special ed. (And I confirmed that by calling the district person in charge of gifted ed.)

GDC quoted $1000-2600 for a full battery of tests. I guess if DD does well today I'll ask GDC again for the price just to get one test done.