Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy New here and totally confused after testing

Thanks for your feedback and for your expertise/experience.

Yes, she does know how to type. She has typed up her own notes at home for projects she has done at school (science fair, "challenge" presentations, etc.).

For fun she likes to be creative. For the past two hours she has been leading her younger brother (age 4 1/2) in an elaborate "tour of Narnia" throughout the house. (We have been reading CS Lewis and saw Prince Caspian on Saturday. So that is a yes on the hyperfocus question!)

She also loves science/technology and was riveted by the Phoenix landing last night. Getting her head around the concept of a moving Earth and a moving Mars and a moving spacecraft over the last 10 months (the launch was on the day after her 6th birthday) kept her thinking and talking and pondering for a good hour or so.

I guess I'm trying to figure out in practical terms what the various subtests mean. How does a 19 comprehension score affect a child in school? Advanced reasoning skills such that grade level material is not stimulating? Advanced reading skills? DS's psych said "You may not say much, but you certainly have a lot of words in your head." HOw does that affect his every day life in school. I told a teacher friend a couple of conversations I've had with DS about books we were reading together. Her comment to me was "WOW if he can reason like that, no wonder he's bored. He won't get that in school for a long time." Is that what VCI is measuring?

Our psychologist explained to us that the comprehension subtest was "designed to assess verbal reasoning and conceptualization, the ability to evaluate and utilize past experiences, verbal comprehension and expression, and the ability to demonstrate practical information. Also involves knowledge of conventional standards of behavior, social judgment and maturity, and common sense." (I'm quoting from the written report she gave us.) So as for practicality in a school setting, I'm guessing that a child with a 19 knows what the rules are.

I wrote a little story for HoagiesPage -
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/analogies.htm

It's the third one down 'Spread his wings'

When I wrote it, i didn't have a specific for 'what the wings are' - but since then I think that it's the precosious ability to do the stuff on the comprehension test - to reason, to remember and make connections to what you know, and I think that abstract thought, which elementary aged kids aren't supposed to have, according to the training teachers get, has a lot to do with it.

BTW - my son is often judged as socially immature by school observers. He is also judged to be misreading social cues. Sometime he jumped to a wrong conclusion, sometimes he is reading feeling that adults won't admit to themselves. Ditto with 'knowing what the rules are.' My son know what the written rules are and what the unwritten rules are, and can be reluctant to go with my interpretation as he thinks he knows better. So knowing too much might cause behavior problems, particularly when one only has a kid-sized amount of self-control. He can and will rationalize all kinds of stuff, and it all sounds good.

I think that given the Intensity that comes with his Giftedness, he is doing an above average job of 'self-mastery' but compared to other ND children his age ( not to mention his grade,) he appears impuslive and stubborn. He can be challenging- no question, but I don't really think it's ADHD (for now anyway.)

Some times my son and I talk about it, and we say:
For all we know it is ADHD, but ADHD in a kid with this kind of LOG is so different that calling it ADHD might confuse people.

Using the lable to get accomidations may be a comopromise worth making.

Waving Warmly across the CyberAir,
Grinity

Good point!

I loved reading the analogies page, thanks for posting it!

So VCI (not just comprehension) is indicating abstract reasoning? I recall when DS had a speech assessment done at 3.5yrs old. The psych wrote that he already possessed abstract reasoning.

What an amazing description of my daughter as well! ;-)

I'm thinking that the ADHD-combination type diagnosis might be a way to go with the school just to get her accommodations. I have a litany of things that I want to ask the "school professionals" and see what they think about what they may be able to offer. Separately, DH and I will be meeting with our pediatrician next week. I'll run by some of my "the school could do this" ideas by her as well.

Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Karen

Ut-Oh! I think I'm in way over my head! I have no idea what the various subtests 'mean' beyond the 'one-line' discriptions. I meant to say that MY kid has amazing abstract reasoning, and that it was really a problem in elementary school, and he had a similar profile, although his working memory is in the plus 1 standard deviation zone, which sure does help.

Glad you liked the analogies - that's much more my line!

Smiles,
Grinity