Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Which test to use?

We are considering having our son tested to apply for DYS and are wondering which test to use...? I understand which tests they accept but after googling I really don't know what makes a test better than another or if one test will give you information that another doesn't.

Are the extended norms out for the wisc v? Should we wait for them? My googling makes it seem like they aren't out. Is there a benefit to having extended norms?

I think he is probably PG. He is 5 and happily does 4th grade math and reads at around a 5th grade level. (He was fully running and jumping down stairs at 7 months old, so he has always been a bit different.) Is generally a very happy kid, but definitely has OEs. He would be entering kindergarten this year but we'll be homeschooling as school isn't a good fit. His handwriting looks like a 4 or 5 year olds and he dislikes handwriting.

Purpose for testing: DYS. My son is really social. He seems to have a lot of friends, but has told me he is lonely playing with his friends. He is the leader amongst the group of kids and they love him, but I think he is longing for kids who think the way he does.

Would also like scores for access to programs like Delta and Epsilon camp for math fun.

I was thinking extended norms might help learn something valuable to homeschooling. I really don't know what to use. I have googled a lot but am having trouble distinguishing why one test would be better than another.

Usually the tester you use has a preferred test. I would try to find a good tester rather than choosing a test and seeing who will administer it.

The only part of your post that I can help with is letting you know the extended norms for the WISC-V are definitely not yet out. It may be a long wait on them.

I'm not an expert but to the best of my knowledge...

He would need to be 6 to take the WISC and if you suspect he's PG I would imagine he's be hitting ceilings in the WPPSI. The extended norms aren't out now but as long as the tester keeps going as long as your DS can and you have the raw scores they can convert them when the extended scores are released.

The norms on the SB are very old and finding a tester that still uses it might be a bit of a challenge. Admittedly our schools won't accept the results here anyway so that might be part of the reason why testers don't use it here. Perhaps in other areas that isn't an issue.

I don't know enough about the other tests to comment on them. Both of my kids have done the WISC and WIAT and of the two I'd pick the WISC for usefulness in both of their cases. TBH though I don't know that either would really help me if I was homeschooling other than giving a firmer reason why they were able to blow through curriculum that was *supposed* to take ___ days/months/years. At this point it already sounds like you've come to grips with that reality Access to programs - definitely. That was the main reason we tested (that and it woke us up to the fact that our kids were maybe a bit more than a little smart).

FWIW I will also say that we tested DS at age 6.5 and because he wasn't the most cooperative at the time we ended up having to redo testing a couple of years later. The second set of scores make a lot more sense given our experience with him. We didn't think DD would be as uncooperative but we still waited until we needed scores for an application at age 7 in the hopes of getting an accurate score and avoiding retesting.

Good luck!

Your ds sounds a bit like my ds10, but mine was born with special needs and delays so he was lacking with his gross/fine motor skills, etc. I had my ds tested at 5.5 and then at 6.5 yrs old, but he did not fully cooperate with either test so I did not get accurate scores.

One of the dilemmas with testing a child at age 5-7 years old is that they can be unpredictable. I know that may sound dumb, but in terms of possibly spending money (potentially lots) and a number of headaches to boot - the unpredictability is something to bear in mind. Kids can be sick, tired, going through a growth spurt, dislike the tester, or just going through a bad day - any of which could negatively affect test scores.

If you have a very bright kid, they can be determined to hide their gifts, fail to see the benefits of the test in the first place, and deliberately self-sabotage (ie. counting on their fingers like my son did) simply because they don't want to be tested! It can be infuriating to say the least.

So my advice would be to see if your local public school will administer the Woodcock Johnson for you for free. Mine did - even though my son was in private school and then homeschooling when he was tested. You could request testing be done. Sometimes, the request has to be done through the special needs department or you may have to conveniently suspect special needs to make such a request. Regardless, this may be an option and may still be helpful to you. It may still give you some details and information about your ds. Also, you could always combine what happens with the testing at a public school system to any testing done privately. That can really help as well.

Privately, you could find someone who will administer the WISC. However, I'd try to find someone who has experience with testing a possibly pg kid and is able to get reliable scores from your ds. Many testers don't have experience with this population and see you simply as a 'tiger' parent and/or know how to deal with your ds. Be prepared that you may have to shell out big bucks for private testing.

I had ds10 tested because 1) he accelerated quickly through a private school's pre-k to 2nd grade curriculum, 2) knew he was possibly pg then BUT had special needs as well, 3) needed an explanation for some of his behavior, 4) what to do with this martian in terms of any schooling, and 5) access to programs.

Good luck!!!

I'm not sure that you'll get what you are looking for if you test at this age. Yes, DYS has some great resources, but you can also find local camps and special events on weekends that might be good "friend finders" in your area (we found a state university about an hour away that runs enrichment camps that attract a lot of gifted kids).

If you are interested in Delta, I would suggest looking at what they require and decide next steps based upon those requirements.

We had our 6 year old tested and there are a lot of "scores likely underestimate true ability due to goofing around" comments on his report (no, the assessor didn't use the word goofing, but that's what it was!). It's still helpful, but I suspect we will wind up testing again in two years to get a truer picture (if we need scores or want to see if he qualifies for DYS - older child is DYS but was tested at about a year later agewise).

Given that you are homeschooling, you already have a great deal of flexibility to follow his interests and meet his educational needs. I'm not sure that a test will give you more right now.

Others have covered the main considerations above: age wrt test options and accuracy, and value wrt access and instructional planning.

I agree that, educationally, you are unlikely to obtain much incremental benefit from testing at this time. Socially, DYS or other organizations may connect your family to intellectual peers, but it probably will not address the kind of friendship needs that a five-year-old generally requires, as even very bright young children need more than friendships that are physically distant and sporadic. I would encourage you to pursue resources in your area, and perhaps look toward national organizations in the future.

Our oldest was tested at 6 and unless you need it to figure out a 2e issue so you can do intervention, I'd recommend waiting until your child is older.

We don't have 2e concerns with our youngest and if we do testing with him, it'll be after he is 8 or 9.

It sounds like the best thing to do at this point is just wait. We will have to test to gain admission to Epsilon Camp, but it can wait another year. At this point, I can keep up with him homeschooling, so at least we don't have to worry about the schools. They don't provide any gifted services until 3rd grade so we would be out of pocket until then.

I'm pretty plugged in to events here so it is unlikely that there is a big DYS contingent I just don't know about. That was my unrealistic hope, that DYS would lead to local friends.

We'll continue our museum field trips, etc. Maybe we'll find a good fit in the wild one of these days. ;-)

Thanks so much for the responses. Sometimes I just need a reality check.

SAHM, I sent you a PM