Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment IQ test 101 please

Could someone tell me what an IQ test is all about. how long it takes/ where you take one. I may need a test for my DS9.

An IQ test examines one's cognitive functioning. There are many different IQ tests on the market and each tests slightly different cognitive skills. Some IQ tests are group-administered pencil/paper types and can be administered by any knowledgeable educator, while others are administered one-on-one by a psychologist. The ones which provide the most information and are most accurate are the ones that are administered one-on-one. The most popular individual IQ test as it is the most comprehensive and provides information about different areas of cognitive functioning (verbal abstract reasoning, nonverbal abstract reasoning, vocabulary, open-ended reasoning, attention and working memory, analysis-synthesis, executive function and planning and short-term memory/learning)is the Weschsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition (WISC IV). Other individual comprehensive IQ tests include Stanford Binet V, Kaufman Intelligence test, etc. Since each test evaluates slightly different areas of functioning, the scores achieved on different tests may differ.

WISC IV takes 70-90 minutes to administer and can only be administered by a qualified psychologist. The skill, experience and attitude of the testing psychologist can make a difference in the resulting scores especially if you have a very anxious or sensitive child or if there is a learning disability in combination with a high cognitive ability (giftedness). So if it's feasible for you financially and logistically to pick a good testing psychologist to do the testing, I would advise you do it.

Check out Hoagies for a possible tester near you: http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/psychologists.htm

These are testers recommended by parents of GT kids. They cannot self-recommend or pay to get on this list. It's a good place to start because it means that someone with a GT kid said "This person did well with my child."

Also, there are some articles there about testing that might help you.

Good luck on the journey!

Thank you I'll look into that info.

My DD9 will be taking an IQ test at school. I'm hoping they will tell me which test before the testing. I want to gain some knowledge before they explain the results so I can understand what they are talking about. Any suggestions?

I was looking for a reccomendation of a particular article, website or book just so I know what they are talking about when they go over test results. I am in a race to learn quick before the tests are complete. Do I need the name of the test first?

I will start looking on hoagies.

The IQ test has not been scheduled yet. It should happen soon.

Our tester did not originally generate Broad scores on the WJIII Achievement test. She thought it was unuasal for the Broad scores to be requested. She said with his scores he is not PG. But he had the WJIII 145 minimal score in Math which qualifies him to possibly PG - I thought. Do different testers have different opinions about the results? Any ideas on this?

I am certainly thankful for the IQ testing they will be providing but I'm wondering how the results will influence what is to be done for him. I gave them a list of DYS IQ tests incase I have a choice in what they test. I was thinking if the school needed more ideas for placement or challenge they would do something like the Explore test which I thought would suggest more accurate Math placement. They are more interested in enrichment than accelloration and I'm ok with that right now. Although he is going one grade up in math this year. I'm not against the testing plan. Just trying to understand what I can. Any thoughts?

Thanks for telling me about the 4 months. I was really just assuming it would be soon. I just signed the permission slip but it didn't have the actual test name on it. The tester will work with DS's teacher to schedule the test.

thanks for the info. This gives me a totally new idea about all this.