Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment best test for 4 years 10 months

My DD may be having an IQ test soon. Her verbal skills are high (reading very well for a long time, talking about past tense,nouns, etc. understanding punctuation, great storytelling and writing ability, understanding the main ideas,decent spelling, and so on). I always think of her verbal skills as much stronger than her math skills, but she can do things like add fractions, simple multiplication, telling time, adding double digits, counting money, etc. What test might give us the most accurate results that would be most useful when approaching her school? The psychologist wants to use the WPPSI. Do you think that is a good idea, and why or why not? Thanks.

I think that at that age the WPPSI is still one that can give you a lot of information. We had to test our kids before 5 for school admissions and they were positive information we got from that. For instance, you can get a sense of relative strengths and weaknesses or realize that she is more well rounded than you thought....

One advantage of the WPPSI is that it is such a commonly used test that schools might be more familiar with it than with others.

ds took the DAS first, at 4 1/4 with a private psych, and he took the wppsi the second time at 4 1/2 with the district....his scores the second time were very similar to the first test, a few points higher i think the second time. but both showed the same things- like that he was higher in nonverbal than he was in verbal. my son sounds a lot like your dd in the way of academics. so i also had him take an academic test. he took the YCAT the first time, but the second time he took the woodcock johnson i think. again...the tests were similar....so i don't know that it really mattered what he took. the district did their own testing more out of a move to be controlling and prove he wasn't gifted than a move because they didn't like the first set of tests. their loss. lol. they paid to test him a second time....and in the end still had to admit him to school a year early and give him gifted services. lol.

good luck!

Hey all. Testing has started for my DD who is four going on five, and may take awhile. We have gone in for two appointments and last time they said it took a LONG time because she just wasn't getting things wrong. The tester finally stopped her before she was done and we will go back next week. She did tell me a day after the testing that on reading / language tests she is scoring around the third or fourth grade. I gasped when she told me. She isn't even scheduled to start K until September.

So far, they seem to be leaning away from the WPPSI, but it seems to me everything is secretive. I ask what they plan on doing and what tests they are giving, and can't seem to get a straight answer. Two consultants came in after the first meeting with my DD when they were merely doing some tests of attention and said that she simply could not attend the public school we were planning on attending and was gifted and bored to tears from repetitive things. This was before we got the achivement testing feedback. We still have more to do including math. She is stronger in reading and I strangely hope she scores at a lower grade (is that a normal response?) Now we are looking into Montessori for K (there will not be any students older than 6 there), but have not given up on the public school though our public school says they never grade skip and has very limited gifted programing. I guess I keep hoping it will work... I'm still in denial that she is gifted.

Hi TT - Isn't it exciting/scary/hard to wait when the tests are being given.

I think it's normal to wish that your child was on a more normal developmental path, and if that is what you feel, then that is what you feel. Parenting is Messy Business. But I would urge you to consider taking a new perspective ASAP, because at some point (if not already) your DD may become aware, counsiously or unconsiously, that she is not what you want.

Love and more Love,
Grinity

Oh Grinity, deep down she is exactly what I want. I just wish I could find a place that feels right for her and more friends for her. I'm just a little worried about the next year or two. I'll be careful how my feelings are conveyed to her.

hi all,
on the topic of testing , can someone suggest a tester in the seattle , wa area ,
my dd4 will be probably testing in a few months for Kadmissions to private school.
I am looking for someone warm and engaging , (who comes accross
as a nurturing person)as dd works well with such people
thanks
amom

I know sweetie! We just grow up blaming ourselves for not fitting in and then have kids and go right on blaming them for not fitting in. That's what I did anyway. Luckily kids like ours are loud and in-your-face and mine won't put up with that for long before he sits me down for a good talking too!

((shrugs)) and Mor ((shrugs))
Grinity