Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Advice on what to tell DS4 before he takes IQ test

Hi - My DS, who just turned 4 in January, will be taking the SB5 in a couple of weeks (with an evaluator who is a specialist with gifted/highly gifted). We want to do this so we can know if we should seek early kindergarten, or otherwise. Anyway, I'm not asking about what kinds of questions there will be, I'm asking about how to prepare a kid who is wary of new situations. I am concerned because DS4 will be in a different room for the test, and he hasn't been alone with strangers. Ever! The evaluator gave some basic recommendations, such as "don't tell him it's a game; tell him we're learning more about how his brain works." I've shown him a picture of the evaluator and try to talk to him about it every couple of days. I've given him the bribe of "we'll be in Big City, and we can go eat lunch wherever you want, and go somewhere fun afterwards." But no matter how much I tell him it's not a test at the doctor's, I know he keeps thinking there will be shots (he recently had to have shots and allergy skin pokes).

Also, he had a (very) basic pre-K screening a while ago, and had a lot of fun with the part where they put out an object and asked him to describe it, and stack blocks, and counting etc. I told him the test might be kind of like that pre-k screening stuff, so he should have fun. But he keeps telling me he won't answer any questions.

Sorry this is so long. Any tips? Thank you!

When DS7 was given the WISC-IV and WIAT-II, and all sorts of other stuff last year, the evaluator let me sit in the room but I was not allowed to say anything. I don't think DS, 6 at the time, would have taken all those tests without me there. Will they let you stay? He's only 4...

I don't know if this is the kind of advice you're asking for, but it's the best I've got to give...

Be aware that the SB5 is a very loooong test! Make sure he knows he can (and should) take breaks when he needs them.

My DS6 was utterly tuckered out after the SB5. In fact, when he took the WISC, at the end he said, "That's all? We're done already?"

Big difference!

I had asked about if we could sit in the room, but they said that is not allowed. DS4 will be able to see where we will be before he goes to the other room for testing, so he'll know we are near, but no luck on being in the room.

That's good to know about the length of the test, and breaks. I will tell him that. The SB5 is the test this evaluator prefers, so I didn't really look into other types of tests. Thanks. I think that will help a lot if he knows he can come out and see us on a break.

Dottie - thank you for that link. Very helpful, and on point for my son. It suggests telling your child to answer the questions even if they seem to easy, and not give silly answers. DS4 hates doing something again that he already knows how to do, and he loves to be silly. Also, it says to get the child to answer the questions even if he thinks they're too hard. DS4 also doesn't really like doing something if he thinks it might be too hard, in case he's not right. We've been working on this behavior for awhile - i keep thinking he's too young to be acting like that! So that article is very useful. Thank you.

I'm also glad to hear it's not too boring.

st pauli girl - I sent you a PM (private message).

Well, Dottie, remember DS was not being tested for GT. We were trying to figure out what was going on in school. And watching DS walk around the room, yawn, put his head down on the table and say this is boring, I hate it, etc., it was helpful for me to see it and to say to the evaluator on a break, see, this is what's happening in school, when he's doing homework, etc. Of course, she would have known it anyway, but it was good for me to see it and to see what his teacher was experiencing everyday. We certainly weren't focused on GT at the time.

My DS loves doctor appointments (he loves to pump the doctors for information...) so I told him that he was going to a "brain checkup". I explained that a psychologist is a doctor who studies how people think by asking them questions to see what their answers will be. DS was thrilled with his brain checkup (he took the WPPSI-III when he was 4.5) and has asked when his next one will be

I know some kids hate going to the doctor, so I don't know if this would work for you.

Cathy

When DS was tested at the age of 5 we told him that we wanted him to take a few test to see when he can take special programs like the great astronomy class he just took in one of the museums. It wasn't exactly true, but it made him excited enough and guaranteed his cooperation

We made sure that we made it clear that there would be very easy questions, but that it was likely there would also be questions he wouldn't be able to answer. That it would be perfectly ok not to know a correct answer but that he should try to answer it anyway.

As for break, may be ask the psychologist to give him a break. My son took one for his IQ, but refused one for the achievement test. He was having too much fun, but I think a break would have done him good.

DS was also alone in the room. If it helps you can ask if you could walk your son in the room and spend a few minutes with him there.

Good luck