WIAT scores

Ask the person who gave the test. We prefer standard scores first (100 is average) and percentiles second. Eligibility is based heavily on the discreapancy between standard scores and has nothing to do with grade equivalents. They do not mean the child actually functions at that level, they are statistically derived.

Anitya…could I ask why you prefer the standard score as opposed to the percentile? How reliable are the percentiles?

For example, basic reading: I found that 94 seems not so far below average, but 34th percentile sounds alarming…grade level assigned to this score was K.9, time of test was grade 2.2. Five months later he is reading books supposedly grade 2 level and is getting a C in reading…can you help me?

I am in Canada where it seems that getting sped status is not a problem, but I am worried about modifying requirements for a child who I believe is “borderline” LD, as opposed to providing support to keep up to grade level. (modifying requirements was the school’s preferred solution.)

Any input you can provide is greatly appreciated!
thanks,
Elizabeth

IQ scores are standard scores. Standard scores are like any standard measurement, there is exactly the same distance from one number to the next. You can compare any standard score based on a mean of 100 to any other. You can see, at a glance, relative strengths and weaknesses. Percentiles are nonstandard. The difference between the 50th and the 55th percentile may be minimal, almost nothing, virtually insignificant in statistical terms. The difference between the 25th and the 30th (also 5 percentile points) may be much greater, as may be the difference from the 94th to the 99th percentile. Hope this helps.

In so far as your child’s scores, I cannot really suggest much with out knowing him, etc. The progress seems remarkable in a few months. I use multiple measures to determine progress, so I can feel more confident that it is really there or not there.

Thanks, Anitya…I also wonder at the quick progress, though he has worked very hard (and so have mum and dad!)

Luckily he will be in an excellent academic summer camp this year, and they will test him in the first week. Not a full psych-ed eval., but several good measures and given by a really talented sp-ed resource teacher who knows her stuff. Depending on results, we may go for private full psych-ed evaluation in the fall, to know where we actually are before making placement decisions. School testing was helpful, but they are so limited by time and resource constraints…luckily here in Canada we don’t seem to have to fight to prove disability, possibly it is even too easy to get an ld designation, tho only my opinion! Schools get extra govt. funds for certain disabilities, unlike U.S.

My gut says that this guy may indeed do better receiving his extra help outside of school — when was having some informal pull-out support in the Fall, he was really disconnected to class and complained constantly that he was missing things when out of class — we stopped that & substituted home tutoring while I began researching his difficulties and he has done much better.
Unfortunately class teacher’s style does not seem the best for him — we have had a substitute all this last week who has a heavy foreign accent, so tends to check on each child and repeat explanations — she says he is doing great and has completed every task this week. She knows nothing of the background and her only comment is that he is a slow printer and should print more at home!

It is interesting just how much the interaction of child/teacher and their compatibility affects success — it’s too bad that every teacher is expected to be all things to all kids, instead of managing to more closely match them for suitability.

Anyway, I’m way off topic but your comments add a tiny piece more to the puzzle and I really appreciate your time. I have learned so much from reading about others, even when kids are different from mine…