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Input on test scores-- PLEASE HELP

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

I am posting these test results for a friend whose child was recently tested privately. I posted standard scores where I had them, and percentiles otherwise. According to the testers, the child has relative weaknesses but no LD, but the results are consistent with ADHD. My friend feels like there is still some kind of LD there that is being missed and would appreciate any guidance, especially as to further testing that might be helpful. I am including sketchy (all I have) information regarding prior testing, which concluded that the child did have a language based LD and auditory processing issues.

Thanks!

Andrea

1997 TESTING (Kindergarten, age 7)

WISC III: VIQ 89, PIQ 116

WJ-R: verbal memory skills were average to above average
visual and auditory processing speed were significantly below average
math skills were average
“weak competencies” in reading and writing, in that child did not know all letters consistently and could not read any simple words

TOVA: Not within normal limits

Diagnosis: ADHD combined type; auditory, phonological and visual processing deficits

CURRENT TESTING (5th grade, age 11 years, 8 months)

WISC III: VIQ 113, PIQ 115

VERBAL SUBTESTS: PERFORMANCE SUBTESTS:

Information: 12 Picture completion: 9
Similarities: 12 Coding: 14
Arithmetic: 12 Picture arrangement: 16
Vocabulary: 12 Block design: 10
Comprehension: 12 Object assembly: 12
Digit Span: 14 Symbol Search: 13

Verbal comprehension index: 113
Perceptual organization index: 111
Freedom from Distractibility index: 118
Processing speed index: 119

WJ-R: ABILITIES

Oral vocabulary: 96 PR
Verbal analogies: 37 PR
Concept formation: 58 PR
Spatial relations: 69 PR
Visual matching: 52 PR

WJ-R: ACHIEVEMENT

Broad Reading 103 Broad Mathematics 107
letter word identification: 103 Calculation: 107
Passage comprehension:106 Applied problems: 103
Reading fluency: 100 Math fluency: 114
Word attack: 102

Broad Written Language:101
Spelling: 105
Writing samples: 96
Writing fluency: 99

WRAML:
Story Memory: 16 PR
Sentence Memory: 37 PR

SELECTIVE REMINDING TEST:
Long term storage: 58 PR
Cumulative Long term retrieval: 80 PR

CTOPP:
Phonological awareness composite: 42 PR
Elision subtest: 63 PR
Blending subtest: 25 PR
Rapid Naming Composite: 65 PR

REY-OSTERRIETH COMPLEX FIGURE:

Copy: 1 PR
Recall: 21 PR

DEVELOPMENTAL TEST OF VISUAL-MOTOR INTEGRATION: 39 PR

IVA:
Response control quotient: 17 PR
Attention quotient: 73 PR

WISCONSIN CARD SORTING TEST: 34 PR
DTLA-2 Oral Directions: 25 PR
OWLS Listening Comprehension: 48 PR
TOLC Oral Expression: 37 PR
CELF-R Word Associations: 50 PR
COWAT: 70 PR

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 05/09/2002 - 2:19 PM

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When testing students in our district we use a computer program to chart all of our scores which make it visually easier to see if the child qualifies for our LD programs. Here is the e-mail address to use to find the chart: www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsea/een/eligild.html

Once on the website, click on RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTING SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCY and then click on ALTERNATE SLD REGRESSION CALCULATION PROGRAM AND CHART. Again, once all your numbers are put into the program it will give you a nice chart to show if there is a significant discrepancy and in what area.

Good Luck!

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 05/09/2002 - 5:46 PM

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I think this is one of those cases where the eligibility definition and the parents/teachers definition of LD are two different things. There are enough inconsistencies here so that you want to be alert to the kinds of learning situations & testing situations that are going to be challenging — but this isn’t the profile of a student who would need an individually designed curriculum. The obvious red flag is in that “copy” score in the first percentile — what’s the reason for that? Was it a problem in the motor skill or understanding the directions? Is this a kiddo who does a lot better when there’s some consistency in the structure of what he’s expected to do — so he does a lot better when the same kinds of assignments are done for different topics? Would things like getting assignments (especially complex ones) written down for him (or having a buddy he could copy from so it’s near-point instead of far-point copying) help?

This is a kiddo with lots of good strengths — but is school frustrating anyway? In what ways?

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 05/10/2002 - 2:30 PM

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Thanks for your help! This is a child who finds school very frustrating. He has huge difficulties with following directions, remembering to bring home/hand in homework. Reading is effortful for him and he does a lot of re-reading for comprehension. In person he is a bright, personable kid and extremely creative.(He is my gt/ld son’s best friend.) He is well aware that he knows more than he is able to demonstrate and is starting to have troubles with self-esteem. Often his errors in school work are a result of misunderstanding the question rather than not knowing the answer.

Andrea

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 05/10/2002 - 2:41 PM

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Sounds like ADD to me. The ADD interferes with his ability to remember and attend to information. Some ADD’ers will have trouble with reading comprehension. They can be great decoders but they do not know how to build comprehension.. Perhaps he has some CAPD issues in regards to processing auditory information. This is the type of kid where a great teacher would give him directions and then do some reflective listening to make sure that he understood what was expected of him before he began on his task. To help with the organizational strategies perhaps a contract would help that the child would pass between teacher and parent and make sure that his backpack is organized and that he has all he needs before he leaves home and school.

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