Meeting tomorrow

You have not posted enough data. You did not post reading scores. The spelling score where it is certainly does not suggest a classic LD for spelling is usually the lowest score these children achieve. Now that would not preclude a different variety of LD, but without subtest scores on the WISC and more Woodcock Johnson scores, I cannot suggest much to you.

For a first grader to qualify we look for a 22 point discrepancy between IQ and achievement. With a performance IQ of 113, this would require a score of 91. Now the Story Recall is that low, but I am not convinced the subtest that generates that score is all that useful. The lack of writing fluency is probably what brought down the written expression cluster. She certainly is in the ballpark on the writing samples subtest.

I would like to see:

WISC subtest scores
Reading Achievement Scores: word reading, comprehension and word attack
A WIAT to also assess reading, listening (I think the listening comprehension test is a better measure)
Math Scores?

You also should have some processing scores. Parts of the Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Abilities can provide this information, as can other tests.

If this is truly all the testing they completed, then there are some suspicious indicators. How is language? There might be some language deficits and perhaps a language assessment is in order as well. You could attend the meeting and ask for more testing, in writing.

Indeed, she may qualify if you gather the data that is typically gathered.

What makes you suspect your child needs Sped services?

Sorry about not providing all the info. I am not familiar with the tests to know what is significant and what is not. Here are the rest of her tests scores:

Wechler Intelligence Scale:
Index percentile
Verbal Comprhension 102 55
Perceptual Organization 104 61
Freedom from Distractibility 84 14
Processing Speed 134 99

Verbal Scaled Score Percentile

Information 12 75
Similarities 9 37
Arithmetic 7 16
Vocabulary 11 63
Comprehension 9 37
Digit span 7 16

Performance Scaled Score Percentile

Picture Completion 12 75
Coding 18 >99
Picture Arrangement 13 84
Block Design 8 25
Object Assembley 9 37
Symbol Search 15 95

Weshler Individual Achievement

Subtest Stantdard Score Percentile
Word Reading 99 47
Reading Comprehension 90 25
Pseudoword Decoding 92 30

Reading Composite 91 27

Numerical Operations 105 63
Math Reasoning 97 42

Mathematics Composite 100 50

The other scores I have for her is the Developmental test of visual-motor intergration. Those are all the test scores I have for here. Should there be more? Thanks for your help.

I did not think she needed special ed. The school and I both thought she should not be having as much trouble learning to read as she is based on some test scores from kindergarden. So they suggested and I agreed to further testing.

She does have some indicators of difficulty. The digit span at 7 is a low score. 8 and up is average, though 8 is low average. She may have some short term memory issues and this can effect learning to read. The arithmetic at 7 and the block design at 8 might eventually show up in some math problems solving difficulties.

By my reckoning, at a reading composite of 91, compared to performance IQ of 113, she has a discrepancy. I think you may want to consider services for her.

There is inattentive only ADD which does not have a hyperactivity.behavior component-these kids are more dreamers-more common with girls

Im not an expert(there are several on the board)but I would see freedom from distractibility scores and the low digit span indicating that possibility.

Processing speed and coding show a tendency to be quick-for my son, who has similar scores, that can be quick and WRONG

Have you noticed any tendency to make more errors as she goes through an assignment. My son would often have a perfect score on page one of a test and <20% on the second. And be one of the first in class done so he wasnt running out of time. ADD inattentive.

Thanks everybody for your help. I didn’t consider ADD a possiblity because when she was observed in her classroom she was on task 80% of the time and when I work with her I can see her trying but just not being able to do the work. My 11 year old son on the other hand is exactly like your son.

I agree with the short-term memory problems. The low Arithmetic on the IQ can indicate this along with the low Digit Span short-term memory problems. In the arithmetic sub-test the child has to hold numbers in memory to do the math. She did OK on the achievement math paper and pencil. In reading when decoding the child has to remember the different sounds as the read to get the gestalt of the word. While her word reading was average her comprehension was a lot lower and again this could be from not remembering the words once read.

Helen

PS: Does she have trouble remembering more then one or two instructions at a time.

I am not sure about the directions but I have noticed when we are doing reading homework, you can tell her the word and on the next line she will not remember what it is. There are certain sight words which we have had since the beginning of school which she still does not know.

Mary Beth,

Oddly, my child has an IQ of 106 and has a reading comprehension score of 90. In my state, a 15 point discrepancy is required to place as LD. We are considering that now, but she receives speech/language therapy which has been adequate so far. I also think a language eval would be a good idea. Your state may require higher than a 15 point discrepancy, but that does not mean that she doesn’t have a reading problem. Her decoding is weak, so she could benefit from a good reading program like Phono-Graphix. You could buy the book Reading Reflex and do it yourself or you could hire a certified tutor. The comprehension problem might be a result of the weak decoding.

Good luck with the meeting!
Janis

Mary Beth,

What your describing fits with short-term memory problems.

The school is more then likely to say that they don’t deal with memory issues. If they do this look into programs that you can do outside of school to remediate the problem. Some great parent posted about programs for memory problems but I couldn’t find it. One program is Brain Builder which you can find by doing a search on google. Post on the board and you’ll get some responses.

Helen

Look at the processing speed…for it to be ADD it would need to be in the 70’s…However, I would watch her. If she is going to “become” more ADD inattentive the processing speed will drop like a lead balloon. My own daughter’s processing speed went from 122 in 1st grade to 78 in 5th grade she was then diagnosed with ADD-Inattentive My daughter also scores higher on coding but she still has trouble with reading. Your daughter seems stronger in the non-verbal areas and I think a speech and language eval would be a good idea to see what her language and auditory processing is like and that is one area that hasn’t been tested.