My 7th grade son just completed his reevaluation testing. I have only received results from the WIAT-II and was hoping you all could tell me what you think.
Reading Composite 81
Subtest Scores:
Word Reading 70
Reading Comprehension 92
Pseudoword Decoding 86
Mathematics Composite 95
Subtest Scores:
Numerical Operations 97
Math Reasoning 95
Written Language ??
Subtest Scores:
Spelling 78
Written Expression ?? my son was so frustrated with this part, they actually didn’t continue testing
Oral Language 114
Subtest Scores:
Listening Comprehension 107
Oral Expression 117
Thanks. My son is classified LD and obviously his main disability is written expression. I’m interested as to why his oral language is in the above avg. to high avg. range. Should he be answering all tests etc. orally and well as recording the class to listen back what he was taught that day?
Re: Can anyone help me interpret these test results?
OK, I am not a test person so I can’t deal with specific numbers. The thing that stands out here is the Written Expression. My question is how this is tested — do they actually ask the student to write something, or is it a multiple choice tell which is wrong type?
If it is actually a test where he has to write something, then he is like almost all the students I have had sent to me inthe past couple of years — none of them could write. I have come to the conclusion that the schools have forgotten how to teach writing and just leave the kids to reinvent the wheel as best they can; some sort of succeed (although there is still trouble in many cases) but many get into bizarre habits.
And if this is what is going on, just ask me what I do to help; it’s a long process but it works.
Re: Can anyone help me interpret these test results?
Of course it’s hard to make a judgement without knowing the live kiddo, but that huge gap between oral language and print, and the not-quite-as-big but also significant gap between word reading and comprehension waves the “didn’t get taught to decode” flag. The pseudoword readign is interesting and makes me wonder if he’s not smart enough to have figured out patterns enough to do a bit better on that, where the fake words have to be totally predictable, in which case he could possibly improve his word reading reasonably easily because he understands that there *are* patterns. (I’m doing some *serious* jumping to hypotheses here, though :-))
Would be curious abouit those WISC subtests, though this could be very much a language (print) processing issue, or possibly a visual one.
I’d say that yes, he should be using those strong oral language skills. How would he feel about trying something like voice recognition software? Do you know what makes it so hard for him to write — the physical act of writing, or not being able to come up with the words, or not being able to spell the words, or not being able to have his hand keep up with his brain, or…??
Re: Can anyone help me interpret these test results?
SueJ,
You hit the nail on the head. All of the things you listed: “Do you know what makes it so hard for him to write — the physical act of writing, or not being able to come up with the words, or not being able to spell the words, or not being able to have his hand keep up with his brain, or…??” are what makes writing a huge task for him. I have thought of voice recognition software…I think its called Dragon Naturally Speaking….but haven’t purchased anything yet. I am still waiting for other test results and his IEP meeting isn’t until June 16.
Thanks,
mom2kak
Re: Can anyone help me interpret these test results?
I just purchased Dragon Naturally Speaking., verson 8. I hope to install it for my son this weekend. We’ll let you know what we think.
Voice recognation will help my son since his issues are the physical act and spelling. He probably will still need to do outlines and webs first as voice recognation isn’t going to organize his thoughts for him.
Barb
HI
How is his spelling?
Funny, I really thought sequential spelling by avko helped my son’s writing in several ways.
It helped him to spell which impedes writing because if you are taking time to figure out spelling you are stealing attention from the creative process. I had him write all the words in cursive and his cursive improved dramatically. I think just the act of doing this everyday might have helped also picturing the words in your head is a skill needed in writing.
Last year writing was his biggest problem but after sequential spelling and a really good writing tutor he is considered an above average writer. My son’s profile is similar to yours in that he has the verbal skills that have always lead me to believe he could be a very good writer. The creative process, which so many have difficulty with was really the easy part for him.
I think it was Elizabeth who said, “The hard things are easy and the easy things are hard.” That about sums it up for us.
Just to be clear, we have done many other things as well that have helped.
You didn’t post IQ scores but my guess is that his IQ is around what the oral scores are. The other scores are low because of the unremediated LD. Did they do any processing tests to determine what is the source to the LD? My guess is that your son has poor decoding skills. What other scores do you have? You need to understand his disability so you can get some remediation for him. Don’t count on the school doing remediation get him some help over the sommer.