Welcome back. You’re joining me in a five part series titled Initiation into Giftedness. Part one, The Gifted Have Character, explored characteristics of gifted kids. Part two, To Test or Not to Test: 5 Questions to Consider, explored reasons to test your gifted child. Now in this third post, we are looking at the different types of testing available. Put on your scuba gear, grab your mask and dive on in with me.
The first category of testing is Grade Level Achievement Testing. These tests measure if the child is at grade level, below grade level or above grade level. It is usually administered in a group setting which does have disadvantages like distractibility or peer pressure to finish. It does not measure their achievement outside that grade level. Some examples of nationally normed achievement tests would be ITBS, CAT-5, SAT 9, Terra Nova, CTBS, MAT. Some examples of state mandated achievement tests would be the STARR in Texas, the PSSA in Pennsylvania or the MCAS in Massachusetts.
The second category of testing is Individual Achievement Testing. These do not cover entire curriculums. They rather ask few questions at multiple grade levels. This is a norm referenced test which means it compares your child to the average child in their grade level. These tests are not curriculum driven. However they do give a wider perspective on your child’s general knowledge into other grade levels. An example be the WIAT (Wechsler), K-TEA (Kaufman), PIAT (Peabody) and the WJ-III (Woodcock Johnson). These tests do have ceilings which means that the kids were able to answer all the questions implying that their abilities were higher than the test could measure.
The third category of testing is Group Ability Testing. These tests are multiple choice for a single grade level and are really only considered to be screening tools. Gifted kids can over think these questions there is no interaction with the administrator. Examples would be the OLSAT and the CogAT. However, these can be helpful for placement in a gifted program or qualification for enrichment camps.
The fourth category of testing is Individual Ability or IQ Testing. This is probably the best evaluation of overall potential with both verbal and non-verbal components. There are many sub-tests which give valuable information on the depth and width of your child’s intelligence but are also ceilings which may result in inaccurate results. One issue here is if the style of testing brings out the best in the student. Another consideration is the importance of the camaraderie between the adult giving the test and the child being tested. The most widely accepted examples are the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) and the Stanford-Binet (SB-5).
There is a book that comes highly recommended to help sort this stuff out even further if you’ve got $10 to spare. “It’s entitled Parent’s Guide to IQ Testing and Gifted Education” by David Palmer. If you want to read more specifics online there is a plethora of articles listed on Carolyn Kottmeyer’s amazing website.
Please, please, please remember that intelligence encompasses more than just a number on a piece of paper. No one test was ever designed to be a tell-all assessment. Dr. Jane Framingham reminds us, “It’s important to note that IQ tests do not measure actual intelligence — they measure what we believe might be important components of intelligence.”
I hope you stick with me as we dive into deeper waters in an attempt to interpret test scores and levels of giftedness in my next post, Giftedness Knows Few Bounds. Remember your goal here is to get to know your child’s potential better so you can be their best advocate. This type of testing is very different from the Chapter 5 science test they are used to and stress should have no part in it. Take a deep breath and stay relaxed Mom, your child may find it to be fun. So, even if you’re thinking it, don’t say, “Eek gads, not a test!”
Are you familiar with any of these tests? Which type of measurement are you looking for?
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