CONFIDENTIAL
Intellectual Evaluation
Name: Xxxxxx Yyyyy
Date of Birth: 11/03/01
Age: 8 years, 3 months, 5 days
I.
School:
Grade:
Date of Test:
Xxxx Elementary
2nd
01/04/10
REFERRAL INFORMATION:
Xxxxx is an 8-year old girl attending Xxxxxx Elementary School. She communicates in spoken
English. She is being referred for a comprehensive evaluation to determine her need and eligibility for
special education services and to assist with program planning. A cognitive evaluation is being
conducted as a standard component of a comprehensive reevaluation.
II.
BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONS:
Xxxxx was observed during administration of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth
Edition (WISC-IV). Xxxxx appears to be of average size and weight for her age. Other than her
hearing aids, there was nothing particularly noteworthy about her physical appearance. She was polite,
well-behaved, and she put forth good effort until she began to tire after about 65 minutes.
Xxxxx exhibited adequate sustained visual attention for one-on-one cognitive testing. She exhibited
average patience, persistence and cognitive processing speed. She exhibited average visual reasoning
and good English speaking skills. She preferred English for communication. Straight verbal reasoning
was a little weak, but comprehension and self-expression using simple language appeared to be strong.
Perceptual reasoning appeared to be strong, particularly nonverbal reasoning.
III. TESTS/MEASURES ADMINISTERED:
-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV)
IV. ADMINISTRATION AND SCORING PROCEDURES:
The WISC-IV was administered using the standard procedures described in its testing manual. The
WISC-IV is a comprehensive test of intelligence that includes measures of verbal comprehension,
perceptual reasoning, working memory and visual-motor processing speed. Although it is not
recommended as a valid measure of intelligence in deaf and hard of hearing children, the WISC-IV
Verbal Comprehension subtests were administered to Xxxxx because she uses her hearing and spoken
English to communicate, and importantly, to examine any potential impact of her hearing loss on verbal
comprehension and acquisition of school learned knowledge.
The undersigned escorted Xxxxx from her classroom to the conference room in the office at her school.
She had recently been given a speech-language evaluation in the same room, so she was familiar with
the testing environment. The undersigned explained the activities to be undertaken and expected
completion time, and invited Xxxxx to request a break at any time. When asked about her preferred
mode of communication, she requested spoken English. Total Testing time was 75 minutes.
Intellectual Evaluation
Xxx
02/08/10
V. TEST RESULTS:
-WISC-IV -- The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition, is a standard battery of tests
that assesses different aspects of intellectual functioning. The WISC-IV yields four index quotients and
a full-scale quotient. The indices assessed by the WISC-IV include verbal comprehension, perceptual
reasoning, working memory and processing speed; considered the underlying components of intellectual
functioning. The combination of the four indices is the full scale, which represents a measure of general
intelligence and is derived by combining the four index scores. For the purpose of this evaluation, a
near-complete WISC-IV was administered (9 of 10 subtests). The 10th subtest was omitted when it
became apparent that Xxxxx’ fatigue was beginning to impact her performance. Composite scores were
derived for the Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, and Working Memory, and a prorated
Full Scale IQ was generated. All are reported below.
WISC-IV: (subtest mean = 10, standard deviation = 3):
Index
Verbal Comprehension
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Subtests
Perceptual Reasoning
Picture Concepts
Matrix Reasoning
Scaled score
Similarities
9
13
Block Design
12
15
Working Memory
Letter-Number Sequencing
Digit Span
13
Processing Speed
Symbol Search
Coding
---
Range of Performance
8
Average
High Average
Average
10
Average
Superior
Average
11
High Average
Average
10
---
Average
WISC-IV: (quotient mean = 100, standard deviation = 15):
Index
Verbal Comprehension
47th
Perceptual Reasoning
84th
Working Memory
Scaled Score
IQ
– High Average
Full Scale (prorated)
30
92 - 106
37
106 – 121
24
75th
%ile
95% C.I. Range Performance Descriptor
99
Average
115
High Average
110
120 - 117
Average
(112)
73rd
109
104 - 114
Average
– High Average
VI.
ANALYSIS OF TEST RESULTS:
-WISC-IV
Results from the WISC-IV suggest above average nonverbal reasoning and problem-solving skills and
average verbal comprehension and related school-learned abilities. Subtest scaled scores ranged from a
low of 8 (average) on the Similarities subtest to a high of 15 (superior) on the Matrix Reasoning subtest.
Intellectual Evaluation
Xxx
02/08/10
The 16-point discrepancy between Xxxxx’ Perceptual Reasoning and Verbal Comprehension quotients
is statistically significant (p<. 05). Xxxxx demonstrated strengths in the areas of nonverbal reasoning,
expressive understanding of the rules underlying social behavior, and short term auditory working
memory, and relative weaknesses in verbal reasoning and vocabulary sophistication, though both of
these were about average range for her age.
Xxxxx obtained a Verbal Comprehension IQ score of 99, which falls within the average range. There is
a 95% chance that the range of scores from 92 to 106 includes Xxxxx’s true Verbal Comprehension IQ.
Xxxxx’ subtest scores were very consistent and all were at least average, suggesting average verbal
reasoning and knowledge of word meanings, and above average knowledge of the rules underlying
social behavior and the ability to express that knowledge verbally. Xxxxx’s scores on the Verbal
Comprehension subtests are indicative of above average verbal skills, despite her lowest WISC-IV
scores being on the Similarities and Vocabulary subtests.
Xxxxx obtained a Perceptual Reasoning IQ of 115, which falls within the high average range. There is a
95% chance that the range of scores from 106 to 121 includes Xxxxx’s true WISC-IV Perceptual
Reasoning quotient. Xxxxx’s subtest scores were somewhat consistent, with average-range scores on
the first two subtests and a superior range score on the Matrix Reasoning subtest. She demonstrated
average nonverbal reasoning with internal verbal mediation, average visual-motor spatial integration
skills, and superior nonverbal reasoning. Her scaled score of 12 on the Picture Concepts subtest
suggests that she is learning conceptual relationships among objects, such as categories, functions of
objects, and relationships among things, despite her hearing loss. In addition, her scaled score of 15 on
Matrix Reasoning, suggests that nonverbal reasoning is an area of both relative and absolute strength in
her cognitive profile. Visual supports are therefore recommended for her acquisition of vocabulary and
verbal concepts. Her potential for learning via visual means is estimated to be above average at this
time.
Xxxxx obtained a Working Memory IQ of 110, which lies at the cutoff between “average” and “high
average.” The chance that her true Working Memory quotient lies between 102 and 117 is 95%. This
score suggests average to above average auditory memory for number strings and the ability to hold
numbers in her head, manipulate them, and recall them. Xxxxx was able to recall 5 numbers forward
and 4 numbers in reverse, which is average. She was able to recall the letters and numbers, separate
them into number and letter groups, and put them in the correct order (up to 4), which was better than
average.
Xxxxx obtained a scaled score of 10 on the Coding subtest, suggesting average psychomotor processing
speed and dexterity. Visual-motor coordination and speed appear to be intact.
VII. SUMMARY:
Xxxxx is an 8-year 3-month old second grader with a significant bilateral hearing loss for which
she wears hearing aids. Her participation in and effort during the evaluation were consistent, generating
valid results. Xxxxx was given a broad range of intelligence tests covering verbal and nonverbal
domains. She obtained rather consistent results suggesting stronger nonverbal reasoning skills and
weaker receptive language and verbal reasoning skills. Subtest scaled scores and quotients suggest at
least average intelligence, with areas of relative strength and relative weakness consistent with a hearing
loss that is only having a mild impact on verbal skill development, presumably due to strong residual
hearing and good compensatory skills.
VIII. SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
Intellectual Evaluation
Xxx
02/08/10
Xxxxx would continue to benefit from her intensive language program emphasizing integration
1.
of visual supplements to promote comprehension. Please refer to the educational evaluation and speech
language evaluation reports for specific recommendations in this regard.
1a. Xxxxx may require more time to process auditory information. Provide her with extra
time and repetitions as needed to promote processing of information. Be careful not to
caudle her too much, though. Try to focus on her “zone of proximal developent,” the
space just above what she can do independently.
Work on building basic vocabulary through reading and writing activities, dictionary activities,
2.
crossword puzzles, etc. Make sure these activities are at her level, but as noted above, push her to work
a little into her “zone of proximal development.”
Xxxxx would benefit from activities to strengthen vocabulary during verbal self-expression.
3.
Examples include social stories and telling/writing stories that involve using new vocabulary words.