Understanding the WISC-IV
Cognitive Assessment
Heather Childs
Heather Hayes
Outline

WISC-IV

Indexes and subtests

Strategies
Overview of WISC-IV

WISC-IV: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for ChildrenFourth Edition

Ages 6 to 16 years

Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ)

Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual
Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI),
and Processing Speed Index (PSI)

Classroom implications
WISC-IV
Similarities
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Information
Word Reasoning
Block Design
Picture Concepts
Matrix Reasoning
Picture Completion
FSIQ
Digit Span
Letter-Number Seq.
Arithmetic
Coding
Symbol Search
Cancellation
Full Scale Intelligence
Quotient (FSIQ)

Classifies overall intellectual ability within a range
 Extremely Low (<69)
 Borderline (70-79)
 Low Average (80-89)
 Average (90-109)
 High Average (110-119)
 Superior (120-129)
 Very Superior (>130)
Low scores
High scores
Verbal Comprehension Index
(VCI)

Ability to understand and use language

Ability to think and reason using words

Knowledge of verbal concepts and language
Verbal
Comprehension
Index
Low scores - difficulty with group
discussions, auditory memory,
reasoning aloud, reading, writing and
expressing their ideas, multi-step
directions
High scores - good writing skills
and ability to express their ideas,
good vocabulary, careers that
involve writing (University
professors, authors)
Verbal Comprehension Index
(VCI): Subtests





Similarities
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Information
Word Reasoning
VCI Strategies
1. Encourage the student to paraphrase instructions and directions
2. Teach with visuals, demonstrations, videos etc. as learning solely
through verbal information is difficult for this student
3. Encourage the use of graphic organizers
4. Avoid multi-step directions and supplement directions with visuals
5. Provide non-verbal activities to help the student de-stress
6. Supply study guides for text and summaries for novels
7. Highlight key vocabulary/major concepts in student’s texts or
assignments
VCI Strategies
8. Drill to mastery high frequency word & phrase list
9. Relate new information to acquired knowledge.
10. Provide specific vocabulary instruction (prefixes, suffixes, etc.)
11. Use vocabulary that is understood by the student
12. “Comic Life” allows the student to create a visual representation of
a story as they have difficulty expressing themselves verbally.
Accompanied with an oral component, this could be used as an
alternative assignment.
13. “World Book Discover” offers engaging reference resources for
students who struggle due to language or learning difficulties.
Perceptual Reasoning Index
(PRI)

Ability to think and reason using pictures/visual information

To see what is being asked

To understand and respond, and to organize information in ones
head through images

To manipulate abstract visual thoughts (visual spatial skills)

To reason with rules, generalizations, and logical thinking
Perceptual
Reasoning
Index
Low scores - difficulty with puzzles
learning to read, learning math facts &
formulas, poor visual-spatial skills, gets
lost easily, won’t gravitate to a SMART
board, uninterested in video games
High scores - hands on activities,
careers in construction or
engineering, learns well with
visuals and demonstrations, good
visual-spatial skills
Perceptual Reasoning Index
(PRI): Subtests




Block Design
Picture Concepts
Matrix Reasoning
Picture Completion
PRI Strategies
1. Provide verbal information along with visual presentations
2. Make an effort to write neatly on the board and on worksheets
3. Reduce the amount of visual information on a page so that the
student may more easily focus on the information at hand
4. Use a larger font for printed materials
5. Minimize copying activities by providing information on worksheets
or handouts
6. Have the student use graph paper to assist him or her in lining up
the numbers/letters properly and for guiding spaces between words
7. Highlight or underline important phrases in the students assigned
reading
8. Assign fewer questions, and adjust the level of difficulty to suit the
student
PRI Strategies
9. Teach word processing skills
10. Allow for extra time for written tasks
11. Accept oral reports - use “Audacity” software to record
12. Provide writing guides to help him organize his written work (e.g.,
graphic organizers, Venn diagrams, etc.).
13. Consider alternative methods, other than a written test, to check
understanding of a concept
14. Give extra time (usually time and a half or double time)
15. Allow a calculator for math activities
16. Provide a model or example if possible
17. Teach social skills as needed.
- http://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/teacher-resources2.jsp
Working Memory Index (WMI)

Ability to hold information in your head and
manipulate it in some way

Measures attention, concentration, working
memory, ability to encode information, and
rehearsal strategies
Working
Memory
Index
Low scores - poor short term memory,
difficulty with self-monitoring, multi-step
directions, organization, spelling,
reading, & math
High scores - good short term
memory & ability to sustain
attention, good at spelling, reading,
and math calculation skills
Working Memory Index (WMI):
Subtests



Digit Span
Letter Number Sequencing
Arithmetic
WMI Strategies
1. Check hearing
2. Seat student close to the teacher
3. Encourage and teach good listening skills (eyes on teacher, active
listening, asking questions, writing notes)
4. Teach memory enhancing techniques such as mnemonics,
rehearsal, repetition, visualizing/verbalizing, categorizing, etc
(Dean, M. (2008). Working memory and academic learning: Assessment and intervention)
5. Simple step-by-step directions vs. multi-step accompanied with
visuals
6. Ask student to paraphrase directions and demonstrate how to do
tasks
7. Teach note-taking skills or use a tape recorder during lectures (Use
“Smart Notebook” to make a video tutorial of a lecture so the
student can watch it on a computer, I-pod, or Smart Board)
8. Allow alternatives to written exams (oral take-home, projects,
presentations)
WMI Strategies
9. Allow “open book” or memory aids for assignments/quizzes
10. Provide more time or avoid timed tasks to complete tasks and
process information
11. Reduce quantity of work in favor of quality
12. Avoid timed tasks
13. Provide notes from another student
14. Speech-to-text (if objective includes a writing component) otherwise
accept a voice recording. (i.e. through the SRSD program “Audacity”)
15.Cuing with closed questions or with a choice versus open ended
questions
16.Teach the student how to effectively use a daily agenda
17.Provide body breaks (lifting self out of desk, doing pushups against
desk)
18.Index cards or mastery notebooks may be used to (a) keep vocabulary
words/definitions, spelling words, and formulas; (b) for sentence
starters to help focus what needs to be done to start the task or for a
transition; (c) show examples of what work is supposed to look like and
Processing Speed Index (PSI)

Ability to respond to simple, visual motor
tasks quickly, especially when under
pressure to maintain focus, attention and
concentration.
Processing
Speed
Index
Low scores - difficulties with tasks
such as copying notes from the board
& working under time pressures, poor
perceptual discrimination ability
High scores - mental quickness,
good computer skills, ability to work
under pressure, good motivation,
persistence, and perceptual
discrimination ability
Processing Speed Index (PSI):
Subtests



Coding
Symbol Search
Cancellation
PSI Strategies
1. Develop fine motor coordination through appropriate activities
2. Teach how to skim and scan for information in a text.
3. Give student more time to process information – reduce quantity of
questions in order to increase the quality of answers
4. Chunk work so that it is not visually overwhelming
5. Provide time and a half to double time for exams and questions or allow
take home exams. Wait for a response to questions and cue if necessary.
6. Avoid timed tasks
7. Photocopy the notes of another student. Copying notes and copying from
the board are difficult for these students.
8. Teach computer skills - word processing, text to speech software, speech
to text software and programs.
9. Highlight math symbols as they can be easily confused