<p>bonnie–</p>
<p>Thanks for your post. I’m sorry the professionals don’t take the time to explain this. I’m just a mom but have learned <strong>a lot</strong> by immersing myself in eval scores for many years. My d also had an incredible neuropsych who helped me understand a lot of this.</p>
<p>Acronyms used below:
VCI: Verbal Comprehension Index or mostly verbal, sequentially-based intelligence
PRI: Perceptual Reasoning Index or mostly nonverbal, still sequentially-based intelligence
WMI: Working Memory Index - mostly auditory memory held for a few seconds and used with other information to create a new “product”
PSI: Processing Speed Index - measures how quickly the brain processes information, especially visual, but the subtests measure fine motor/graphomotor skills as well.</p>
<p>1) There are many types of intelligence. The Wechsler Intelligence Standard for Children or WISC (the IQ test you posted scores for) is not the best intelligence test for all people. However, the WISC measures four types of intelligence that are used most often in the classroom. So that test may not be telling us your dd’s true intelligence. But those results may yield very important clues about why some aspects of school are hard for her. </p>
<p>If a kid’s overall WISC score seems <strong>unexpectedly</strong> low (in three or all four indicies,) chances are it’s a bright kid who is having trouble learning or showing mastery in the traditional classroom. If a kid’s WISC score has a lot of scatter (some high scores and some relatively low scores), chances are the kid is frustrated with school, struggling more in school than his neurotypical classmates, and no one can really explain why. </p>
<p>2) For your dd, there is an interesting split. She fits the second example above: wide scatter with her VCI and PRI more than 15-points higher than her WMI and PSI. She is clearly a very bright young lady with a strong capacity for learning complicated, abstract and complex information in both verbal and nonverbal realms. However, it appears she has trouble with the basics. </p>
<p>For example, she might be able to learn algebra quickly but can’t remember her multiplication tables. Or she might be able to tell you a very creative story with complex vocabulary and interesting character development, but not be able to write out that same information. Her written version would be sparse, with few details and much simpler vocabulary.</p>
<p>I don’t know that those specific examples apply to her, but they may help you understand what’s happening. </p>
<p>3) There are no effective exercises or tutoring sessions that will boost someone’s Working Memory Index or Processing Speed Index. Yes, some strategies might help. But realize that if she starts putting brain energy into implementing those strategies, she will have less brain energy left for doing the actual classwork/homework. </p>
<p>4) I’d like to see an executive function assessment done on your dd. Schools usually don’t do them because there is no automatic 504 or IEP for a kid with weak executive function. Usually, those kids are just labeled as “lazy” or “not living up to potential” or maybe “slow learners.” GRRRRR. </p>
<p>But the WISC only gives us a glimpse of what’s working/what’s not. Other evals give a lot more specifics. I’d like to know what types of information are harder or easier for her to store in her working memory and to manipulate from there. I’d like to know which types of cognitive processing are easier for her and what types are more difficult for her.</p>
<p>Good exec function tests include the Delis-Kaplan and the NEPSY. Any scatter or unusual scores on exec function evals should lead to more testing–to further pinpoint what’s going on. (But don’t burn her out by doing all the evals in the same day!)</p>
<p>5) I’d also like to tease out whether her low Coding score is mostly an eyes-to-brain issue, or a brain-to-hands issue. Eye-hand coordination can be really complicated! Also, the Coding subtest has some overlaps with short-term memory. Kids who have memory weaknesses tend to have lower Coding scores, even though Coding is considered a Processing Speed test, not a Working Memory test.</p>
<p>I think your dd may have some visual processing issues. In addition to her lower Coding and Symbol Search scores, her Picture Completion is at least two points lower than her other PRI subtest scores. Picture Completion requires strong visual processing in addition to nonverbal reasoning. Her nonverbal reasoning is great–as long as the visual processing is not complicated.</p>
<p>By visual processing, I don’t mean 20/20 vision. Visual processing is her brain’s ability to take information from the eyes, rapidly make sense of it, and use it effectively. It MAY be that her visual processing is a little weaker than some of her other cognitive skills. </p>
<p>Likewise, auditory processing is not about “hearing.” It’s about the brain being able to rapidly take information from the ears and then convert, compare, file or manipulate that information so it becomes meaningful. </p>
<p>As I said in an earlier post, the “signs” of slower WMI and/or PSI are often inconsistent performance in school, academic burnout, frustration, and can also show up as anxiety or depression. Or as the psych’s report said about your dd, “school work may be long and tiring.”</p>
<p>Solutions? Sorry, but I don’t know of quick fixes. Accommodations are probably best. Keyboarding can be much better than writing by hand–which often requires too much brainpower. Books on tape help some kids who fatigue while reading, but they don’t work for all kids. Spellcheck can be great for kids who can’t hold words in working memory. Dragon Naturally Speaking can be a huge asset for kids who can “tell” you a great essay but can’t seem to put it on paper.</p>
<p>When WMI is a problem, I recommend school-approved “cheat sheets.” For example, letting her use a multiplication chart when doing math, even on tests. If the goal is her learning pre-algebra or early geometry, focus on that. Don’t bog down her brain trying to remember what 6x7 is. Another approved cheat-sheet can be teacher-written notes before EVERY lecture. She can highlight, doodle or underline on the sheet–and not have to listen, write and remember all at the same time. </p>
<p>I don’t recommend that the student tape classroom lectures, then transcribe them at home. If the student is already taking longer than neurotypical peers to do homework, when will she have time and stamina to listen to the taped lecture and write notes on it? Nope, teacher-written notes are far better.</p>
<p>Students with weak WMI can improve their note-taking skills. Best to learn and practice those skills in a small group or 1:1 with a Speech-Language Pathologist and not “trial by fire” in the classroom setting.</p>
<p>When a person has weaker PSI, they often benefit from receiving additional time to take major tests, write papers or complete long assignments. They also may need help with prioritizing, organization, and time management.</p>
<p>These accommodations are not coddling. The goal should be to minimize the amount of effort she has to spend compensating for her weaker working memory and slower processing speed–so she can learn at the pace her brain is clearly capable of!</p>
<p>Finally, emotional health. 13 is a fragile, difficult age. Not only does she have to deal with hormones and the social landmines of middle school, but she’s facing invisible difficulties that make schoolwork so much harder for her. Yet it doesn’t appear to be classic ADHD-inattentive and is not really an LD. So she may not qualify for school-based assistance. My kids were not diagnosed with learning difficulties until 6th grade, and it took several years for the school to even agree on what to call it or how to help them. My kids needed several years of counseling to deal with the many struggles during that time.</p>