Fairleigh Dickinson University School Psychology Program in Cooperation with New Jersey Region V
Everything Old is New Again: Review and Overview of New Tests:
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V) and Woodcock-Johnson, Fourth Edition, Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Oral Language, and Academic Achievement (WJ IV COG, ACH, and OL)
The session will examine a number of recently released revisions of popular cognitive and academic assessment measures. Given the substantial changes to the instruments, a considerable amount of time will be spent in reviewing these modifications. The theoretical foundation of the tests, as well as pertinent issues relevant to the cognitive and academic assessment of children will be explored. Participants can expect to leave the session with a thorough exposure to the tests items, their scoring, and interpretation. In addition, relevant information regarding clinical validity and the use of the test with youngsters suspected of manifesting various disabilities will be discussed.
Ron Dumont, Ed.D., NCSP is a Professor of Psychology and the Director of the School of Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Dumont's areas of research interest include problems with the diagnosis of Learning Problems, assessment of Serious Emotional Disturbance, and differences found between assessment tools. He is the author or co-author of over 20 book chapters as well as over 100 journal articles and test reviews. He is co-author, with John Willis and Colin Elliott of Essentials of DAS-II Assessment; with John Willis and Guy McBride, the Essentials of IDEA for Assessment Professionals; and with John Willis, the Guide to Identification of Learning Disabilities Third Edition (2002). With Dr. Jerome Sattler, he co-authored the Assessment of Children WISC-IV and WPPSI-III Supplement (2004). [email protected]
John O. Willis, Ed.D., SAIF, has been, since 1980, part-time Senior Lecturer in Assessment and advisor and instructor for the Specialist in Assessment of Intellectual Functioning (SAIF) certification program, Rivier University, Nashua, New Hampshire, where he also teaches Cognitive Assessment II in the Psy.D. Program, and, since 1974, Assessment Specialist (former Director of Psychoeducational Services), Regional Services and Education Center, Amherst, NH. He has worked in special education as a volunteer, tutor, teacher, evaluator, administrator, author, presenter, and consultant for 51 years. Evaluator is the one job he may have gotten right. He is the co-author, with Ron Dumont, Ed.D, NCSP, of the Guide to Identification of Learning Disabilities (3rd ed.) and is author or co-author of several books and many several chapters and articles. Dr. Willis has taught courses for the University System of New Hampshire and Antioch/New England Graduate School and presented numerous workshops for teachers and psychologists in the United States and Canada since 1976. [email protected]
Dr. Dumont and Dr. Willis have recently contributed chapters to Intelligent Testing with the WISC-V and Essentials of WJ IV Tests of Achievement and are working on a chapter with Dr. Robert Walrath for Essentials of WJ IV Cognitive Abilities Assessment
http://www.myschoolpsychology.com
Flanagan, D. P., & Alfonso, V. C. (Eds.) (in press). WJ IV clinical use and interpretation. Burlington, MA: Academic Press.
Kaufman, A. S., Coalson, D. L., & Raiford, S. E. (Eds.) (in press). Intelligent testing with the WISC-V. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Mather, N., & Jaffe, L. E. (Eds.) (2010). Comprehensive evaluations: Case reports for psychologists, diagnosticians, and special educators. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Mather, N., & Jaffe, L. (in press).Woodcock-Johnson IV: Reports, recommendations, and strategies.Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Mather, N., & Wendling, B. J. (2015). Essentials of WJ IV tests of achievement. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
McBride, G. M., Dumont, R., & Willis, J. O. (2011). Essentials of IDEA for assessment professionals. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Schrank, F. A., Decker, S. L., & Garruto, J. M. (in preparation). Essentials of WJ IV cognitive abilities assessment. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Contents of This Very Handout with Approximate Page Numbers
Learning Another New Test 4
Illustrative References 9
WJ IV Cognitive, Oral Language, and Achievement Gf-Gc and Scholastic Aptitude Configuration 11
Table 1 WJ IV Tests of Cognitive, Achievement, And Oral Language Abilities by Tests, Global Measures, and Clusters 12
WJ IV Useful Additional Material That Is Available To Download 15
WJ IV Quibbles 15
Differences Between WJ IV Gf-Gc Cluster Tests by Narrow Abilities, and Input, and Output Demand 17
Differences Between WJ IV Composite Tests Required for Statistical Significance, by Age Group 20
Approximate Percentage of Population Expected To Obtain Discrepancies Between Various WJ IV Tests 22
WI IV Cognitive Fine Points of Administration 27
WJ IV Cognitive Tests Decision Points 30
Gf-Gc Classification and WISC-V Subtests 31
Broad and Narrow Abilities for Subtest of the Wechsler, WJ IV, and DAS-II 32
WISC-V Subtests and Scores 34
Specific Process Observations Base Rate 35
WISC-V Structure 36
WISC-V Types Of Scores 37
WISC-V Comparisons See WISC-V Manuals for Further Elaboration 38
WISC-V Information Item Content 43
WISC-V Picture Concepts Rationale? 44
Critical Values for Statistically Significant Differences Between the WISC-V Verbal Comprehension and Nonverbal Indexes 45
Approximate Percentage of Population Expected to Obtain Discrepancies Between the WISC-V Verbal Comprehension and Nonverbal Indexes 45
WISC-V Broad Verbal Index (BVI) Equivalents of Sums of Scaled Scores 47
WISC-V Verbal Knowledge Index (VKI) Equivalents of Sums of Scaled Scores 48
Differences Required for Significance When Each WISCV Subtest Scaled Score is Compared to the Mean Subtest Scaled Score for Any Individual Child 49
Report Form Shell for WISC-V Suitable for an Evaluation Report Appendix 50
(Use Replace All to replace Namexx with examinee's first name, Lastxx with the last name, and hxx with "his" or "her" [pick one]. Replace each remaining xx with anything that seems reasonable. Delete all paragraphs and lines in tables that are not relevant.)
Explanation of test scores used in report 50
Table shell of Namexx's WISC-V scores 51
Description of the WISC-V 53
Report Form Shell for WJ IV Suitable for an Evaluation Report Appendix 55
(Use Replace All to replace Namexx with examinee's first name, Lastxx with the last name, and hxx with "his" or "her" [pick one]. Replace each remaining xx with anything that seems reasonable. Delete all paragraphs and lines in tables that are not relevant.)
Explanation of test scores used in report 55
Table shell of Namexx's WJ IV scores 56
Description of the WJ IV 62
Does Ralph Have a Specific Learning Disability? (a cautionary tale) 69
OAT-CEREAL (on the mindlessness of grade-equivalent scores) 73
LEARNING ANOTHER NEW TEST
(NEW TRICKS FOR MATURE DOGS)
These suggestions assume that you are already an experienced evaluator and that you have successfully completed at least one advanced assessment course and have administered, scored, interpreted, reported, and fully mastered at least one controlled test in the same domain (e.g., academic achievement, cognitive abilities) as the new one you are approaching.
These suggestions also assume that you have knowledge and experience in the skills and abilities the new test is intended to assess (such as reading skills, math skills, general intellectual ability, or memory) and that you are familiar with persons similar to those you would be testing with the new instrument (such as persons with specific learning disabilities, preschool children, or adolescents who are blind).
Recruit a qualified examiner who is skilled and experienced with the test and who is willing to help you learn the test. Arrange to reward your colleague handsomely. Share this article with your colleague.
Take the Test Yourself
Before you become any more familiar with the test than you already are, persuade a colleague to administer the test to you. The process of taking the test is the best way to become intimately familiar with it. You will also gain some insight into the thought processes involved in responding to the test items and the experience of the examinee. Enjoy if you can, seeing what it is like to demonstrate your abilities to a stranger if being tested by a colleague, this may actually be more anxiety provoking than being assessed by a total stranger. As you are assessed, think about what you are actually doing to solve the problems or answer the questions. These thoughts will help you understand what a real examinee is going through. The metacognition skills you use to be successful or unsuccessful can be very useful in understanding the success or failures of an actual person you assess.
If the test you choose to take is not appropriate for you (such as a preschool test), you will still become familiar with
