Topics include: • What do we know about cognitive processing and dyslexia? • WISC IV IQ Test Overview • —What do those subtests measure anyway? • —Common patterns in scores across and within indices —• Dyslexia, working memory and processing speed • How to think about discrepancies between IQ and achievement tests • Interpreting eligibility for Spec Ed Services • In light of RTI, IDEA and the discrepancy model

1. Q&A: ED TESTING AND DYSLEXIA
Presented by
Michael Hart, Ph.D.
Tuesday, February 25, 2013

2. INTRODUCTION
 Be
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not afraid!
 This is not rocket science
 You will become an expert on your child’s
profile; you do not have to become an
expert on everybody’s profile
 What is legally important to advocate within
your schools?
 What is clinically important in order to plan
remediation for your child?
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3. AGENDA
What do we know about cognitive processing and
dyslexia?
 WISC IV IQ Test Overview

How to think about discrepancies between IQ and
achievement tests
 Interpreting eligibility for Spec Ed Services


In light of RTI, IDEA and the discrepancy model
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What do those subtests measure anyway?
 Common patterns in scores across and within indices
 Dyslexia, working memory and processing speed
 Q’s on the fly

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4. COMMON COGNITIVE PROCESSING
WEAKNESSES IN DYSLEXIC PEOPLE
Most dyslexic students present with deficits in
one, many, or all of these areas.
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Phonological processing
 Long-term retrieval (specifically rapid automatic
naming or RAN)
 Verbal working memory
 Processing speed in general
 Executive functioning and attentional abilities

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5. HOW THE WISC IV IS STRUCTURED
Verbal Comprehension Index
Perceptual Reasoning Index
Block Design
Picture Concepts
Matrix Reasoning
Picture Completion
FSIQ
Working Memory Index
Digit Span
Letter-Number
Sequencing
Arithmetic
Processing Speed Index
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Similarities
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Information
Word Reasoning
Coding
Symbol Search
Cancellation
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6. WHAT DO THE INDICES MEASURE?

Verbal Comprehension

Perceptual Reasoning


Working Memory


Spatial processing, visual-motor integration
Ability to temporarily retain information and perform
some operation with the information
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
Reasoning, concept formation, what you learn from your
environment
Processing Speed

Quickly scan or sequence visually BUT…Coding
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7. WISC IV VERBAL COMPREHENSION SUBTESTS


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
Similarities measures verbal reasoning and concept
formation. It also involves auditory
comprehension, memory, distinction between nonessential
and essential features, and verbal expression. This test
requires the child to identify the similarity between two
ostensibly dissimilar items (words presented orally to the
child)
Vocabulary measures the child’s word knowledge and verbal
concept formation. For the picture items, the child is required
to name the pictures in the stimulus book. For the verbal
items, the child is required to give definitions for words the
examiner reads aloud.
Comprehension measures the child’s verbal reasoning and
conceptualization, verbal comprehension, and verbal
expression. This test requires the child to answer questions
based on his or her understanding of general principles and
social situations.
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8. WISC IV PERCEPTUAL REASONING SUBTESTS


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
Block Design measures the child’s ability to analyze and
synthesize abstract visual stimuli. This test requires the child
to view a constructed model or a picture in the stimulus book,
and use red-and-white blocks to re-create the design within a
specified time limit.
Picture Concepts measures abstract, categorical reasoning
ability. The child is presented with two or three rows of
pictures and chooses one picture from each row to form a
group with a common characteristic.
Matrix Reasoning measures fluid intelligence and provides a
reliable estimate of general nonverbal intelligence. This test
requires the child to view an incomplete matrix and select the
missing portion from 5 response options.
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9. WISC IV WORKING MEMORY SUBTESTS

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
Digit Span measures auditory short-term memory,
sequencing skills, attention, and concentration. The
Digit Span Forward task requires the child to repeat
numbers in the same order as read aloud by the
examiner. Digit Span Backward requires the child to
repeat the numbers in the reverse order of that
presented by the examiner.
Letter-Number Sequencing measures sequencing,
mental manipulation, attention, short-term auditory
memory, visual-spatial imaging, and processing
speed. It requires the child to read a sequence of letters
and numbers and recall the numbers in ascending order
and the letters in alphabetical order.
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10. PROCESSING SPEED INDEX

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
Coding measures the child’s short-term
memory, learning ability, visual perception, visual-motor
coordination, visual scanning ability, cognitive
flexibility, attention, and motivation. It requires the child
to copy symbols that are paired with simple geometric
shapes or numbers.
Symbol Search measures processing speed, shortterm visual memory, visual-motor coordination, cognitive
flexibility, visual discrimination, and concentration. This
test requires the child to scan a search group and
indicate whether the target symbol(s) matches any of
the symbols in the search group within a specified time
limit.
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11. HOW TO THINK ABOUT DISCREPANCIES
BETWEEN IQ AND ACHIEVEMENT TESTS
Considerable variability in subtest scores impacts
validity of discrepancy model…on both the
cognitive assessment and academic achievement
side.
 All data must be used from the evaluation to come
to a conclusion about cognitive processing
weaknesses.
 The clear and emerging importance of
understandable cognitive processing (esp.
phonological processing) in determining FAPE.

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12. INTERPRETING ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL ED
SERVICES

History Lesson
The Federal IDEA’s disability terms and definitions
GUIDE how States define disability and eligibility

Oblique, diaphanous

Changes to IDEA in 2006

Movement away from cognitive processing criteria to
attainment of grade-level standards

LDA Feb 2010 White Paper
 www.ldaamerica.org
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
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13. ASSESSING “SLD” BY TESTING FOR
UNDERACHIEVEMENT IN ONE OR MORE AREAS







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
Oral expression
Listening comprehension
Written expression
Basic reading skills
Reading fluency skills
Reading comprehension
Mathematics calculation
Mathematics problem solving
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14. INTERPRETING ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL ED
SERVICES (CON’T)

NOW…Evaluation includes Response to
Intervention as a Procedure
Ex: TN 6th – 8th graders deadline July 1, 2015
States must NOT REQUIRE the use of discrepancy
between intellectual ability and achievement
 States must PERMIT child’s response to RTI
 States MAY permit the use of other research-based
procedures…i.e., cognitive processing testing

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
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15. THE IRONY: WHAT DISCREPANCY?
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If you don’t
know what
you’re testing
for, it’s
obviously not
there.
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16. TENNESSEE LAW RE: ELIGIBILITY
The Discrepancy Method of Identification concludes
there is a severe discrepancy between educational
performance and predicted achievement that is
based on the best measure of cognitive ability

Defined by at least 1.5 Standard Deviations
(considering Standard Error of the Estimate) when
utilizing regression-based discrepancy analyses
described in Tennessee's guidelines for evaluation
of Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD Assessment
Resource Packet)
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
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17. IMPRESSIVE RESOURCE PACKET
http://www.state.tn.us/education/speced/doc/71309SL
DEval.pdf
See page 9
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Specific Learning Disabilities
Evaluation: Procedural Addendum B
Discrepancy and Processing Deficits
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18. SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES
EVALUATION: PROCEDURAL ADDENDUM B
DISCREPANCY AND PROCESSING DEFICITS
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“Occasionally there will not be a significant
discrepancy between the best measure of cognitive
ability and academic achievement (as defined in the
SLD standards), although there will be reliable and
valid evidence of a significant cognitive processing
disorder (evidenced by a discrepancy among
subtest standard scores across the battery, thus
preventing the measurable discrepancy between
ability and achievement). “
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19. CHALLENGES

What is legally important as you engage the public
school system to obtain services?

What is clinically important for you as you plan
remediation for your child?


Educational Technology
How are you going to protect your child’s heart and
soul?
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Can you agree on a proper score for cognitive ability?
 Were the right tests done to begin with?
 How do you best calculate 1.5 SD discrepancy? If
not…

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20. Copyright DrMichaelHart.com All rights
reserved.
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21. Thank You!
Contact me at:
www.doctormichaelhart.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-MichaelHart/369431536476530?ref=hl
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doctormichaelhart@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/drmichaelhart
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