Understanding the WISC-IV Cognitive Assessment

1. Understanding the WISC-IV Cognitive Assessment Heather Childs Heather Hayes

2. Outline • WISC-IV • Indexes and subtests • Strategies

3. Overview of WISC-IV • WISC-IV: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth 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

4. WISC-IV VCI PRI SimilaritiesVocabularyComprehensionInformationWord Reasoning Block DesignPicture ConceptsMatrix ReasoningPicture Completion FSIQ PSI WMI Digit SpanLetter-Number Seq.Arithmetic CodingSymbol SearchCancellation

5. 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

6. Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) • Ability to understand and use language • Ability to think and reason using words • Knowledge of verbal concepts and language

7. 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)

8. Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI): Subtests • Similarities • Vocabulary • Comprehension • Information • Word Reasoning

9. VCI Strategies • Encourage the student to paraphrase instructions and directions • Teach with visuals, demonstrations, videos etc. as learning solely through verbal information is difficult for this student • Encourage the use of graphic organizers • Avoid multi-step directions and supplement directions with visuals • Provide non-verbal activities to help the student de-stress • Supply study guides for text and summaries for novels • Highlight key vocabulary/major concepts in student’s texts or assignments

10. VCI Strategies • Drill to mastery high frequency word & phrase list • Relate new information to acquired knowledge. • Provide specific vocabulary instruction (prefixes, suffixes, etc.) • Use vocabulary that is understood by the student • “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. • “World Book Discover” offers engaging reference resources for students who struggle due to language or learning difficulties.

11. 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

12. 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

13. Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI): Subtests • Block Design • Picture Concepts • Matrix Reasoning • Picture Completion

14. PRI Strategies • Provide verbal information along with visual presentations • Make an effort to write neatly on the board and on worksheets • Reduce the amount of visual information on a page so that the student may more easily focus on the information at hand • Use a larger font for printed materials • Minimize copying activities by providing information on worksheets or handouts • Have the student use graph paper to assist him or her in lining up the numbers/letters properly and for guiding spaces between words • Highlight or underline important phrases in the students assigned reading • Assign fewer questions, and adjust the level of difficulty to suit the student

15. PRI Strategies • Teach word processing skills • Allow for extra time for written tasks • Accept oral reports - use “Audacity” software to record • Provide writing guides to help him organize his written work (e.g., graphic organizers, Venn diagrams, etc.). • Consider alternative methods, other than a written test, to check understanding of a concept • Give extra time (usually time and a half or double time) • Allow a calculator for math activities • Provide a model or example if possible • Teach social skills as needed. - http://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/teacher-resources2.jsp

16. 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

17. 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

18. Working Memory Index (WMI): Subtests • Digit Span • Letter Number Sequencing • Arithmetic

19. WMI Strategies • Check hearing • Seat student close to the teacher • Encourage and teach good listening skills (eyes on teacher, active listening, asking questions, writing notes) • Teach memory enhancing techniques such as mnemonics, rehearsal, repetition, visualizing/verbalizing, categorizing, etc (Dean, M. (2008). Working memory and academic learning: Assessment and intervention) • Simple step-by-step directions vs. multi-step accompanied with visuals • Ask student to paraphrase directions and demonstrate how to do tasks • 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) • Allow alternatives to written exams (oral take-home, projects, presentations)

20. WMI Strategies • Allow “open book” or memory aids for assignments/quizzes • Provide more time or avoid timed tasks to complete tasks and process information • Reduce quantity of work in favor of quality • Avoid timed tasks • Provide notes from another student • Speech-to-text (if objective includes a writing component) otherwise accept a voice recording. (i.e. through the SRSD program “Audacity”) • Cuing with closed questions or with a choice versus open ended questions • Teach the student how to effectively use a daily agenda • Provide body breaks (lifting self out of desk, doing pushups against desk) • 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 not look like

21. Processing Speed Index (PSI) • Ability to respond to simple, visual motor tasks quickly, especially when under pressure to maintain focus, attention and concentration.

22. 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

23. Processing Speed Index (PSI): Subtests • Coding • Symbol Search • Cancellation

24. PSI Strategies • Develop fine motor coordination through appropriate activities • Teach how to skim and scan for information in a text. • Give student more time to process information – reduce quantity of questions in order to increase the quality of answers • Chunk work so that it is not visually overwhelming • 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. • Avoid timed tasks • Photocopy the notes of another student. Copying notes and copying from the board are difficult for these students. • Teach computer skills - word processing, text to speech software, speech to text software and programs. • Highlight math symbols as they can be easily confused