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Curious about how
the new IQ tests
affect eligibility
for gifted
programming?
Read this article
by
Dr. Linda Silverman,
How to Use the New
IQ Tests in
Selecting Gifted
Students
 

The GDC Experience

Why choose the Gifted Development Center?

Because our experience provides an in-depth grasp of giftedness. We are internationally recognized experts in identifying giftedness, even when masked by learning challenges. We have served over 5,600 families from all over the globe. We use a team approach, so that you benefit from the experience of several professionals. We are knowledgeable about all ranges of giftedness (from moderate to profound); all ages (from pre-school to adult); gender issues; gifted children with learning disabilities; visual-spatial learners; overexcitabilities; and gifted children from diverse backgrounds. We interpret the information you give us through the lens of giftedness. Not everybody “gets” gifted, nor has experience testing many gifted children. Our non-profit center offers a unique combination of expert psychological testing to assess the needs of gifted learners and educational consultation to properly accommodate and motivate them at school. We attempt to provide the best possible understanding of your child’s abilities in order to optimize his or her talents.

What is it like to bring your child to be tested at the Gifted Development Center?

You are welcomed by our warm professional staff in a cozy carriage house that reminds most visitors of a comfortable grandmother’s cottage. Gifted children usually enjoy the testing, because it gives them an opportunity to stretch their minds and tackle difficult problems. They delight in having the full attention of an experienced examiner who takes pleasure in their successes. We love gifted children and they feel recognized here. Our child-centered atmosphere enables your child to show us what he or she really knows instead of hiding. Our examiners excel at gently probing for further information when a child says, “I don’t know.” They are skilled in developing rapport with shy children and keeping active children engaged.

Why do we need to complete all those forms?

When you inquire about testing at the Gifted Development Center (1-888-GIFTED1), you will be sent a Characteristics of Giftedness Scale with 25 questions that have been well-researched. If your child fits at least ¾ of these characteristics, chances are great that he or she will test in the superior or gifted range. You will be asked to complete an 8-page Developmental Questionnaire that we rely on to tailor our guidance and your report to the unique needs of your child. The Introversion/Extraversion Continuum and Overexcitability Inventory for Parents help further understanding of your child’s personality. The Short Sensory Profile and Behavioral Checklist allow us to screen for hidden challenges. Completing these forms gives parents insights into their children.

The forms are submitted to the Center, along with any prior test results. Before you travel, you have a phone consultation with a Senior Staff Member who reviews all of the information and offers you immediate guidance. You will be able to determine if and when testing is needed, what tests will serve your purposes, if your child should see any specialists in your area before testing (e.g., for a vision evaluation), or if you should meet with other professionals (e.g., for a Central Auditory Processing Battery) while you are in Colorado. Other questions you have about your child can also be addressed at this time.

What makes testing at the GDC different?

We administer a self-concept scale with all IQ tests to look at your child’s perceptions of scholastic, social and physical competence. Additional domains are assessed in older children. When a child’s index scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) are highly discrepant, we calculate the General Ability Index (GAI), as recommended by the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Task Force on Assessment, as well as the test publisher and leaders in psychological assessment. The GAI gives a better estimate of reasoning ability by omitting Working Memory and Processing Speed.

When your child performs beyond the ceiling of an intelligence scale, we note the number of extra raw score points earned. We use the extended norms of the WISC-IV to calculate higher scores based on these extra raw score points. We also document if your child did not meet the discontinue criterion for any subtest, as this suggests that he or she might have obtained a higher score had there been harder items. If we feel that an IQ test underestimates your child’s abilities, we offer supplemental testing on a scale with a higher ceiling. We have numerous other instruments to further diagnose weaknesses or emotional issues.

We interpret your child’s test results within the context of the information you have provided in the Developmental Questionnaire about your child’s development and your family background. When your child appears to us to act and think like a gifted child, but his or her test scores do not reflect these abilities, we excel at determining the cause.

Our comprehensive post-test conference is two hours long and involves two professionals. We go over your child’s test results to make sure you have a complete understanding of how the scores were obtained, your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and the implications of the results. We write detailed recommendations and often can refer you to other professionals in your area. We can also provide information about special schools for the gifted throughout the country. At the end of the session, you are given a wealth of articles related to your child’s needs and you receive a 2-page Evaluation Summary with all of the test results, your child’s strengths and weaknesses, learning style, recommendations and referrals. After testing, we are available by phone for ongoing consultations and school staffings, as needed. We are there for you.

Your individually crafted, lengthy, typed report will be sent within 6 or 8 weeks. Before it goes into the mail, the report written by the tester is reviewed by a Senior Staff Member for correct scoring and interpretation, then revised by the tester, then proofread by another staff member. We are thorough.

Gifted children are complex. Many parents tell us that the combined insights of all of the knowledgeable professionals at the Gifted Development Center literally changed their child’s life. We hope that you will consider allowing us to serve you and your family.

* DISCLAIMER:  At the Gifted Development Center, we are skilled at working with the entire range of giftedness, including profoundly gifted, and with children from 3 1/2 through adolescence. We also work with gifted adults. We have expertise in diagnosing learning disabilities. However, we do NOT have expertise with severe attentional deficits, autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Delay, or severe emotional problems, such as manic depression, schizophrenia, etc. Specialists in these areas should be sought, if applicable.