School Psychologists Association of S.E. Manitoba
Present:
Ron
Teffaine, Dale Laird, Bill Stevens, Suzanne Robert, Sandra McMullen
Minutes
Scott Pawson - General Manager of the Psychological Corporation, Harcourt Canada, gave us a full day workshop on the new WISC-IV, WIAT-II, and the PAL. The CMS was briefly touched on.
WISC-IV uses a four-factor model: Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed. New subtests were added, such as Word Reasoning, Matrix Reasoning, Picture Concepts, Letter-Number Sequencing and Cancellation, whereas other subtests were revamped. Picture Arrangement and Mazes were dropped. Information, Picture Completion, and Arithmetic are now supplementary subtests. The Canadian norms will be ready in 2004. They will be stratified by 3 geographic regions (Prairies, Central Canada, Maritimes), gender, parental education, and age. When the Canadian norms become available for the scoring software, there will be no extra charge if the U.S. scoring software was previously purchased.
WIAT-II - We discussed the normative graph available through the scoring software; using a tape-recorder on the Word Reading subtest to be able to write down errors and still let the child read quickly; comparison of Word Reading (isolated) and Target Words (in context); stopping before the normal end points on Reading Comprehension if the child cannot read anything at all on two successive stories or sentences and there is excessive stress; comparing sentence structure in the paragraph or essay to sentence combining; allowing the child to include the word "pizza" in Word Fluency but not counting it in the scoring; dropping down to one starting point below the grade placement on most subtests (not Reading Comprehension) when a child is suspected of mental deficiency; dropping down three starting points below grade placement if a child scores zero on all Reading Comprehension reversal items; checking error analysis results on Spelling instead of just blindly accepting computer scored results; using qualitative rating scales when possible; preferring the analytic scoring to the holistic scoring on the Written Expression subtest; the value of assessing writing composition in junior high school; etc.
The PAL appeared to be a very useful instrument that looks at how children from grades one to six process reading and writing problems. It assesses many of the factors the literature has indicated are important in this area (e.g., rapid naming, phonological awareness, finger agnosia, etc.). The tool can track progress by the use of decile scores, and the results are linked to various recommended remedial strategies and materials. Mr. Pawson said that clinicians could borrow these tests for a month or so before deciding on their purchase.
The CMS - includes measurement of auditory and visual memory, short-term memory, working memory, and long-term retrieval. Moreover, semantic and episodic memory can be assessed, as well as recall and recognition memory.