Edmonton Academic / Education (IQ and Learning) Assessment

What is an IQ Assessment?

An IQ assessment is the evaluation of someones Intelligence Quotient (IQ).  A person's IQ score is a number that attempts to identify how well a person can utilize information to answer questions, problem solve, and understand how knowledge 'fits' with the 'real world'.  IQ scores used to be one number, but more recent research shows that people can have a range of 'intelligences' that contribute to an overall IQ score.  The most common IQ tests will give an overall IQ score, and also several sub scale IQ scores.  The most common sub scale IQ scores are Verbal IQ (VIQ) and Non-Verbal IQ (NVIQ).  There may also be Processing Speed IQ (PIQ) scores and Working Memory IQ (WMIQ) scores.  In comprehensive IQ tests each sub scale IQ is made up of various scale scores.  A scale score looks at a particular area of cognitive ability (e.g. arithmetic, word knowledge, visual recognition, etc...).  Scale scores can show where a person has a particular cognitive strength or weakness.

To get an a more accurate evaluation of someone’s IQ it is important that the test compare the tester’s responses to a similar social group. In psychometric testing terms, the group results the tester is compared to is call the ‘normative group’. In Canada that means that IQ tests that have Canadian Norms (the normative groups are a representative sample of Canadians from across the country) must be preferred over comparing a Canadian’s IQ results to someone from a different country. For example, Canadian’s tend to score higher on IQ tests than Americans (some suggest this is do to our stronger social safety nets and school systems). So using an American normed test will most likely over-estimate a Canadian’s IQ. While it might feel good to have the higher IQ score, if the testing is done for the purpose of determining if someone qualifies for classroom or other life supports, and over-estimate of IQ might cause them to not be eligible for the supports they really do need.

Interpreting the results of an IQ test is not as straight forward as printing out the scores. A good assessor will also take into account the client’s history in terms of homelife, enrichment experiences, how they slept the night before the test, and if there are any extenuating (unusual) circumstances. Individuals who are deaf, come from unique cultural backgrounds, or who have fine motor limitations may need to be given specialized forms of IQ tests so that the results are more reflective of their cognitive abilities rather than their physical or cultural differences from the normative group.

IQ - Overall average measure of cognitive ability.  An overall IQ does not identify areas of cognitive strength or weakness.

Verbal IQ - Overall ability to understand and use language to problem solve.

Non-Verbal IQ - Overall ability to reason out problems that are presented non-verbally (e.g. puzzle solving, building or making things, determining location or size).

Processing Speed IQ - How quickly a person can take in information visually, physically, editorially (sound / speech) and use that information to produce a response.

Working Memory IQ - Ability to remember information over a short period of time and use that information to solve new problems.

As a rule of thumb, an average IQ (overall IQ, VIQ, NVIQ, PIQ or WMIQ) runs between 90 and 109.  Scores from 80-89 are typically considered to be 'low average' while scores from 110-119 are considered to be 'high average'.  Scores from 70-79 are 'borderline', while scores from 120-129 are superior.  A scores below 69 are thought to fall in the mentally handicapped range, with lower scores indicating increasing levels of cognitive disability.  Scores from 130 and upwards are considered 'gifted'.  

IQ alone is not a predictor of academic, or life achievement. Many factors will contribute to cognitive ability including, but not limited too: sleeping habits, homelife stability, diet, positive parenting approaches, having supportive friends, physical fitness, creative outlets, and recreational activities.

What is an Academic Assessment?

An Academic Assessment is an evaluation of an individual’s current level of academic achievement. An Academic Assessment provides a neutral evaluation of how an individual is performing in the core areas of reading, writing and arithmetic. An academic assessment can provide results in terms of Grade Level and/or in terms of age level. This is important as not everyone starts school at the same age.

As with IQ testing, it is important that the assessment tool utilized evaluates the tester based on that person’s social and cultural normative group. What that means is that in Canada, the testers responses should be compared to other Canadian students of the same age or grade level. Comparing the responses of a Canadian student to those of an American student can artificially inflate their academic scores, and leave them ineligible for academic supports where they are needed. As many ‘rapid’ or ‘in-school assessors’ are often only provided American normed (tests as these are generally less expensive to purchase) for evaluating children’s academic progress, it is not unusual for a child to be struggling academically, but the parent be told that the in-school assessor’s test showed there was ‘no problem’.

An Academic Assessment can provide a Total Achievement, or Academic Composite score. This score is a reflection of how the tester compares to other students of their age or grade level. If the person taking the test is an adult, then the results will be reported only in terms of current grade level achievement. The Total Achievement score is an average of all the subtest scores. As such, it does not provide insight into particularly areas of academic strengths or weakness.

An Academic Assessment will provide an overall assessment of Reading Ability, Writing Ability, and Mathematics skills. Each of these scores represents an average of various aspects of reading, writing and mathematics, and will not provide insight into particular areas of strengths or weakness.

To determine particular areas of academic strength or weakness a comprehensive Academic Assessment will provide information on various academic skills such as those listed below (but not necessarily limited to the areas listed). For individuals identified with particular learning difficulties, more focused or specialized Academic Assessment instruments may be needed. While a general Academic Assessment may cover all of these areas, if there are particular weaknesses in specific areas, assessment by a Speech Language Pathologist, or Reading Specialist, for example, may be suggested.

Phonemic Proficiency - knowing how two or more letters put together will sound, combining various sounds into words

Pseudoword Decoding - phonetic reading or ‘sounding things out’

Word Reading - whole word or sight word reading

Reading Comprehension - the ability to understand the meaning or ‘gist’ of a written phrase, sentence or paragraph

Spelling - the ability to correctly spell words without assistance

Oral Reading Fluency - the ability to accurately and fluidly pronounce written words with minimal cognitive effort and with inflection and tone that is meaningful to the listener

Orthographic Fluency - the ability to understand and recognize accuracies and inaccuracies in written language (i.e. spelling, grammar…)

Decoding Fluency - the ability to figure out the meaning of written words, to read with understanding

Essay Composition - the ability to create a series of sentences and paragraphs that meaningfully, cohesively, and clearly answer a question or tell a story

Math Problem Solving - the ability to gather mathematical information from a written or verbal story and generate a conclusion, often also with written or verbal content (i.e. it will take 5 hours to travel by train but only 2 by plane)

Numerical Problem Solving - the ability to solve a mathematical formula (i.e. A+B=?)

Math Fluency - Addition / Subtraction/Multiplication - the ability to either add, subtract or multiply with minimal cognitive effort

Oral Listening Comprehension - the ability to understand what is being said to you

Oral Expression - the ability to express ones thoughts verbally, with spoken clarity and in a manner that us easily understandable by others

What is an Education Assessment (Ed-Psych Assessment) or Learning Assessment?

An Educational Assessment or Ed-Psych Assessment typically combines elements of a Cognitive or IQ assessment with an Academic Assessment. Combining these features may allow the assessor to determine if the client is achieving academically given the client’s measured cognitive abilities. Clients may achieve as expected, or may over or under achieve. Figuring out why a client is over or underachieving as predicted by their IQ may give insight into the presence of Learning Disabilities, homelife issues, mental health concerns, or other factors.

An Educational or Learning Assessment can be used to diagnose a range of Learning Disabilities and Delays.