SPECIAL PROGRAMS

4585 Harvest Drive

DELTA BC V4K 5B4
PH: (604) 946-4101
FAX: (604) 946-7803

DELTA SCHOOL DISTRICT #37

CONFIDENTIAL EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT REPORT
STUDENT'S NAME:

Fiona

DATE OF BIRTH:

March 24, 2003

CHRONOLOGICAL AGE: 10-9

GRADE/TEACHER:

SCHOOL:

Happy Hills Elementary

DATE OF ASSESSMENT:

February 20 & 27, 2014

DISTRICT PSYCHOLOGIST: Stephanie Janzen, Practicum Student in School Psychology,

University of Calgary
Supervised by L. Cryderman, Certified School Psychologist (BCASP #15)
REASON FOR REFERRAL: Fiona was referred for an educational assessment to help
determine her learning abilities and her support needs.
BACKGROUND: Fiona has been in Early French Immersion (EFI) at Sunshine Hills
Elementary since Kindergarten. In grade one Fiona began receiving additional French learning
support through the Learning Assistance teacher and an Educational Assistant. Her teacher noted
that she demonstrated difficulty with letters and sounds, and thus needed help with her reading.
She continued to receive additional support for grades two through five with a focus on reading
fluency and expression, as well as vocabulary and comprehension skills. Her current teacher
noted that she is hesitant to express herself in French and has a hard time initiating tasks and
generating ideas for writing tasks. Fiona also tends to be shy in group settings and so needs
encouragement to participate actively in class and group discussions. Of particular concern is
her difficulty with reading comprehension and written language. During the initial intake
interview, her parents related that she had a normal delivery and had also reached all of the
developmental milestones on time.
EXAMINER COMMENTS: Fiona was very cooperative during the testing and she made a
good effort on all tasks, so the results can be considered a valid assessment of her academic skills
and abilities at this time. In establishing rapport, Fiona said very little and talked quietly, but did
share information about her dancing class and an upcoming recital. During the assessment,
Fiona gave brief answers and tended to use body language (such as shrugging her shoulders)
rather than express herself verbally.

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INTELLECTUAL ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Fiona was assessed using the Wechsler

Intelligence Scale for Children Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). The WISC-IV is thought to provide
an estimate of general intelligence and the general aptitude necessary to learn academics. It is
important to recognize that the WISC-IV measures only a portion of the competencies involved
in human intelligence, and is best thought of as a predictor of school achievement rather than as a
pure measure of intelligence. There are other factors important for school achievement that are
not measured by these tests, such as: general health (vision, hearing, diet, sleep, etc.), stable
home support, background cultural opportunities, the ability to co-operate and to empathize with
others, the desire to succeed and to persevere on tasks, the ability to organize oneself and the
ability to think creatively. In the testing situation, the students health and fatigue level, the
students mood and rapport with the examiner, the students motivation to make his/her best
effort, her distractibility/impulsivity, the students linguistic and cultural background, and the
testing environment itself, can all affect the results. Every effort is made to optimize these
factors for the student during testing.
Tests of academic skills and abilities are done in a quiet and structured one-to-one
situation where the student is focused and encouraged to make her best effort, and thus may
differ from how the student functions in a regular classroom situation on a day to day basis.
The WISC-IV consists of several subtests, each measuring somewhat different facets of
the aptitude needed for academic learning. Individual subtest results are the most reliable when
interpreted in the context of the entire assessment and the results of the WISC-IV are best viewed
as a reflection of Fionas aptitude for academic learning at the present time. The test is divided
into four index areas:
Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) - measuring general verbal ability in
listening and understanding language, thinking and reasoning with language and
verbally retrieving words, and organizing and expressing thoughts with language;
as influenced by background experience, home environment and natural
endowment.
Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) - measuring visual-spatial organization and
nonverbal reasoning ability with blocks, pictures and patterns as influenced most
strongly by natural endowment.
Working Memory Index (WMI) - measuring the ability to sustain attention, hold
and manipulate auditory sequential information in short-term memory while
maintaining mental freedom from distractibility.
Processing Speed Index (PSI) - measuring quickness of visual-motor output
speed with a pencil on paper and the ability to process information and think
quickly in general, especially when under pressure to maintain focused visual
attention and concentration.
Canadian norms were utilized to calculate all scaled scores. When appropriate the above
scores are combined to determine a single Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) or General
Aptitude Index (GAI), an overall predictor of general academic learning success.
WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR CHILDREN - FOURTH EDITION (WISC-IV)
Verbal Comprehension Subtests: (Scaled Scores-average 8-12)
Similarities
6
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Vocabulary
7
Comprehension
4
Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) Composite S.S. 75 (71-83) at 5%ile
Perceptual Reasoning Subtests: (Scaled Scores -average 8-12)
Block Design
7
Picture Concepts
12
Matrix Reasoning
12
Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) Composite S.S. 102 (95-109) at 55%ile
Working Memory Subtests: (Scaled Scores -average 8-12)
Digit Span
11
Letter-Number Sequencing 9
Working Memory Index (WMI) Composite S.S. 100 (93-107) at 50%ile
Processing Speed Subtests: (Scaled Scores-average 8-12)
Coding
8
Symbol Search
11
Processing Speed Index (PSI) Composite S.S. 97 (90-104) at 23%ile
Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) Composite S.S. --- (---) at --%ile
SUMMARY: Fiona is a 10year-old girl in grade 5 (EFI) at Sunshine Hills Elementary in
Delta. She has received extra learning support since grade one but she struggles with written and
oral expression in both French and English.
Intellectually, Fiona tested Well Below Average in verbal intelligence with a Verbal
Comprehension Index (VCI) score of 75 (71-83) at the 5%ile; however, her nonverbal, visualspatial intelligence tested Average with a Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) score of 102 (95109) at the 55%ile for Canadians her age. Because of the significant discrepancy between these
two areas, a Full Scale IQ was not calculated. Auditory working memory tested Average with a
Working Memory Index (WMI) score of 100 (93-107) at the 50%ile, and visual-motor output
speed tested Average with a Processing Speed Index (PSI) score of 97 (90-104) at the 42%ile for
Canadians her age. (See above for descriptors of index areas). As her Perceptual Reasoning
score indicates, Fiona is an intelligent girl, as she did not have difficulty expressing her
intelligence non-verbally. When providing answers for the Verbal Comprehension subtests,
Fiona tended to say few words and she struggled to elaborate when queried. She talked very
quietly and seemed hesitant in expressing herself. She also preferred to say that she didnt know
the answer, despite encouragement, rather than attempt the more difficult questions. At present
she has a deficit in the ability to express herself with language.
Fiona was not administered a formal academic achievement assessment as her instruction
is in French rather than English. Instead, her Learning Assistance teacher administered informal
assessments in French for both reading and math, the results of which were in the average range.
Both her classroom teacher and support teacher agree that Fionas expressive and written
language is considerably weaker than most students at her grade level, though she is progressing.
The results of this assessment were interpreted in a meeting on March 6, 2014 with
Fionas parents and Learning Support Teacher and suggestions were discussed to support Fiona
at home and school.
Fiona should continue with extra learning support (LST and EA as available) on an
adapted academic program as outlined in an Individual Education Plan (IEP). She needs
individualized instruction in vocabulary development and reading comprehension (see LST for
strategies and materials). She also needs individualized instruction and practice with strategies
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to improve her written language (particularly in brainstorming and initiating writing tasks). Her
parents will continue to read and discuss higher level but interesting books with Fiona in English
to develop her language comprehension and expressive vocabulary. Building her self-confidence
through areas of strength at school and outside of school (like Fionas participation in dance) is
important. If Fiona needs continued support when she moves to the secondary level, an updated
assessment could be done in grade seven. It would also help determine if she would be eligible
for certain adaptations to her educational program and exams.
__________________________________________
Stephanie Janzen, Practicum Student in School Psychology,
University of Calgary
__________________________________________
Joe Smith, Certified School Psychologist
BCASP (#207)
E: Fiona February 2014.doc
CAUTION: These test or rating scale scores measure only certain aspects of the intelligence
and skills important for school performance and dont measure creativity, social/emotional
abilities, motivation and independent work habits or other important influences on a childs
success in school. Test results should always be interpreted in the context of the childs day-today life events and circumstances. Test scores provide an estimate of current functioning and a
snapshot of a childs functioning at a particular time in his or her life. Therefore, the results
and recommendations in these reports quickly become outdated and should not be used to
guide decision making too far into the future without updated information. The psychological
test scores should be read with extreme caution. Only a registered psychologist or a certified
school psychologist with training and experience using these tests or rating scales is qualified
to interpret the test score results.
Standard Scores, Index Scores and Quotients are based on a scale with a mean of 100 and a
standard deviation of 15. The following standard score (S.S.) ranges and descriptors are used:
Well Above Average
Above Average
High Average
Average
Low Average
Below Average
Well Below Average

126 and above

116 125
111 115
90 110
86 -- 89
76 -- 85
up to 75

Scaled Scores for subtests are based on a scale with a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3.
The broad average range is between 7 and 13.
Percentile Ranks are based on a scale from 1 to 100 and represent the percentage of students
who scored below that obtained score in the normative sample.

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