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• Intelligence is not just “how smart” you are. How

people/programs/organizations/cultures define intelligence can vary significantly

between groups as well as in different time periods.

• No agreed upon definition even within specific fields such as psychology

• Most commonly, it is an umbrella and encompassing term to capture one’s abilities in

various cognitive areas

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Some examples of variations in definitions of intelligence

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Intelligence is 50% heritability estimate (50% genes/50% environment)

Limitations- test used depends on culture, biases,,, many of the sub-tests comprising

modern IQ tests are heavily culture-bound and draw upon children's past

experiences and knowledge they have previously learned.

Important starting point for all testing is getting an IQ score/baseline cognitive abilities to

serve as a reference point for all other scores.

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• Most commonly utilized intelligence measures in testing and academics- Wechsler

Scales

• WPPSI- Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence; WISC- Wechsler

Intelligence Scale for Chidlren; WASI- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; WASI- Wechsler

Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence

• WPPSI indices: Verbal Comprehension Index; Visual Spatial Index; Working Memory

Index; Fluid Reasoning Index; Processing Speed Index.

• **VCI can be considered a predictor of academics (gives us an idea how we might

expect the person to perform in school).

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• Pay attention to the subtests and indices included in testing reports. I have noticed that

some schools will only include index scores in reports and don’t mention subtest scores

within those indexes. Having subtest scores can provide additional information or better

understanding in regards to index performance.

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For some children with learning disabilities, attentional problems, or other

neuropsychological issues, concomitant working memory and processing speed

deficiencies lower the FSIQ. It is important for practitioners to recognize that the

GAI is not necessarily a more valid estimate of overall cognitive ability than the

FSIQ. Working memory and processing speed are vital to the comprehensive

evaluation of cognitive ability, and excluding these abilities from the evaluation can

be misleading.

The classroom performance of two children with the same GAI score but very

different WMI/PSI scores will likely be quite different.

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Let’s talk about some strategies you could use in your treatment give some scenarios

It’s often easier to think of strategies or techniques for people with obvious impairments

but relative weaknesses still can matter

Difficulties in verbal comprehension indicate weakness in language skills. Focusing on “talk

therapy” or language based interventions may not be more helpful. Utilizing visual guides

and information can help supplement, if perceptual is relatively higher

Vice versa for weakness in perceptual reasoning. Limiting visual interventions and

emphasis on “talking through.” use visual aids

Working memory weaknesses- will need support in keeping information active in mind to

be able to then send to longer term memory stores. Adding in written handouts,

guidelines, reminders that can be referenced to minimize working memory demands.

Outline step by step directions. Visual timers

Processing speed weakness- will need more time to process information. Present

information in smaller chunks, frequent breaks to allow them to process and integrate

presented information. Utilizing timers (visual) can be helpful to promote monitoring too.

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“slow learners” can often be mistaken for other more common diagnoses such as

ADD/ADHD, ODD, “lazy,” etc.

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These children will NOT qualify for IEP or special ed services because not at level of

impairment even though they will experience significant difficulties

Generally slow learners can refer to lower average and borderline IQs

standard systems and supports are often ineffective—even counterproductive—

because they fail to meet students’ specific learning needs and instead create a

cycle of failure. By the time many of these students get to high school, their

academic difficulties and related self-perceptions and attitudes toward learning are

entrenched. Rarely meet eligibility criteria for special education services, although

they have remarkably high failure rates in the general education setting

Gifted Kids: often have internal motivation to learn; can by hyperfocused; withdraw;

sustained attention strength on interests; distractible; need constant stimulation but also

can get overstimulated; often sensitive/emotional/isolative; black and white thinkers;

focused on rules/wrong or right; question/argue/debate; emotionally intense; gestaltian

thinking

Developmental asynchrony: areas of development are not in-line; signification variations in

developmental progression in different abilities-

Example: Gifted child of 5 years old, might read like a 15 year old, do math like a 10 year

old, know about life cycles of the fruit fly like a bio professor, but resist sharing and throw

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a tantrum when his sister borrows his toy like a typical 5 year old.

2E: high IQ may compensate for learning difficulties so they are performing in average range,

but still struggle significantly, and that performance really is not indicative or representative

of their abilities. For example, they may spend hours on simple homework and pass with a

C. This won’t alarm or indicate any concerns to teachers but could be masking learning

disability.

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SLOW LEARNERS

• They perform at a higher level when information is presented in a concrete

fashion. The more abstract a concept or teaching technique, the more difficult it

is for them to learn.

• They do not transfer or generalize skills, knowledge, and strategies as well as

their same age peers. They tend to learn what is taught quite well but have

difficulty transferring and applying the concepts taught to new situations.

• They have difficulty cognitively organizing new material and assimilating

incoming information into previously acquired information. Review, preview,

present, review

• They have difficulty with long-term goals and time management.

• They benefit from increased academically engaged time. They often require extra

practice and more time on task to develop the same level of academic skills as

their typically developing peers.

• They nearly always develop academic motivation deficits.

GIFTED

• Gifted kids can often seem “quirky” to others, social skill support may be needed.

• Remember developmental asychrony? May also need additional interventions in other

areas as their progression is not evenly developed in all domains

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There are limited assessment options at CMH

• CMH can ‘screen’ for learning disabilities, BUT it is ultimately school’s LEGAL

responsibility to identify children with learning disabilities and provide support

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Umbrella term- difficulty acquiring knowledge and learning basic skills such as reading,

writing, and/or math.

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DSM-IV TR contains these plus a LD NOS category. Separated them into separate diagnostic

codes

• uses a discrepancy model- the difference between cognitive abilities (IQ) and

achievement scores should be ~2 standard deviations apart

DSM V Captures them under umbrella term “specific learning disorder” with specifiers eg.

Specific Learning Disorder with impairment in reading, word reading accuracy, reading

comprehension

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If you think that your consumer might have a learning disability, can always explore with

them. Think they have reading issues- have them read out loud, having them identify

letters by sound or visually. Ask them questions after they read to see are they

understanding what they read? Difficulties with math, throw in some math games, written

and verbal… Writing- do a writing task (look at the quality of their writing). Can be fun but

then you look at the mechanics (spelling, punctuation, spacing, letter formation, pencil

grip). Is it typical or are there significant problems?

Encourage- parents/caregivers to ask questions at school. Talk to teachers. Start collecting

samples of work. Start to question if this person needs additional support- do need IEP or

504 plan?

Educate- yourself! School systems can be tricky and confusing. Current budget difficulties

are also playing an important role in services provided. Parents might need education in

regards to information about what an IEP versus 504; what the process is, what are their

rights, what are the school’s legal obligations, etc

Advocate for the person, help parents/caregivers contact school. Guide them in initiating

IEP process, endless resources and samples of letters online of what to provide for IEP

evaluations to begin. NEEDS TO BE IN WRITING, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT.

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“Right brain” issue– think it has to do with myelination (white matter). Gray matter

in brain nerve cells… So gray matter is houses and neighborhoods, white matter is

the streets and highways.

65% of all communication is actually conveyed nonverbally.

the NLD syndrome affects females as often as males (approximately 1:1 sex ratio)

dysfunctions associated with NLD are "less apparent at the age of 7 to 8 years . . .

than at 10 to 14 years," and that they become "progressively more apparent (and

more debilitating) as adulthood approaches."

NOT an acuity issue or issue with brain structures.

Moreover, the notion of NVLD as an individual diagnostic category is also under

debate due to overlapping diagnostic similarity with other diagnoses (such as

Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism). Some argue the NVLD might be best understood

under the new DSM-V Autism Spectrum diagnosis with NVLD being a form of high

functioning Autism- particularly as the DSM-V has transitioned to eliminating

Asperger’s Syndrome and encapsulating it under the spectrum orientation. Roman

(1998) explains that lower functioning children diagnosed with Asperger's may be

more properly diagnosed as autistic, whereas many of the higher functioning

children diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome may instead be NVLD children.

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Miss big picture for smaller details

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it's not hard to imagine how a child who doesn't see the "whole picture," who is

constantly confused by his surroundings and his interactions with others, and who

is unable to anticipate what will happen next, could experience a disproportionate

amount of stress in his everyday experiences, such as attending school or shopping

at a mall. Add to this the perfectionistic and obsessive/compulsive tendencies of

many students with NLD, and the immense pressure this child faces should be

obvious.

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