Learn How Intelligence is Assessed
A Parent Asks: "My child is being tested for a learning disability, and the school wants to give an intelligence test. My son doesn't test well, and I am concerned that if he scores low, it will haunt him all through school. Why is it necessary for them to give him an IQ test when all we need to know is why he's not doing well in math?"
Many parents (and educators) have mixed feelings about intelligence tests. This isn't surprising. After all, many of us have never had an intelligence test and have not had the opportunity to learn about what they entail. It can be a bit unnerving to have a stranger evaluate your child and then estimate his ability to learn. If your state requires intelligence testing as part of the learning disability diagnostic process, your child will need one to determine if he is eligible for special education. Learning more about intelligence tests and the diagnostic process can help you determine if you want to proceed.
More on Intelligence Testing and Diagnosing Learning Disabilities:
Intelligence tests are effective in testing a person’s intelligence but the main fact is that no single test of intelligence can completely test a person’s intellect. People possess various strengths and weaknesses of intellect; they can be brilliant in some respects and quite challenged in others.
Quite true. I’ve always viewed intelligence test scores as estimates of current functioning and not an absolute.