[senco-forum] 'Mental age'

Hello everyone

The concept of mental age needs to be dumped, it is of little use and really
tells you nothing about how the indivual functions in detail or how to
improve the situation.

If this child has an existing statement I would hope that a full psych
assessment has been carried out.  However not all assessments are equal and
if the test used was the wisc or bas to a very large extent what will have
been tested is existing knowledge.  If you want to know what he is capable
of from a learning point of view have him assessed on the CAS (Cognitive
Assessment System) by Naglieri.  For this you will need a psychologist as it
is a restricted test.  This will tell you how he processes information and
is more 'culture fair' than either the wisc or the bas.    This test is
built on the PASS theory of intelligence and measures abilities in Planning,
Attention, Simultaneous and Successive processing as these are required in
learning, it is also prescriptive as well as descriptive and to a much
greater extent than any other IQ type test.  It is not dependent on prior
learning to any great extent and in my experience of using it has 'rescued'
some children from being wrongly labelled by clearly delineating strengths
and weaknesses the four areas of cognitive processing and prescribing
effectively for the latter   The scores that it provides can inform teaching
practice to a much greater extent than any of its rivals in the IQ testing
field.  Failing that the nearest would be LASS from Lucid, computer
administered and scored and not as restricted.  They have just brought a new
ability test and it may be an idea to look at their website.  Some of the
sub tests used in LASS are closer to the CAS than sub tests from other
tests.   The CAS does take a little while longer than the wisc or the bas
and also takes a lot longer to score unless you have the computer scoring
package but it can produce very surprising results.    Tell mum to harass
your EP service for a CAS assessment if any other IQ test was used.  A label
is only of any use if it brings appropriate remedial action that is designed
to improve functional levels in the individual.

Philip EP

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Amanda" <amandavh at btinternet.com>
To: "senco-forum" <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 7:32 PM
Subject: [senco-forum] 'Mental age'

> Hello everyone
>
>   I am working with a very concerned parent of a child with some quite
severe developmental delay.  He has a Statement and a huge amount of support
so working in school is not an issue.
>   What is upsetting her is that she was told by some 'expert' in a meeting
that her son would be like a ten year old mentally when he is 18.
>   What she wants me to do is to test him and let her know if this will be
the case.  A possible genetic cause has been explored by the medics and
eliminated.  Any suggestions about what tests to do or who to refer him to
now the medics have done their bit and drawn a blank?
>
>   Amanda
>   Secondary SENCO
>   Cornwall
>
>
> Amanda
> Secondary SENCO
> Cornwall
>
>
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