How do I explain lower Verbal CAT scores
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How do I explain lower Verbal CAT scores
My DS for 114 and 118 in the bucks exam. He is may born. He is graded as 2 for potential and 1 for attitute. Got the 5,5,5 for SAT's.
His CAT for the last 3 years are 114,117,117 for vr
126,123,123 for quant
128,124,135 for nvr
and had a spelling reading and spelling age of 11.2 and 11 (as of May 09).
Head teacher is fully supportive, and teachers reports are positive.
WIll his CAT vr results count against him in the appeal process?
On extenuating circumstances,
Will it help to mention that English is a second language?
Also he found out his grandfather had cancer 10 days before the exams?
His CAT for the last 3 years are 114,117,117 for vr
126,123,123 for quant
128,124,135 for nvr
and had a spelling reading and spelling age of 11.2 and 11 (as of May 09).
Head teacher is fully supportive, and teachers reports are positive.
WIll his CAT vr results count against him in the appeal process?
On extenuating circumstances,
Will it help to mention that English is a second language?
Also he found out his grandfather had cancer 10 days before the exams?
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Sally-Anne
- Posts: 9235
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire
Hi lakmer
Althought the CATs results for VR are lower, that is probably the key to your appeal. The Bucks test is Verbal Reasoning, and that is clearly a weakness for your son, compared to the rest of his CATs scores.
You can therefore argue that this particular test is not a test of your son's ability.
Your extenuating circumstances are both valid, and English as a second language only reinforces the case on VR. Don't overdo it though!
Sally-Anne
Althought the CATs results for VR are lower, that is probably the key to your appeal. The Bucks test is Verbal Reasoning, and that is clearly a weakness for your son, compared to the rest of his CATs scores.
You can therefore argue that this particular test is not a test of your son's ability.
Your extenuating circumstances are both valid, and English as a second language only reinforces the case on VR. Don't overdo it though!
Sally-Anne
I agree. Your best argument looks like being that your son is stronger on the Maths side.
10 days is quite close to the test. Do you have any proof? It will also carry more weight if grandfather was living with you or not far away.
Was your son born in the UK, and has he almost always lived here? If so, best not to mention it unless the panel ask. As Sally-Anne suggests, don't overdo the weaker points. On the other hand, if you came to the UK in the last few years, it could be a compelling argument.
10 days is quite close to the test. Do you have any proof? It will also carry more weight if grandfather was living with you or not far away.
Was your son born in the UK, and has he almost always lived here? If so, best not to mention it unless the panel ask. As Sally-Anne suggests, don't overdo the weaker points. On the other hand, if you came to the UK in the last few years, it could be a compelling argument.
Etienne
But we've told you how to deal with that - your son's NVR is exceptional, and his strengths lie elsewhere.I am very concered about the vr scores
It might - it depends what its findings are.Also would a EP report help
Yes, almost everyone has some sort of chance, but there are no certainties. I would hazard a guess that you have anything from a 50% to 25% chance.do i really have a chance at appeal
Etienne
Ep report
We did an EP test to see if this would help.
I have got the following results
Verbal comprehension 126 (96%ile)
Perceputual Reasoning 112 - 79%ile
Working Memory - 113 - 81%ile
Processing Speed - 106 - 66%ile
Word Reading - 97 = 42%ile age 10.4yrs
Spelling - 113 = 81%ile 13.8
Comrehension - 121 - 92%ile = 13.4yrs
Numerical Opeations - 108 - 70 = 11.8
current age is 10.7
Is this useful, useless or whatg should I look at. I wasa bit puzzled at the verbal as his VR scores are the issue.
I have got the following results
Verbal comprehension 126 (96%ile)
Perceputual Reasoning 112 - 79%ile
Working Memory - 113 - 81%ile
Processing Speed - 106 - 66%ile
Word Reading - 97 = 42%ile age 10.4yrs
Spelling - 113 = 81%ile 13.8
Comrehension - 121 - 92%ile = 13.4yrs
Numerical Opeations - 108 - 70 = 11.8
current age is 10.7
Is this useful, useless or whatg should I look at. I wasa bit puzzled at the verbal as his VR scores are the issue.
Interesting! The VCI of 126 is unexpectedly good, and helps your case (if not for the reasons we were considering!). I'm wondering if the relative weakness in processing speed (which ought to count, at least, as an extenuating circumstance) goes some way to explain the lower VR scores in CATs and the 11+? Did the EP draw any conclusions?
Difficult to comment without knowing what the full report says - and what the summary might focus on.would you submit the full report which is 15 pages or get a summary on this
Etienne
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dyslexichelpneeded
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:39 am
I wonder if the relatively low word reading compared with the high comprehension level implies a (relative) problem in decoding words? It looks to me like your DS is able to use context to identify meaning, but that for words in isolation, he may have more trouble. He possibly hasn't been taught to look at all the symbols in a word and decode them. This *might* go some way to explain the low VR scores, since these rely on isolated word reading, and not contextual word reading. Though having said all that, I don't know how the VCI is tested - does the child have to read a passage, or is it based on purely oral responses to oral questions?
reply to dyslexichelpneeded
Thanks for your comments. It was different passages of different complexities, where an oral response was given.
