WIAT II

1. WIAT II Weschsler Individual Achievement Test, Second Edition

2. Uses and Applications     The WIAT-II is suitable for use in a variety of clinical,                 educational, and research settings, including schools, clinics, and private practices.      Its use results to: Identification of academic strengths and weaknesses of a student. Inform decisions regarding eligibility for educational services, educational placement, or diagnosis of a specific learning disability.  Design of instructional objectives and intervention plans §                      Design instructional objectives and plan interventions §                      Design instructional objectives and plan interventions

3. Development of WIAT-II Modification of Subtests: Updated subtests to strengthen WIAT-II theoretical base and to reflect changes in curriculum standards and classroom instructional practices.   Strengthening the Link Between Assessment and Instruction/Intervention: Evaluates the product and process that contribute to skill acquisition.  Qualitative Observations checklists provide additional information that can guide the development of effective instructional plans. Extension of Age Range: Now assesses 4 year olds to identify children at-risk for academic failure as well as adults who experience academic difficulties

4. Development of WIAT-II Improved Scoring: Scoring rules are consistent with instructional practices and now include scoring examples for the examiner. Inclusion of Ability-Achievement Discrepancy Tables Using Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, and Factor Scores:  Statistical Linkage to a Process Instrument: Linked to the Process Assessment of the Learner-Test Battery for Reading and Writing, a process instrument used for diagnostic and prescriptive purposes.

5. Structure

6. WIAT vs. WIAT II

7. WIAT vs. WIAT II

8. WIAT vs. WIAT II

10. WIAT vs. WIAT II

11. WIAT vs. WIAT II

12. Testing Considerations   Suitability for individuals 4 through 85, school aged children, adolescents and adults, pre-academic skills for those not yet in Kindergarten.  encompasses a wide range of skills but not meant to measure academic giftedness in older adolescents or adults as some subtests do not contain items advanced enough to measure such skills. 

13. Testing Considerations Administration Time The test can be used to assess a broad range of academic skills or to test only in the area of need. Administration time varies depending the the age of the examinee and the number of subtests administered Testing time for the entire battery is approximately 45 minutes for grade Pre-K through K,  90 minutes for Grades 1-6 and  1.5 to 2 hours for grades 7-16 Best to give all selected subtests in one session but if the pateint becomes fatigued, inattenttive overly restless or uncooperative, allow rest or breaks at the end of a subtest

14. Testing Conditions Physical Conditions physical setting important - can effect the clients ability to function quite adequately lit, well ventialted room for younger examinees, use a room that does not have the alphabet displayed no one other than you and the examinee should be in the room during testing (an accompanying adult may stay in the room if it will facilitate testing - but silent and out of the examinees view during the test sessions Seating furniture should be comfortable, appropriate size for examinee desk/table smooth surface examinee should be at a 90 degree angle from the examiner (may need to see the response eg pointing etc.)

15. Materials Examiners Manual stimulus book 1 and 2 supplements for college students and adults scoring and normative supplement for grades preK-12 record from response booklet pseudoword card pseduoword audiotape Word Card   NOTE: Materials should be     set up before testing begins    and out of sight when not     being used.

16. Cooperative relationship between the examinee and the examiner is essential to all assessment situations.  Use an accepting, non threatening tone Have a thorough understanding of administration, timing recording and scoring procedures so you       can better interact with the examinee       without interrupting the test pace.  Establishing and Maintaining Rapport

17. WIAT-II: Sequence of Subtests The WIAT-II subtests should be administered in the sequence indicated by the stimulus booklet and the record form because it was the order used in the standardization of the test. If you are administering only selected subtests, the sequence should still follow the prescribed order.  There are 9 subtest: Word Reading Numerical Operations Reading Comprehension Spelling Pseudoword Decoding Math Reasoning  Written Expression Listening Comprehension Oral Expression 

18. Word Reading Subtest Materials: Stimulus Booklet 1 Record Form Word Card   Measure: Word Reading assesses early reading (phonological awareness), word recognition, and decoding skills.    

19. Word Reading Con't... Administration: Begin at the appropriate grade    level. During this subtest, the examinee should hold the Word Card.  The examinee should read the words going across the page.  Scoring: 3 consecutive correct answers awards 1 point for each of the preceding, unadministered items. Reverse Rule- Score of 0 on any of the first 3 items given, administer the preceding items in reverse order until 3 consecutive scores of 1. Discontinue after 7 consecutive scores of 0.

20. Numerical Operations Materials: Stimulus Booklet 1, Record Form, Response Booklet, Blank paper, Pencil w/o eraser, 8 pennies (Grades K-1 only) Measure: Assesses the ability to identify and write numbers, count using 1:1 correspondence, and solve written calculation problems and simple equations involving the basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

21. Numerical Operations Administration:  Do not administer on PreK. Examinee writes answers in response booklet. If examinee scores 0 on ANY of the first 3 items given, administer preceding items in reverse until the basal level of 3 consecutive correct items is reached. Allow 1 minute to begin working on a problem.  If after 1 minute, the examinee is not actively working on the problem, direct him or her to move on to the next problem. Scoring: Award 1 point for every correct response (including correct responses that are fractions not reduced to their simplest form and fractions expressed in decimal form).

22. Reading Comprehension Subtest Measure Reflect reading instruction in the classroom Administration: match a written word with its representative picture read passages and answer content questions read short sentences aloud, and respond to comprehension questions   Reversal rules apply and vary: for grades 1-8, 9-12, and 13-16  when to stop: varies by grade level (1-16) timing: items 20 on are timed reading passages, a stopwatch will be needed

23. Reading Comprehension Subtest Scoring for items 1-5, 2 points for each correct response sentences, 1 point for each target word read correctly (in boldtype)  also note errors in sentences, cross out any words that the examinee mis-pronounces incorrectly or omits, and write over the sentence added words total score for target words is points for each correct response NOTE: do not give credit for preceding un-administered items.  To calculate reading speed total raw score add up reading time for each passage in seconds.  also note qualitative observations for use in interpreting results of this subtest

24. Spelling Subtest Materials:  Stimulus Booklet 1 Record Form Response Booklet Pencil without an eraser   Measure: Spelling assesses the ability to spell dictated letters, letter blends, and words.      Task:  Direct the examinee to the Spelling section in the Stimulus Booklet 1 where the examinee will be instructed too...

25. Spelling Con't... Administration: Be sure to observe the examinee's performance until the basal level is established.  Scoring: 3 consecutive correct answers awards 1 point for each of the preceding, unadministered items. Score of 0 on any of the first 3 items given, administer the preceding items in reverse order until 3 consecutive scores of 1. Discontinue after 6 consecutive scores of 0.

26. Pseudoword Decoding Materials: Stimulus Booklet 1, Record Form, Pseudoword Card, Pseudoword Audiotape (examiner's use only) Description: The student uses his or her phonetic knowledge to sound out nonsense words.  These words are designed to be representative of the phonetic structure of words in the English language. Scoring: 1 point for each correct response Self-corrected responses count as a correct response Administration: Do not administer on grades PreK-K Discontinue after 7 consecutive scores of 0 No reversal rules All examinees begin with Sample Item 1 Correct any incorrect responses only on the Sample Items, and do not count incorrect responses on Sample Items in the discontinue criteria Prepare for this task by reviewing the words on the Pseudoword Card with the audiotape to ensure that he or she knows and can therefore identify the correct pronunciation Examinee reads words going across the page, not down.  Be sure he or she knows this Record all responses verbatim, even if the examinee responds with only a partial pronunciation of the word

27. Math Reasoning Measure Assess the ability to reason mathematically Administration Count identify geometric shapes solve single and multi-step word problems interpret graphs identify matehmatical patterns solve problems related to stastics and probability

28. Math Reasoning Scoring record examinees responses verbatim in the response form correct responses in stimulus book and form one point is awarded for each correct response Discontinue: after 6 consecutive 0 points Reversal rules: score of 0 on any of the first 3 items given, administer the preceding items in revers order until 3 consecutive scores of 1 *not administered for grade PreK; different start points for different grade groups. 

29. Written Expression SubtestThis subtest is composed of 5 sections:Alphabet Writing, Word Fluency, Sentences, Paragraph, and Essay Materials:  Stimulus Booklet 1 Record Form Response Booklet Pencil without eraser Blank paper Stopwatch           Measure: Written expression assesses writing process. Alphabet Writing- writing the lowercase letters of the alphabet in order from memory. Word Fluency- assesses the ability to generate and write a list of words that match a prescribed category. 

30. Written Expression Measure Sentences- evaluate the ability to combine multiple sentences into one, meaningful one, or the ability to generate a sentence from visual or verbal cues. Paragraph- assesses mechanics, organization, and vocabulary.  Essay- evaluates mechanics, organization, theme development, and vocabulary. 

31. Written Expression Administration:  Direct examinee to the Administration section of Written Expression in Stimulus Booklet 2. Follow the administration directions and begin the subtest at the grade -appropriate start point.  You must administer the grade appropriate item set to obtain a standard score. Scoring:  Specific criteria apply and should be referred to on Appendix A.2 of the           supplement for              comprehensive scoring guidelines.  For example: Examinees in grades PreK-K should only be administered the Alphabet Writing whereas grades 1-2 are administered Alphabet Writing, Word Fluency, and Sentences and so forth.   For example: Examinees in grades PreK-K should only be administered the Alphabet Writing whereas grades 1-2 are administered Alphabet Writing, Word Fluency, and Sentences and so forth. 

32. Listening Comprehension Materials: Stimulus Booklet 2, Record Form Description: The student listens to a word or sentence and matches it to a picture or looks at a picture and responds with the corresponding word. 3 Sections: Receptive Vocabulary: Respondent is given a word, and must select a picture that goes with that word. Sentence Comprehension: Examiner reads a sentence aloud, examinee selects a picture that matches the sentence.  Expressive Vocabulary: Examiner shows respondent a picture, along with a few words that describes it.  Examinee provides the word that is being described. Answers to this subtest must be recorded verbatim

33. Listening Comprehension General Administration: ?Discontinue after 6 consecutive scores of 0 Reversal Rule: If examinee scores 0 on ANY of the first 3 items, administer preceding items in reverse order until examinee earns 3 consecutive scores of 1. Position yourself so you can see where the examinee points if he or she does not provide a verbal answer for Items 1-26 (Receptive Vocabulary and Sentence Comprehension Tests) If you have reason to believe the subject's vocabulary is below grade level, you may begin with the first item in each section Allow examinee approximately 10 seconds to begin responding before going on to the next item. Any prompt may be repeated at examinee's request, but be sure to mark it with a circled R.

34. Oral Expression Measure Reflect a broad range of oral language activities Administration demonstrate verbal word fluency repeat sentences verbatim generate stories from       visual cues generate directions from       visual or verbal cues

35. Oral Expression

36. General Scoring Standard Score by age (M=100, SD=15), with range for 40 to 160 by grade (M=100, SD=15), with a range of 40 to160, with separate Fall, Winter and Spring table for grades PreK-8 and yearly tables after Grade 8 Percentile Rank By age or grade, indicating the percentage of individuals of the same age or grad who scored the same or lower than the examinee Age or Grade Equivalent By age or grade, providign the age or grade which the individuals raw score is the median score of all scores in taht age group or grade Normal Curve Equivalent A normalized transformation of age- and grade-based standard score information (M=50, SD=21.06)

37. Scoring Flexible Scoring WIAT–II gives you the choice of hand scoring or optional scoring software that provides information specific to the needs of both examiners and examinees.  Either scoring method allows for a detailed skills analysis, specifying an individual’s strengths and appropriate intervention targets. Timesaving joint scoring and reporting programs are also available to accommodate the links with the Wechsler cognitive scales. - Pearson Website

38. Interpretation Subtest and Composite Scores: In assessing an examinee's skills, interpreting the subtest standard scores and percentile ranks is the first step. It is important to remember that composite scores reflect a broad range of related skills, meaning composite scores can often mask specific deficits in one particular area. Score Differences: With an ipsative approach, the strengths and weaknesses identified are strengths and weaknesses relative to the individual's own achievement level. Ability-Achievement Discrepancy Analysis: The WIAT-II provides measures for each of the seven traditional areas of achievement assessed in the establishment of specific learning disabilities: mathematics calculation, mathematics reasoning, basic word reasoning, reading comprehension, listening comprehension, oral expression, and written expression.

39. Interpretation: Qualitative Analysis Qualitative Analysis of an individual's performance should reflect two areas: Behavioral and Qualitative Observations A detailed description of testing behaviors can provide a wealth of    information about the test-taker's problem-solving skills, and whether they are effective or ineffective. Ex: A student who says, "It doesn't look right" on a spelling test relies heavily upon orthography rather than phonetic clues. Skills Analysis ?Examiner should conduct a second qualitative analysis of errors as they relate to the specific skills addressed by the subtests to measure a particular construct.

40. Reliable? How reliable, consistent, and stable are the test scores of the WJ-II across sets of items, time, and among examiners? The reliability scores reflect strong interitem consistency within subtests.  The WIAT-II possesses moderately high to high interitem reliability, with average reliability coefficients ranging from .80 to .98.

41. Test-Retest Stability The stability of the scores of the WIAT-II was assessed in separate studies of 297 examinees who were tested twice.  Data showed that the WIAT-II scores possess adequate stability across time, ages, and grades. Across all scores, the differences in scores between the first and second testing are relatively small.  The differences are generally between 1 and 4 standard-score points. 

42. Interscorer Agreement  Some subtests require more judgement in scoring, such as Reading Comprehension, Written Expression, and Oral Expression. More likely to result in scoring variability So...      So studies were conducted to evaluate subtest agreement between scorers.  Results show the interscorer reliability coefficients between pairs of scores ranged from .94 to .98, with an overall reliability of .94 

43. Content Validity based on curriculum objectives and relevance, each subtest corresponds to the curriculum objective it intended to measure and was also created based on the curriculum it did in fact measure; represents and relates to the content the test is designed to measure multiple raters judged each subtest and if there was any uncertainties as to what it measured, it was changed or thrown out. items total correlations for any subtests lower than .20 were thrown out

44. Construct Related Validty Individual Subtests  measure 1 of 9 curriculum domains and is an observable measure of the complex SET of skills that form the construct.  Inter-correlations of subtests patterns of correlations confirm expected relations between subtests and the domain they comprise provide discriminant evidnce of validity eg. math subtests tend to correlate more highly with each other than the reading subtests and reading subtests correlate more highly with each other than with the mathematics subtests. eg. math subtests tend to correlate more highly with each other than the reading subtests and reading subtests correlate more highly with each other than with the mathematics subtests. 

45. Construct Related Validity Correlations with measures of ability between .30 and .78 with other Weschler Scales Group Differences (table C.1 and F.1)  grade based and aged based normative samples for grades Pre-K through 12 demonstrate that as expected, increase in age and grade indicates / results in a general increase in total raw score. (and thereby an increased standard score to reach for each normative group.  differences between adjacent raw scores become smaller as the ages and grades of the examinees increase. eg. 15 y/o needs 117-118 and a 16 year old needs 120. (6 y/o needs 43 and 7 year old needs 63, so bigger difference

46. Criterion Related Validity Independent criteria Correlations of the WIAT-II with other tests of achievement provide evidence that the WIAT-II is a valid measure of achievement for various constructs with WIAT - high correlations (.80+) across all constructs except those that were changed/added for the WIAT II  with WRAT3- .45-.78 (mostly above .70) Evidence across groups with various clinical backgrounds, eg. gifted programs or examinees dx with mental retardation.   across subtests, significant difference in mean scores between control group and gifted at (.01 level) across subtests, significant difference between those with MR and those in control group (at .01 level).

47. Criterion Related validity Evidence tested in other groups: similar results/ differences for those with emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, (general and with  reading), ADHD (all significant except oral expression), speech/language impairments  Hearing Impairments (for those interested ) Individuals in with hearing impairment range from 81 to 89. So still not dysfunctional scores but lower than the average at 100. 

48. Validity Clinical Utility based on Validity  WIAT-II is the only achievement battery empircally linked with the other Wecshler scales including the WISC-IV, WPPSI-III, and the WAIS-III which are among the most widely used intellectual ability tests relationship with other Weschler tests provides valid discrepancy scores to help make meaningful comparisons between achievement and ability.