Selecting the Test

Tests should be selected that will draw on the strengths of the child. Of special consideration is the degree of verbal content on a test. Tests with significant verbal content should be used with caution when assessing linguistically and culturally diverse students. Ideally, a variety of information related to achievement, aptitude, and intelligence should be collected.

• Achievement Tests – measures what a child knows or understands about a content area (i.e., math). Commonly administered achievement tests include: Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS); California Achievement Test (CAT); and the Stanford Achievement Test. The ACT Assessment used for college entrance falls under the category of an achievement test.
• Aptitude Tests – Predict future performance in a particular domain. Examples of such tests include: SAT Reasoning Test (SAT); and the Differential Aptitude Test (DAT).
• Intelligence Tests –samples behavior already learned in an attempt to predict future learning. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV); the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales-Fifth Edition (SB-V); and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) are examples of IQ measures.

In some cases, diagnostic tests may also be used to assess learning disabilities, cognitive difficulties, or emotional disorders (i.e., ADHD, dysgraphia, visual motor deficits).