A Comparison of WISC-III and OLSAT-6 for the Identification of Gifted Students

Abstract

The entire cohort of grade 3 students in a Canadian urban school board was screened in the school years 1991-1992,1992-1993 and 1993-1994 to identify gifted students. All 2,306 students look the Otis-Lennon School Abilities Test-6th Edition (OLSAT-6), after which 261 students also took the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-3rd Edition (WISC-III). Based on the WISC-III scores, 2.3% of the population were identified as gifted at the 98th percentile or higher, whereas 2.6% scored at the 97th percentile or higher and 3.7% at the 96th percentile or higher. An equivalent number of boys and girls were identified as gifted with WISC-III. In contrast, using the OLSAT-6 alone, only 1.2% of the population would be identified as gifted at the 98th percentile or higher, 1.7% would be identified at the 97th percentile or higher, and 2.2% would be identified at the 96th percentile or higher. The correlation between WISC-III and OLSAT-6 for students scoring at the 98th percentile or higher on the WISC-III was .39 in this small sample of students having a restricted range of scores on both tests. Discrepancies between WISC-III Verbal and Performance IQ scores and between OLSAT-6 Verbal and Nonverbal Scaled Scores for gifted students are presented. When used alone, the OLSAT-6 does not appear to be an effective screener for grade 3 students who will score in the gifted range on WISC-III.

Un dépistage de tous les élèves de 3ième année d'un conseil scolaire urbain et canadien était fait pendant les années scolaires de 1991-1992, de 1992-1993 et de 1993-1994, afin d'identifier les enfants surdoués. Tous les 2,306 élèves ont subi l'épreuve des habiletés scolaires Otis-Lennon, 6ième édition (OLSAT-6). Ensuite, 261 de ces élèves ont subi l'échelle d'intelligence Wechsler pour enfants, 3ième edition (WISC-III). Les résultats obtenus sur le WISC-III suggèrent que 2.3% de la population se situent all rang Trés Supérieur, c'est-à-dire, au moins au 98ème rang centile, que 2.6% ont obtenu les scores au moins au 97ème rang centile et que 3.7% se situent au moins au 96ème rang centile. Un nombre équivalent de garçons et filles ont été identifiés comme sourdoués au WISC-III. En comparaison, quand l'OLSAT-6 a été utilisé uniquement, seulement 1.2% des élèves ont rencontré les critères d'identification comme surdoué au 98ième rang centile ou supérieur, 1.7% serait identifié comme tel au 97ème rang centile ou supérieur, et 2.2% serait identifié au 96ème rang centile ou supérieur. La corrélation entre le WISC-III et l'OLSAT-6 pour les élèves qui ont obtenu les scores au 98ème rang centile ou supérieur au WISK-III a été .39 pour cet échantillon petit des élèves ayant une gamme restreinte de scores sur les deux épreuves. La divergence entre les scores obtenus sur les échelles verbales et non-verbales du WISC-III et aussi entre ceux obtenus sur les échelles verbales et non-verbales de l'OLSAT-6 pour les élèves identifiés comme surdoués est presentée. Quand utilisé uniquement, l'OLSAT-6 ne paraît pas éfficace pour dépister les élèves au niveau de la 3ième année qui obtiendraient les scores au rang Trés Supérieur sur le WISC-III.

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