The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) advises parents to consider the reasons they want to administer an intelligence quotient (IQ) test for their children. If a child is doing well in school and his teachers recognize the level of his intelligence, an IQ test will not serve any purpose, it reports. An IQ test is most appropriate if a child appears bored and unchallenged and his teachers do not recognize his potential. An IQ test may help to find a more appropriate placement for the child. IQ tests also can help to position a child for educational opportunities not readily available. Different types of IQ test for kids will provide varying levels of results.
Individualized
Individualized intelligence tests provide the most accurate information about a child's general intelligence and overall attitude. The NAGC reports that individual tests are the best, when available. A psychologist or a trained tester must administer individualized tests, such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or the Stanford Binet Intelligence Test. The main thrust of the tests relies on open questions and does not record reading and writing abilities. Instead, the individual tests include verbal subtests that are not timed. Visual and spatial testing is usually timed. The tester spends between one and two hours on the test and uses the scores to gauge the strongest and weakest areas of the child's performance. Results usually are given within a range, taking into account outside factors, such as anxiety and motivation of the child. Scores in the 130 range indicate a child may have exceptional abilities.
Groups
Group intelligence tests rely primarily on paper tests where kids answer a round of questions. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the Pre Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) are common IQ tests used to quantify the level of a student's intelligence, grasp of basic skills and likelihood of future educational success. Testers at College Board report that educational institutions rely on where students rank in relation to other students and count percentiles, rather than individual measurements. Most colleges require an SAT score when considering admission. The test is used in conjunction with the student's entire portfolio. A mean score on an SAT is about 500, the middle ground where the most students score. Many kids use their SAT scores to evaluate colleges and determine at which institution they might best fit.
Personal
There are a variety of options parents can take to administer a test to their own child. Many parents start with these tests, available online through sites such as Fun Education or Kids IQ Tests (see Resources). The tests help parents determine what steps they might take in placing their kids in special schools. Tests also validate a parent's concern over a child's intelligence ratio. Most of the online tests are available for free or a nominal fee and are developed by childhood education professors or child psychologists. While many of the personal testing sites promise a reliable score, there are so many other factors that need to be taken into consideration when evaluating a child's intelligence, and parents should temper their enthusiasm until a child can be formally tested individually by a professional, report researchers at the Gifted Development Center.
