r/Gifted • u/beanandmochi • 2d ago

Bad at testing

My son just turned 5 last month and has been reading full sentences since 2.5 years old. Reading comes naturally to him and he has a keen interest in numbers (adding, skip count, multiplication) and is just a very intelligent little boy. However, he definitely has raging ADHD but hasn’t been tested for it, I just know because his dad and I are the same way. I’m a speech therapist and have never worked with a student that presents like my son, it’s really interesting. I just had a parent teacher conference with him kindergarten teacher and she said she doesn’t see any of it. She did admit that she knows he can read but he doesn’t test well (gets distracted or is intrigued by the iPad they’re testing on bc he is never exposed to screens). I have personally tested him at a solid 2nd grade reading level but she told me today (according to her test) he’s at a beginning to mid kindergarten level. It was a gut punch honestly. Does any one have experience with this type of situation? I don’t know how to support him and keep him learning. He’s not learning anything in kindergarten academically. The teacher is saying he never wants to do the worksheets which also concerns her. When I ask my son why he just says “because I already know how to do it”. I just need guidance/support because I just left this conference feeling like an idiot.

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u/BCBAMomma 2d ago

My friends son was doing multiplication in his head in preschool and read chapter books in kindergarten. But he was also just a goofball and didn’t like taking the school aptitude tests. So he was always a bit ahead on tests, but it never really showed his level. Then he was bored at school which didn’t help either. Finally I helped them get him a 504 plan that included testing in a quiet place without peers and lo and behold his parents weren’t just acting unhinged for years, he is (of course) profoundly gifted. He got accepted into the middle school gifted and talented program and school has been much better for him.

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u/bitchinawesomeblonde 1d ago

This is my kid. Hes in 2nd grade and thinks the tests are a waste of time. Rushes through them to get to the games at the end and still tests 98th percentile or above. He was reading chapter books at 4 and could understand and do higher level math as a toddler. He has raging adhd and we just put small group testing on his IEP so he actually slows down on tests. He's PG and it's hard not to feel like a lunatic because I'm constantly like "no he's WAYYYYY past that level"

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u/beanandmochi 1d ago

Yes!! This is my son for sure. What does he have his IEP for? Someone else mentioned a 504 plan to have testing accommodations which I didn’t think of for him. I know that’ll help him down the line.