Series Editors, Alan S. Kaufman and Nadeen L. Kaufman
Essentials of 16 PF® Assessment by Heather E.-P. Cattell and James M. Schuerger
Essentials of ADHD Assessment for Children and Adolescents by Elizabeth P. Sparrow and Drew Erhardt
Essentials of Assessment Report Writing by Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger, Nancy Mather, Nadeen L. Kaufman, and Alan S. Kaufman
Essentials of Assessment with Brief Intelligence Tests by Susan R. Homack and Cecil R. Reynolds
Essentials of Autism Spectrum Disorders Evaluation and Assessment by Celine A. Saulnier and Pamela E. Ventola
Essentials of Bayley Scales of Infant Development–II Assessment by Maureen M. Black and Kathleen Matula
Essentials of Behavioral Assessment by Michael C. Ramsay, Cecil R. Reynolds, and R. W. Kamphaus
Essentials of Career Interest Assessment by Jeffrey P. Prince and Lisa J. Heiser
Essentials of CAS Assessment by Jack A. Naglieri
Essentials of Cognitive Assessment with KAIT and Other Kaufman Measures by Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger, Debra Broadbooks, and Alan S. Kaufman
Essentials of Conners Behavior Assessments™ by Elizabeth P. Sparrow
Essentials of Creativity Assessment by James C. Kaufman, Jonathan A. Plucker, and John Baer
Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment, Third Edition by Dawn P. Flanagan, Samuel O. Ortiz, and Vincent C. Alfonso
Essentials of DAS-II®Assessment by Ron Dumont, John O. Willis, and Colin D. Elliot
Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention by Nancy Mather and Barbara J. Wendling
Essentials of Evidence-Based Academic Interventions by Barbara J. Wendling and Nancy Mather
Essentials of Executive Functions Assessment by George McCloskey and Lisa A. Perkins
Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment, Second Edition by Marc J. Ackerman
Essentials of IDEA for Assessment Professionals by Guy McBride, Ron Dumont, and John O. Willis
Essentials of Individual Achievement Assessment by Douglas K. Smith
Essentials of KABC-II Assessment by Alan S. Kaufman, Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger, Elaine Fletcher-Janzen, and Nadeen L. Kaufman
Essentials of Millon™ Inventories Assessment, Third Edition by Stephen Strack
Essentials of MMPI-A™ Assessment by Robert P. Archer and Radhika Krishnamurthy
Essentials of MMPI-2® Assessment, Second Edition by David S. Nichols
Essentials of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Assessment, Second Edition by Naomi Quenk
Essentials of NEPSY®-II Assessment by Sally L. Kemp and Marit Korkman
Essentials of Neuropsychological Assessment, Second Edition by Nancy Hebben and William Milberg
Essentials of Nonverbal Assessment by Steve McCallum, Bruce Bracken, and John Wasserman
Essentials of PAI® Assessment by Leslie C. Morey
Essentials of Planning, Selecting, and Tailoring Interventions for Unique Learners edited by Jennifer T. Mascolo, Vincent C. Alfonso, and Dawn P. Flanagan
Essentials of Processing Assessment, Second Edition by Milton J. Dehn
Essentials of Response to Intervention by Amanda M. VanDerHeyden and Matthew K. Burns
Essentials of Rorschach® Assessment by Tara Rose, Nancy Kaser-Boyd, and Michael P. Maloney
Essentials of School Neuropsychological Assessment, Second Edition by Daniel C. Miller
Essentials of Specific Learning Disability Identification by Dawn Flanagan and Vincent C. Alfonso
Essentials of Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (SB5) Assessment by Gale H. Roid and R. Andrew Barram
Essentials of TAT and Other Storytelling Assessments, Second Edition by Hedwig Teglasi
Essentials of Temperament Assessment by Diana Joyce
Essentials of WAIS®-IV Assessment, Second Edition by Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger and Alan S. Kaufman
Essentials of WIAT®-III and KTEA-II Assessment by Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger and Kristina C. Breaux
Essentials of WISC®-IV Assessment, Second Edition by Dawn P. Flanagan and Alan S. Kaufman
Essentials of WJ III™ Cognitive Abilities Assessment, Second Edition by Fredrick A. Schrank, Daniel C. Miller, Barbara J. Wendling, and Richard W. Woodcock
Essentials of WJ IV® Tests of Achievement by Nancy Mather and Barbara J. Wendling
Essentials of WMS®-IV Assessment by Lisa Whipple Drozdick, James A. Holdnack, and Robin C. Hilsabeck
Essentials of WNV™ Assessment by Kimberly A. Brunnert, Jack A. Naglieri, and Steven T. Hardy-Braz
Essentials of WPPSI™-IV Assessment by Susan Engi Raiford and Diane Coalson
Essentials of WRAML2 and TOMAL-2 Assessment by Wayne Adams and Cecil R. Reynolds
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Mather, Nancy.
Essentials of WJ IV© tests of achievement / by Nancy Mather and Barbara J. Wendling.
pages cm. — (Essentials of psychological assessment series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-118-79915-4 (print)
ISBN 978-1-118-79916-1 (ePub)
ISBN 978-1-118-79910-9 (ePDF)
1.Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery. I. Wendling, Barbara J. II. Title. III. Title: Essentials of WJ 4 tests of achievement. IV. Title: Essentials of WJ four tests of achievement.
LB1131.75.W66M373 2015
371.26–dc23
2014028494
In the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, we have attempted to provide the reader with books that will deliver key practical information in the most efficient and accessible style. The series features instruments in a variety of domains, such as cognition, personality, education, and neuropsychology. For the experienced clinician, books in the series will offer a concise yet thorough way to master utilization of the continuously evolving supply of new and revised instruments, as well as a convenient method for keeping up to date on the tried-and-true measures. The novice will find here a prioritized assembly of all the information and techniques that must be at one's fingertips to begin the complicated process of individual psychological diagnosis.
Wherever feasible, visual shortcuts to highlight key points are utilized alongside systematic, step-by-step guidelines. Chapters are focused and succinct. Topics are targeted for an easy understanding of the essentials of administration, scoring, interpretation, and clinical application. Theory and research are continually woven into the fabric of each book, but always to enhance clinical inference, never to sidetrack or overwhelm. We have long been advocates of “intelligent” testing—the notion that a profile of test scores is meaningless unless it is brought to life by the clinical observations and astute detective work of knowledgeable examiners. Test profiles must be used to make a difference in the child's or adult's life, or why bother to test? We want this series to help our readers become the best intelligent testers they can be.
The Essentials of WJ IV® Tests of Achievement is designed to be a helpful reference to all examiners, whether they are experienced with the WJ III or just learning the WJ IV. The internationally renowned authors have incorporated fine points of administration, scoring, and interpretation to assist examiners in building their competency with the WJ IV Tests of Achievement and the WJ IV Tests of Oral Language. The authors weave expert guidance throughout to help the reader avoid common examiner errors. Appendix B includes answers to frequently asked questions.
Too often the focus of testing is on getting a score or establishing a numeric discrepancy. Much more information can be derived from an achievement or oral language test than just a score. In this book, the authors provide access to the rich, interpretive information available when using the WJ IV ACH or the WJ IV OL.
Alan S. Kaufman, PhD, and Nadeen L. Kaufman, EdD, Series Editors
Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the numerous dedicated assessment professionals who help children and adults understand their unique strengths and weaknesses and prescribe targeted interventions designed to foster their success.
Dr. Richard Woodcock has had a profound effect on our professional lives and we are grateful for his influence, inspiration, and mentorship. We acknowledge his many contributions that have led to diagnostic and practical tools for assessment professionals. Additionally, we acknowledge the leadership and support of Dr. Fredrick Schrank in the development of the WJ IV.
Finally, we are grateful for the contributions of Marquita Flemming, Sherry Wasserman, and the rest of the staff at John Wiley & Sons.
Although many standardized instruments exist for measuring academic performance, the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ ACH) is often cited as one of the most widely used and respected individual achievement tests since its original publication in 1977 (Gregory, 1996). The latest revision, the Woodcock-Johnson IV® Tests of Achievement (WJ IV ACH) (Schrank, Mather, & McGrew, 2014a), provides examiners with an even more comprehensive and useful instrument. The WJ IV ACH is a companion instrument to the Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ IV COG) (Schrank, McGrew, & Mather, 2014b) and the new Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Oral Language (WJ IV OL) (Schrank, Mather, & McGrew, 2014b). These three instruments form the Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJ IV) (Schrank, McGrew, & Mather, 2014a), a comprehensive battery of individually administered tests that are designed to measure general intellectual ability, specific cognitive abilities, oral language abilities, and achievement. Depending upon the purpose of the assessment, these instruments may be used independently, in conjunction with each other, or with other assessment instruments.
Essentials of WJ IV® Tests of Achievement provides an easy-to-use guide and reference for professionals and practitioners who wish to learn the key features of this instrument. This guide is appropriate for a wide array of professionals, whether their goal is to learn how to administer the test or simply to increase familiarity with the instrument. The topics covered include administration, scoring, interpretation, and application of the WJ IV ACH. In addition, one chapter is dedicated to the use and application of the WJ IV OL. All chapters include “Rapid Reference,” “Caution,” and “Don't Forget” boxes that highlight important points. At the end of each chapter is a “Test Yourself” section designed to help examiners review and reinforce the key information presented. These features make the guide an ideal resource for both in-service and graduate training in the application and interpretation of the WJ IV ACH. Examiners may wish to read the book from cover to cover or turn to individual chapters to find specific information. Rapid Reference 1.1 provides basic information about the WJ IV ACH and its publisher.
The original Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement was published in 1977 as part of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (WJ) (Woodcock & Johnson, 1977). The WJ provided the first comprehensive, co-normed battery of cognitive abilities, achievement, and interests. The battery of tests measured a continuum of human abilities across a wide age range and provided common norms for interpretation. The Tests of Achievement consisted of 10 tests organized into four areas: reading, mathematics, written language, and knowledge.
The Woodcock-Johnson-Revised (WJ-R®) (Woodcock & Johnson, 1989) was designed to expand and increase the diagnostic capabilities of the WJ. The tests were divided into two main batteries, the Tests of Cognitive Ability (WJ-R COG) and the Tests of Achievement (WJ-R ACH). The WJ-R COG and WJ-R ACH each had two easel test books, the Standard Battery and the Supplemental Battery. The WJ-R Tests of Achievement consisted of 14 tests organized into four curricular areas: reading, mathematics, written language, and knowledge. Several new tests were added to the reading and written language areas. To facilitate pre- and posttesting, parallel, alternate forms of the Tests of Achievement, Forms A and B, were published.
Like its predecessor, the Woodcock-Johnson III had two distinct batteries, the Tests of Cognitive Abilities and the Tests of Achievement (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001). Together these batteries comprised a comprehensive system for measuring general intellectual ability (g), specific cognitive abilities, predicted achievement, oral language, and achievement across a wide age range. As with the original WJ, one of the most important features of the WJ III system was that norms for the WJ III COG and WJ III ACH were based on data from the same sample of individuals. This co-norming provided greater accuracy and validity when making comparisons among and between an individual's obtained scores and provided new options for various discrepancy and variation procedures.
The latest edition, the WJ IV, is composed of three parts: the WJ IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ IV COG), the WJ IV Tests of Achievement (WJ IV ACH), and the WJ IV Tests of Oral Language (WJ IV OL). Together these three assessment instruments provide a comprehensive set of individually administered, norm-referenced tests for measuring intellectual abilities, academic achievement, and oral language. As with prior versions, the normative data are based on a single sample that was administered the cognitive, the oral language, and the achievement tests. This comprehensive assessment system facilitates exploring and identifying individual strengths and weaknesses across cognitive, oral language, and academic abilities.
As noted, the WJ IV ACH is a revised and expanded version of the WJ III Tests of Achievement. The WJ IV ACH has 20 tests that are organized into five main areas: reading, mathematics, written language, academic knowledge, and cross-domain clusters. The cross-domain clusters include tests from three different curricular areas (reading, mathematics, and writing). For example, the Academic Fluency cluster includes Sentence Reading Fluency, Math Facts Fluency, and Sentence Writing Fluency.
All of the tests are contained in two easel test books, the Standard Battery and the Extended Battery. The Standard Battery has three forms (Forms A, B, and C) with one form of the Extended Battery. The Standard Batteries include the most commonly administered tests, so having three forms provides alternate and equivalent tests to facilitate retesting. The Extended Battery, which can be used with any of the three forms of the Standard Battery, includes tests that provide greater depth of coverage in each academic area. Table 1.1 shows the organization of the WJ IV ACH, which applies to Forms A, B, and C; the tests are presented by academic area rather than by numeric sequence.
Table 1.1 Organization of the WJ IV ACH Tests
| Academic Area | Standard Battery (Forms A, B, and C) | Extended Battery |
| Reading | Test 1: Letter-Word Identification Test 4: Passage Comprehension Test 7: Word Attack Test 8: Oral Reading Test 9: Sentence Reading Fluency |
Test 12: Reading Recall Test 15: Word Reading Fluency Test 17: Reading Vocabulary |
| Mathematics | Test 2: Applied Problems Test 5. Calculation Test 10: Math Facts Fluency |
Test 13: Number Matrices |
| Writing | Test 3: Spelling Test 6: Writing Samples Test 11: Sentence Writing Fluency |
Test 14: Editing Test 16: Spelling of Sounds |
| Academic Knowledge | Test 18: Science Test 19: Social Studies Test 20: Humanities |
Although many of the basic features have been retained, the extensive renorming and addition of new tests and interpretive procedures improve and increase the diagnostic capabilities. The areas of reading, mathematics, and written language each include measures of basic skills, fluency or automaticity, and application or higher-level skills. The Academic Knowledge cluster includes individual tests of Science, Social Studies, and Humanities that sample an individual's knowledge of the biological and physical sciences; history, geography, government, and economics; and art, music, and literature. Table 1.2 provides an overview of the content and task demands of each of the 20 achievement tests. Figure 1.1 illustrates item types for each of the achievement tests. The sample items shown are not actual test items.
Table 1.2 Content and Task Demands of the 20 WJ IV ACH Tests
| Area | Test Name | Description | Task Demands |
| Reading | Test 1: Letter-Word Identification | Measures an aspect of reading decoding. | Requires identifying and pronouncing isolated letters and words. |
| Test 4: Passage Comprehension | Measures reading comprehension of contextual information. | Requires reading a short passage and supplying a key missing word. | |
| Test 7: Word Attack | Measures aspects of phonological and orthographic coding. | Requires applying phonic and structural analysis skills to pronounce phonically regular nonsense words. | |
| Test 8: Oral Reading | Measures word reading accuracy and prosody. | Requires reading sentences aloud that gradually increase in difficulty. | |
| Test 9: Sentence Reading Fluency | Measures reading rate. | Requires reading and comprehending simple sentences and then deciding if the statement is true or false by marking yes or no (3-minute time limit). | |
| Test 12: Reading Recall | Measures reading comprehension and meaningful memory. | Requires reading a passage silently one time and then retelling the story orally. | |
| Test 15: Word Reading Fluency | Measures vocabulary knowledge and semantic fluency. | Requires marking two words that go together in a row of four words (3-minute time limit). | |
| Test 17: Reading Vocabulary | Measures reading vocabulary and comprehension. | Requires reading and providing synonyms or antonyms. | |
| Mathematics | Test 2: Applied Problems | Measures the ability to analyze and solve practical math problems, mathematical reasoning. | Requires comprehending the nature of the problem, identifying relevant information, performing calculations, and providing solutions. |
| Test 5: Calculation | Measures the ability to perform mathematical computations. | Requires calculation of simple to complex mathematical facts and equations. | |
| Test 10: Math Facts Fluency | Measures aspects of number facility and math achievement. | Requires rapid calculation of single-digit addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts (3-minute time limit). | |
| Test 13: Number Matrices | Measures quantitative reasoning. | Requires providing the missing number from a matrix. | |
| Written Language | Test 3: Spelling | Measures the ability to spell dictated words. | Requires writing the correct spelling of words presented orally. |
| Test 6: Writing Samples | Measures quality of meaningful written expression and ability to convey ideas. | Requires writing sentences in response to a series of demands that increase in difficulty. | |
| Test 11: Sentence Writing Fluency | Measures aspects of automaticity with syntactic components of written expression. | Requires formulating and writing simple sentences rapidly (5-minute time limit). | |
| Test 14: Editing | Measures the ability to identify and correct errors in spelling, usage, punctuation, and capitalization. | Requires identifying errors in short written passages and correcting them orally. | |
| Test 16: Spelling of Sounds | Measures aspects of phonological/orthographic coding. | Requires spelling nonsense words that conform to conventional English spelling rules. | |
| Academic Knowledge | Test 18: Science | Measures specialized knowledge in science, including biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. | Requires providing an oral response to orally presented questions; many items provide visual stimuli and early items require a pointing response only. |
| Test 19: Social Studies | Measures specialized knowledge in social studies, including history, geography, government, and economics. | Requires providing an oral response to orally presented questions; many items provide visual stimuli and early items require a pointing response only. | |
| Test 20: Humanities | Measures specialized knowledge in humanities, including art, music, and literature. | Requires providing an oral response to orally presented questions; many items provide visual stimuli and early items require a pointing response only. |
Figure 1.1 WJ IV ACH-Like Sample Items
Standard Battery
Test 1: Letter-Word Identification
The task requires identifying and pronouncing isolated letters and words.
Test 2: Applied Problems
The task involves analyzing and solving practical mathematical problems.
Test 3: Spelling
The task involves written spellings of words presented orally.
Test 4: Passage Comprehension
The task requires reading a short passage silently and then supplying a key missing word.
Test 5: Calculation
The task includes mathematical computations from simple addition facts to complex equations.
Test 6: Writing Samples
The task requires writing sentences in response to a variety of demands that are then evaluated based on the quality of expression.
Test 7: Word Attack
The task requires pronouncing nonwords that conform to English spelling rules.
Test 8: Oral Reading
The task requires the oral reading of sentences that increase in complexity and are evaluated for accuracy and expression.
Test 9: Sentence Reading Fluency (timed)
The task requires rapidly reading and comprehending simple sentences.
Test 10: Math Facts Fluency (timed)
The task requires rapid calculation of simple, single-digit addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts.
Test 11: Sentence Writing Fluency (timed)
The task requires formulating and writing simple sentences quickly when given three words and a picture.
Extended Battery
Test 12: Reading Recall
The task requires reading passages of gradually increasing length and complexity and then recalling the story elements.
Test 13: Number Matrices
This task involves identifying the missing number in a numerical matrix.
Test 14: Editing
The task requires identifying and correcting mistakes in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, or word usage in written passages.
Test 15: Word Reading Fluency (timed)
This test requires reading a set of four words and marking the two words that go together.
Test 16: Spelling of Sounds (audio recording)
The task requires spelling nonwords that conform to English spelling rules.
Task 17: Reading Vocabulary
The test involves reading stimulus words for two different tasks: providing synonyms and providing antonyms.
Test 18: Science
The task involves answering questions about curricular knowledge in various areas of the biological and physical sciences.
Test 19: Social Studies
The task involves answering questions about curricular knowledge in various areas of history, geography, government, and economics.
Test 20: Humanities
The task involves answering questions about curricular knowledge in art, music, and literature.
Item content was selected to provide a broad sampling of achievement rather than an in-depth assessment of any one area. Each broad area was designed to measure a hierarchy of abilities ranging from lower-order, less complex tasks, such as the Spelling test, to higher-level, more complex tasks, such as Applied Problems, a measure of math problem solving. Broad measurement of these important achievement areas assists examiners in identifying present performance levels, strengths and weaknesses, and an individual's present instructional needs. In addition, once an area of need has been identified, more in-depth testing can be performed to identify specific instructional objectives using additional norm-referenced, curriculum-based, or informal assessments. Table 1.3 shows the clusters available in the WJ IV ACH.
Table 1.3 Clusters Available in the WJ IV ACH
| Curricular Area | Clusters in the Standard Battery | Clusters Requiring a Test From Extended Battery |
| Reading | Reading Broad Reading Basic Reading Skills Reading Fluency |
Reading Comprehension Reading Comprehension–Extended Reading Rate |
| Math | Mathematics Broad Mathematics Math Calculation Skills |
Math Problem Solving |
| Writing | Written Language Broad Written Language Written Expression |
Basic Writing Skills |
| Cross-Domain Clusters | Academic Skills Academic Fluency Academic Applications Brief Achievement Broad Achievement |
Academic Knowledge Phoneme-Grapheme Knowledge |
Examiners who are familiar with the WJ III ACH will find it easy to learn the overall structure and organization of the WJ IV ACH. Rapid Reference 1.2 provides a summary of the major differences between the WJ III ACH and WJ IV ACH. Rapid Reference 1.3 lists the new tests and clusters available in the WJ IV ACH.
The WJ IV is based on current theory and research on the structure of human cognitive abilities. The theoretical foundation is derived from the Cattell–Horn–Carroll theory of cognitive abilities (CHC theory). Although this is most commonly discussed in relation to the WJ IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities, applying CHC theory to the WJ IV Tests of Achievement provides a common framework for describing performance and interpreting results. This creates a powerful tool for measuring human performance across the continuum of cognitive abilities, oral language, and achievement.
CHC theory is a combination of two research-based theories: Gf-Gc theory, based on the work of Drs. Raymond Cattell and John Horn, and three-stratum theory, based on the work of Dr. John Carroll. Both theoretical models focus on multiple broad abilities, each of which subsumes several narrow cognitive abilities. For more information about these theories, consult the WJ IV COG Examiner's Manual (Mather & Wendling, 2014b), the Technical Manual (McGrew, LaForte, & Schrank, 2014), Schneider and McGrew (2012), and McGrew and Wendling (2010). The WJ IV measures nine broad abilities: comprehension-knowledge (Gc), fluid reasoning (Gf), visual processing (Gv), short-term working memory (Gwm), long-term retrieval (Glr), cognitive processing speed (Gs), auditory processing (Ga), reading/writing (Grw), and quantitative knowledge (Gq). (See Rapid Reference 4.6 in Chapter 4 for definitions of these broad abilities.) The WJ IV ACH includes several different measures of these broad abilities. Table 1.4 shows the broad and narrow abilities that are measured by each of the 20 WJ IV ACH tests.
Table 1.4 Broad and Narrow Abilities Measured by the WJ IV ACH
| Broad CHC Ability | Standard Battery Tests (Primary Narrow Abilities) |
Extended Battery Tests (Primary Narrow Abilities) |
| Reading/Writing: Reading (Grw) | Test 1: Letter-Word Identification (Reading decoding) |
Test 12: Reading Recall (Reading comprehension) |
| Test 4: Passage Comprehension (Reading comprehension, Verbal [printed] language comprehension Test 7: Word Attack (Reading decoding, Phonetic coding) Test 8: Oral Reading (Reading accuracy, Prosody) Test 9: Sentence Reading Fluency (Reading speed, Reading comprehension) |
Test 15: Word Reading Fluency (Lexical knowledge, Semantic fluency) Test 17: Reading Vocabulary (Verbal [printed] language comprehension, Lexical knowledge) | |
| Reading/Writing: Writing (Grw) | Test 3: Spelling (Spelling ability) Test 6: Writing Samples (Writing ability) Test 11: Sentence Writing Fluency (Writing speed, Writing ability) |
Test 14: Editing (Language development/English usage) Test 16: Spelling of Sounds (Spelling ability, Phonetic coding) |
| Quantitative Knowledge (Gq) | Test 2: Applied Problems (Quantitative reasoning, Math achievement, Math knowledge) |
Test 13: Number Matrices (Quantitative reasoning) |
| Test 5: Calculation (Math achievement) |
||
| Test 10: Math Facts Fluency (Math achievement, Numerical facility) |
||
| Comprehension-Knowledge (Gc) | Test 18: Science (General information/science) Test 19: Social Studies (General information/geography achievement) Test 20: Humanities (General information/cultural information) | |
| Auditory Processing (Ga) | Test 7: Word Attack (Phonetic coding) |
Test 16: Spelling of Sounds (Phonetic coding) |
| Long-term Retrieval (Glr) | Test 12: Reading Recall (Meaningful memory) | |
| Fluid reasoning (Gf) | Test 13: Number Matrices (Inductive, Deductive) | |
| Cognitive Processing Speed (Gs) | Test 9: Sentence Reading Fluency Test 10: Math Facts Fluency Test 11: Sentence Writing Fluency |
Test 15: Word Reading Fluency |
WJ IV Technical ManualRapid References 1.41.5
Because it is a comprehensive instrument, the WJ IV ACH can be used with confidence in a variety of settings and for multiple purposes. The wide age range and breadth of coverage allow the tests to be used for educational, clinical, or research purposes from preschool to the geriatric level. Uses of the WJ IV ACH include: (a) establishing an individual's present achievement performance levels, (b) determining academic strengths and weaknesses, (c) comparing an individual's performance to age or grade peers, (d) exploring eligibility for special programs, (e) monitoring educational progress across the school years, (f) investigating the effectiveness of curricula, and (g) assisting with rationales for recommendations that propose specific curricular adaptations and modifications.
The fact that the WJ IV ACH was co-normed with the WJ IV COG and the WJ IV OL provides a “best-practice” scenario for identifying an individual's unique strengths and weaknesses, as well as for obtaining information for instructional planning and programming. The combined and co-normed information provided is especially useful for documenting the nature of, and differentiating among, intra-ability variations and ability/achievement comparisons and discrepancies.
Intra-ability (intracognitive, intra-oral language, intra-achievement) variations are useful for understanding an individual's strengths and weaknesses, diagnosing and documenting the existence of specific disabilities, and acquiring the most relevant information for educational and vocational planning. The intra-achievement variation procedure is available when using only the WJ IV ACH, whereas the other two variation procedures require use of the WJ IV COG and WJ IV OL.
Ability/achievement comparisons or discrepancies (intellectual ability/achievement, oral language ability/achievement) are sometimes used as part of the selection criteria for learning disability programs. Within the WJ IV ACH the Academic Knowledge/achievement comparison is available. The oral language ability/achievement discrepancy is available when using the WJ IV OL and the WJ IV ACH, and additional ability/achievement discrepancy procedures are available when using the WJ IV COG. See Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 for further discussion about the use and interpretation of these procedures.
The WJ IV Tests of Achievement Examiner's Manual (Mather & Wendling, 2014a) and the WJ IV Technical Manual (McGrew et al., 2014) currently provide the most detailed information about the WJ IV. The Examiner's Manual presents the basic principles of individual clinical assessment, specific information regarding use of the test, and suggested procedures for learning to administer, score, and complete the interpretative portions of the WJ IV ACH. The development, standardization, and technical characteristics of the tests are described in the separate Technical Manual.