WJ-IV – Test of Achievement

The WJ IV Test of Achievement takes a student approximately 90 minutes to complete thirteen

core activities called subtests. The above labeled rows describe all 20 subtests.
Using the above matrix, one can determine which subtests when combined create a cluster
score, which appears as the title of each column (ex. Letter-Word Identification and Passage
Comprehension yield a READING cluster). Cluster scores will appear on a child’s score page in
all CAPITALS. The subtests that makeup the cluster score are typically indented.
Cluster scores are compared to a child’s intellectual quotient (IQ) because these scores are
more robust and valid than individual subtests.
 WJ-IV SCORING
Cluster / Subtest Qualitative
Standard Score Range Descriptive Percentiles
131 and above Very Superior 98 to 99.9
121-130 Superior 92 to 97
111-120 High Average 76 to 91
90-110 Average 25 to 75
80-89 Low Average 9 to 24
70-79 Low 3 to 8
69 and below Very Low .1 to 2

Specific Learning Disability (SLD).

According to N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.5(c)12 Special Education Code, "Specific learning disability" …
means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in
understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect
ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including
conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and
developmental aphasia.

i. A specific learning disability can be determined when a severe discrepancy is found between
the student's current achievement [WJ IV] and intellectual ability [WISC-V] in one or more of
the following areas:
(1) Basic reading skills;
(2) Reading comprehension;
(3) Oral expression;
(4) Listening comprehension;
(5) Mathematical calculation;
(6) Mathematical problem solving;
(7) Written expression; and
(8) Reading fluency.

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 WJ-IV READING
READING
Letter-Word Identification
Passage Comprehension

BROAD READING
Letter-Word Identification
Passage Comprehension
Sentence Reading Fluency

BASIC READING SKILLS

Letter-Word Identification
Word Attack

READING COMPREHENSION
Passage Comprehension
Reading Recall

READING FLUENCY
Oral Reading
Sentence Reading Fluency

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 Reading Cluster Subtests

Letter-Word Identification – This subtest measures ability to read isolated words aloud.
1. This is the letter “T” Find the “T” down here
J T P E
2. What is this word? Portrait

Passage Comprehension – This subtest measures ability to understand written discourse. The
items require the student to read a short passage and identify a missing key word that made
sense in the context of the passage.
1. Point to the one that tells about the big picture

2. There was a hole in the _________________. That is where the cow got through.
Word Attack – This subtest measures student’s skill in applying phonics and structural analysis
skills to the pronunciation of unfamiliar non-words.
1. Point to the picture that begins with /f/.

2. Read this word. Frime

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Oral Reading – This subtest measures oral sentence reading fluency. Points are deducted for
errors in mispronunciation, omission, insertion, substitution, hesitation, repetition,
transposition, and ignoring punctuation.
The trees are big.
During one year, a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere.

Sentence Reading Fluency – This subtest measures a student’s ability to quickly read and
comprehend sentences. In this time test, a student is required to indicate whether each
sentence was true or false.
Reading Fluency: 3-minute time limit.
An apple is green Y N
A cow can dance Y N

Reading Recall – This subtest measures a student’s ability to read a short story silently and
then reconstruct the story from memory.
Ken was going on his dad’s boat. His dad said, “Don’t jump in.” Ken stepped in the boat and
sat down.
It was July 21, 1969, and Neil Armstrong awoke with a start. It was the day he would become
the first human being to ever walk on the moon. The journey had begun several days earlier,
when on July 16th, the Apollo 11 launched from Earth headed into outer space. On board with
Neil Armstrong were Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin. The crew landed on the moon in the Sea
of Tranquility a day before the actual walk.

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 WJ-IV MATH

MATHEMATICS
Applied Problems
Calculation

BROAD MATHEMATICS
Applied Problems
Calculation
Math Facts Fluency

MATH CALCULATION SKILLS

Calculation
Math Facts Fluency

MATH PROBLEM SOLVING

Applied Problems
Number Matrices

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 Math Cluster Subtests
Applied Problems – This subtest measures mathematics achievement that requires students
to analyze and solve practical problems.

1. How many circles are there?

2. Mary went to sleep at 7 o’clock on Sunday night. She woke up at 6 o’clock on Monday
morning. How many hours did she sleep?

Calculation – This subtest measures ability to perform mathematical computations.

1. 3+6 =
2. 10x + 8 = 28
x = ___

Math Facts Fluency – This subtest measures a student’s ability to quickly solve simple
addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication problems during a timed setting (3 minutes).
1. 4+4 =
2. 6x4 =

Number Matrices – This subtest is a test of mathematics problem solving. This test requires a
student to supply the missing number that must simultaneously complete two or more
sequences of numbers.
1.
5 6
7

2.
50 40
30

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 WJ-IV WRITING

WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Spelling
Writing Samples

BROAD WRITTEN LANGUAGE

Spelling
Writing Samples
Sentence Writing Fluency

WRITTEN EXPRESSION
Writing Samples
Sentence Writing Fluency

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 Writing Cluster Subtests
Spelling – This subtest measures ability to write orally-presented words correctly.
1. Spell the word milk. The boy dropped his glass of milk. Milk
2. Spell the word efficient. The hybrid car was more efficient than the gas car. Efficient.

Writing Samples –This subtest provides a rating of a student’s quality of written expression in
sentence construction.

1.
This boy is jumping.
The first sentence says, “This boy is jumping.” Write a second sentence on the line that
tells what the other boy is doing.

2. Accidentally
________________________________________________________________
Write a sentence that tells about the picture and uses the word accidentally.

Sentence Writing Fluency – This subtest measures a student’s fluency for quickly formulating
and writing simple sentences.
Use these three words and any other words you need to write a short sentence about the
picture. You may put the words in any order.
1. ice cream _________________________________________________
cold
is _________________________________________________

2. diver _________________________________________________
splashes
water _________________________________________________

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 WJ-IV – Test of Oral Language

The WJ IV Test of Oral Language is administered to calculate Oral Expression and Listening
Comprehension cluster scores. Additional subtests may be administered depending on the
scope of the evaluation.
ORAL EXPRESSION
Picture Vocabulary
Sentence Repetition

LISTENING COMPREHENSION
Oral Comprehension
Understanding Directions

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 WJ-IV ORAL LANGUAGE

Oral Expression Subtests

Picture Vocabulary – This subtest requires the naming of pictures from familiar to less
familiar. It measures vocabulary, verbal ability, and knowledge of culture.
1. Here is a picture of a dog and a picture of a bus. Put your finger on the dog.

2. What is this called?

Sentence Repetition – This subtest requires students to listen and recall sentences of
increasing length and complexity. It measures short-term memory span.
Prompt: I am going to say some words and then I want you to repeat it.
1. Big bird.

2. The girl stopped to smell the flowers.

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 Listening Comprehension Subtests

Oral Comprehension – This subtest requires listening to a short passage and providing the
final missing word. It measures listening ability and language development.
Prompt: You will hear some sentences and then fill in the blank at the end.
1. A cow goes ___________.

2. Picking apples is a tiring activity. It requires special machines and many workers to pick
apples in the ____________.

Understanding Directions – This subtest requires listening to instructions and then pointing to
objects in pictures. It measures listening ability and language development.
1. Point to the animal directly below the lion.

2. Point to the animal to the left of the elephant then the animal flying in the sky.

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 Understanding Test Scores
Norm-Referenced Tests. Normed reference tests compare an individual child’s performance to
that of his or her classmates or some other, larger group. The WISC-V was normed on 2,200
children while the WJ IV was normed on over 7,000 children. Such tests will tell you how your
child compares to similar children on a given set of skills and knowledge, but it does not
provide information about what the child does and does not know. Scores on norm-
referenced tests indicate the student’s ranking relative to that group. Typical scores used with
norm-referenced tests include:

Standard Scores. A standard score is derived from raw scores using the norming information
gathered when the test was developed. Standard scores indicate how far above or below the
average an individual score falls using a common scale with a mean of 100. The WISC-V Index
scores, WJ IV subtest and cluster scores all are reported via standard scores. Scores from 90 –
110 are considered in the average range.

Percentiles. A percentile is a score that indicates the rank of the student compared to others
(same age or same grade). An average standard score of 100 would fall at the 50th percentile.
This indicates the child’s performance equals or surpasses 50% of his/her peers from the
standardization group. A percentile is not the same as a percent – a percentile does not mean
that the student answered 50% of the questions correctly. Percentiles from 25 to 75 are
considered in the average range.

Scaled Scores (WISC-V subtests only). Psychoeducational tests are typically made of several
mini-tests, or subtests, which assess more specific skill sets. Performance on each subtest
results in a scaled score ranging from 1 to 19. Scale scores are often combined to form
standard scores. On the WISC-V, scaled scores from 8 to 12 are considered in the average
range.

Qualitative Descriptors. Qualitative descriptors are quick ways to report the interpretation of
the scores in relation to similar peers, such as Low Average, Average, and High Average. Each
normed referenced test has separate guides on applying qualitative descriptors.

Confidence Intervals. Since a child’s performance on a test can vary on any given day, the
confidence interval is the hypothetical range of scores predicted if your child were given this
test 100 times. For example, a 95% confidence interval means there is a 95% likelihood that
your child would score in the given range if administered the test 100 times.
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Bell Shaped Curve. Percentile ranks, qualitative descriptors, and standard scores can all be
compared using the normal or bell-shaped curve. Most tests in education are develop in order
to yield a standard curve of scores, where the majority of all students would fall within an
average range.

*Content for Understanding Test Scores was obtained from the Frenchtown School District
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.ftsd.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx%3F
moduleinstanceid%3D1447%26dataid%3D3124%26FileName%3DUnderstanding%2520Test%
2520Scores.pdf&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjH6sbG4sfSAhXkDsAKHb38DWEQFggEMAA&client=int
ernal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNEcCCxim7j4NoOAz1XMG4OVtXk42w

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