Are there advantages to having a child tested individually rather than in a group situation?
Group and individual testing are markedly different situations in that an individual tester can pay more attention to the child’s needs for encouragement, pacing, and direction. There is a greater opportunity for the tester to observe particular aspects of the child’s behaviour, such as the child’s manner of expression, difficulty in solving particular types of problems and response as items become more difficult. For highly gifted children, tests administered to their classes have insufficient challenge to assess their advanced skills. Some children let their attention wander or have a somewhat cautious and deliberate style that prevents them from keeping pace in a group situation. Greater allowances can be made for these circumstances during an individual testing session.
