To administer the tests I was required to read the instructions while they were also presented to him on the screen. For the practice tests, he usually read ahead and pressed on without waiting for me to finish the instructions. Except the working memory tests - he read and re-read them before proceeding.
For the baseline tests, because they are timed and should be done without significant breaks, I asked him if he needed a glass of water or to use the toilet before we started. He decided he did.
An hour later (sigh) we got started.
Again I read the preparatory instructions, reminding him that the tests were the same as the practice tests, just different in the specifics so that they are still 'fresh'.
A-One: Not yet. I'll let you know.
A minute or so passed.
Mum: Are you ready yet?
A-One: No. I'll let you know when I am.
A minute or so passed.
Mum: How about now?
A-One: No. Not yet.
Mum: Are you composing yourself, getting your mind ready for this?
A-One: Yes.
The first baseline test was to remember a shopping list. As I started to read out the items, he burst out, 'Aren't these meant to be the same words as before?' So we used up some seconds as I explained that the test is the same, but the words are different. That's what the 'composing' time had been about - trying to remember the words from the practice test!
For most of the tests again, he pressed on without waiting for me to finish reading the instructions, except for the more challenging of the working memory tests. We completed all the tests in about an hour and fifteen minutes. My observation, supported by the test results, showed that his working memory is quite good. When tests required that he 'work out' a rule or find a path in a maze, he performed better than when he had to remember many things short term. But for anything that had made it into his memory, his delayed recall was then good. This is consistent with our experience of him - it might take a while for something to get into his brain, but once it's there, it's there forever! So it sounds to me like he would benefit from practising learning things off by heart - not so much to know many more things, but to practice the learning technique required to remember things.
Mum: Do you want to see your test results?
A-One: Nah.
Pondering the good working memory results, and recalling that his previous neuro-psyche tests indicated a weak working memory, I asked him if he was willing to do a little exercise that would take only a minute (a working memory test).
Mum: I'll give you five numbers and I want you to repeat them back to me - backwards.
A-One: OK.
Mum: 7 3 9 5 8
A-One gazed down with a look of concentration on his face. After about 15 seconds he looked at me and giggled. He looked down again for about another 10 seconds. Looked up, giggling again.
Then, tumbling the numbers out in quick succession:
A-One: 85937!
No comments:
Post a Comment