Psychology: High School and Cognitive Ability Test Essay

Submitted By Ballen1
Words: 1105
Pages: 5
Open Document
Cognitive Ability Test

Brandy Allen

Saint Mary’s University-Minnesota

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a test of reasoning skills (Issaquah School District). The CogAT assess both general and specific reasoning skills. General reasoning skills reflect the individuals ability to cognitively process and strategize when learning new tasks and solving problems, especially when there is a loss of instruction. The test that is used to identify academically gifted/talented individuals from all ethical backgrounds from kindergarten through 12th grade (Lohman, 2006). Another two purposes of the Cognitive Ability Test is (1) “to guide the efforts to adapt instruction to the needs and abilities” and (2) “to provide an alternative measure of cognitive development”. Overall, this test can assist teachers in developing and adapting goals, methods, and materials to the individual needs of the individuals in their classroom (Lohman, 2006). It is believed that if teachers adapt to an individuals strengths, they will be assisting the individual to learn effectively. If a teacher can give an individual more complex opportunities in the classroom based on their strengths, the teacher will be assisting the student build their strengths. Once this relationship is built, the teacher then can focus on building the individual’s weaknesses as well (cogat, 2012). The CogAT can be administered in whole or in part. Generally individuals complete the test in three batteries (Lohman, 2007). The three batteries within the CogAT are the Verbal Battery, Quantitative Battery, and Non-Verbal Battery (Issaquah School District). The Verbal Battery section is assessing an individual’s vocabulary, along with their comprehension, efficiency and verbal memory, and their ability to discover word relationships. A high correlation is shown between verbal ability and success in a variety of subjects within the school system. There are three subtests included in the Verbal Battery section: 1. Verbal Classification, 2. Sentence Completion, and 3. Verbal Analogies (Issaquah School District). The Quantitative Battery tests the individuals quantitative reasoning and problem solving ability. This test, also, provides the administrator an idea of the individual’s level of abstract reasoning. This section of the test provides three subtests as well: Quantitative Relations, Number Series, and Equation Building. Each of these three subtests are timed, and the times vary from 8-12 minutes each to complete (Issaquah School District). Finally, the third section of tests is the Non-Verbal Battery. In this area of the test, the items are primarily geometric shapes and figures. There is no reading required in this section of the test. Non-Verbal Battery is measuring an estimate of development for individuals that have a difficulty with reading, do not show a strength in English, or those who have had a limited opportunities. There are three subtests in the Non-Verbal Battery as well, and each test is given 10 minutes to complete: Figure Classification, Figure Analogies, and Figure Analysis (Issaquah School District). When administrators are formulating results from each of the tests, if one rating is considered high then the administrator is to consider all the ratings high (Lohman, 2006). When a school system is deciding to utilize the CogAT to identify the talented students, it is suggested that the school system test all the students in that particular grade, not just the students that are suspected gifted or talented. The school system is then to identify the individuals that score above the 97th percentile rank, or between the 80th and 97th percentile rank on either the Verbal Composite or the Non-Verbal Composite. The teacher is then to rate the academic ability, creativity, and motivation for those individuals who have scored high. It is beneficial for more than one
Show More

Related Documents: Psychology: High School and Cognitive Ability Test Essay

Why Ability Assessments Don't Cross Cultures Essay

Can't Take It With You Why Ability Assessments Don't Cross Cultures Patricia M. Greenfield University of California, Los Angeles A central thesis of this article is that ability tests can be analyzed as items of symbolic culture. This theoretical perspective, based in cultural psychology, provides psychological researchers and clinicians with the tools to detect, correct, and avoid the cross-cultural misunderstandings that undermine the validity of ability tests applied outside their culture…

Words 10048 - Pages 41

Essay on Intelligence One or Many?

Intelligence one or many? Intelligence is one of the most controversial issues in the field of psychology; to this day researchers still are unable to find a clear cut definition for intelligence, and still can’t agree on whether intelligence is one thing or many. There are two opposing theories that try to explain intelligence; the one general intelligence theory, and the multiple intelligences theory. These two schools of thought disagree on the nature of intelligence, supporters of the one general intelligence…

Words 565 - Pages 3

Introduction to Psychological Testing due 2 june 15 Essay

Introduction to Psychological Testing Consuelo Mumford PSY 475 June 1, 2015 Maureen Clifford Introduction to Psychological Testing Tests are theoretical concepts which provide professionals in psychology with pertinent data related to the human behaviors, thoughts, and personalities. There are five major categories of testing which are important to testing, with the four major uses and users of testing. Testing has a purpose in education, clinical, intelligence, and neuropsychological in psychological…

Words 829 - Pages 4

Perceived Math Abilities by Gender and Aspects That Affect Those Abilities Essay example

Perceived Math Abilities by Gender and Aspects That Affect Those Abilities Educational Statistics and Research Design EDU 5523 October 2012 Abstract For many years there has been a strong interest on the gender differences of boys and girls as it relates to the sciences. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are gender differences in the way adolescent boys and girls perceive their math abilities and what aspects affect those abilities. Participants were…

Words 1747 - Pages 7

Intelligence: Intelligence and Hgggggggggggggbbbbgggrtrrgfgffggggh Ggg Essay

knowledge, retaining, planning, and problem solving. Intelligence is most widely studied in humans, but has also been observed in animals and in plants. Artificial intelligence is the simulation of intelligence in machines. Within the discipline of psychology, various approaches to human intelligence have been adopted. The psychometric approach is especially familiar to the general public, as well as being the most researched and by far the most widely used in practical settings. Intelligence The…

Words 1645 - Pages 7

Essay Motivational Plan

are five basic theories of motivation. 1) Self-determination theory states that people have three basic needs. 2) Attribution theory wants to know why things happen. 3) Expectancy-value theory is interested in a person’s beliefs about abilities. 4) Social cognitive theory states that human behavior comes from their attributes. 5) Goal orientation theory wants to know the reasons for doing tasks. Self-Determination Theory The self-determination theory states that people have three basic needs…

Words 1258 - Pages 6

Essay on Psychology and Advanced Placement Course

BRADEN RIVER HIGH SCHOOL 6545 State Road 70 East Bradenton, FL 34203 (941)751-8230 Fax (941) 751-8250 Course Syllabus A.P. PSYCHOLOGY 2014-2015 Heather E Scott Course: A.P. Psychology Room: 738 Phone: 751-8230 ext 2165 Email: scotth@manateeschools.net Website:…

Words 3746 - Pages 15

Relationship Between Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, And Academic Performance

Department of Psychology, Millersville University. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Aliesha Y. Robinson, Department of Psychology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA 17551. Email: aliesharobinson@aol.com What is the Relationship between Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, and Academic Performance? Students are constantly seeking ways to do better in school, especially if they are not doing well already. Some students may even drop out of school because they are…

Words 1606 - Pages 7

history of psychological testing paper

they need to have a basic understanding of psychological tests. There is a variety of tests available for testing people, and each of these tests has specific uses. These tests must also have a degree of reliability and validity in order to be useful in the field of psychological testing. The major assumptions and fundamental questions also need to be addressed. Tests The majority of people have a basic idea of the definition of a test. A test, (2011) according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is…

Words 1002 - Pages 5

Essay Catherine Malasa

CHRESO UNIVERSITY DISTANCE EDUCATION NAME OF SCHOOL: FACULTY OFBUSINESS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT: SOCIAL SCIENCES COMPUTER NO: PROGRAM: BARCHELAR of SCIENCE IN ECONOMICS COURSE CODE: PSY 501 LECTURER: SIKABELE CHIKUBA STUDENT: CATHERINE MALASA SEMESTER: 1ST SEMESTER 1ST YEAR ASSIGNMENT: NO 1 DUE DATE:…

Words 2299 - Pages 10