NNAT® Prep Benefits
July 19, 2017

Why the CogAT is Key for Elementary Students’ Futures

The CogAT is a cognitive abilities test that monitors a child’s ability to reason and apply knowledge to a variety of situations. The test is available in multiple levels for elementary school children of all ages. Even though reasoning is the main skill tested by the CogAT, when combined with other tests it can be useful in predicting future achievement test scores.

The results of the CogAT can be extremely beneficial to the future of elementary school students. Test results can determine their placement in gifted programs. It can also be used to predict how well they will perform in school.

About the CogAT

The CogAT is split into three sections:

  • Verbal
  • Quantitative
  • Non-Verbal

The difficulty of the questions in each section varies depending on the age of the child and the level of the test being administered. Each section is specially designed to assess specific reasoning skills.

Because much of the test is nonverbal, the CogAT can be used for testing students that do not speak English as their primary language.

Understanding the Learning Styles of Elementary School Students

The CogAT provides valuable information about the learning needs of children. This can be useful for educational planning and gifted student identification. Tests like the CogAT can also identify students with learning issues, making early intervention possible when it’s more likely to be successful.

It’s important to remember that the CogAT measures a student’s reasoning ability and is not indicative of their overall academic achievement. Although receiving a high score on the CogAT is not necessarily a reliable predictor of future academic success, it provides insight for educators on how children learn and solve problems. This puts them in a better position to meet the needs of their students.

Provide Tailored Instruction

Scores from the CogAT can help educators understand the best learning environment for their students. Having a deep understanding of a child’s level of cognitive ability allows educators to tailor their instruction to meet the individual needs of each child. This can have a significant impact on their future academic success.

Please contact Young Scholars Circle for more information about the Cognitive Abilities Test.