What is the CogAT and How to Use it

Jeffrey Shoemaker Gifted Intervention SpecialistLima City Schools

What is the CogAT and when it is given to our students?

● The CogAt stands for Cognitive Abilities Test

● It measures developed abilities (from in-school experiences and out of school experiences) not innate abilities

● Appraises capacity to apply abilities to Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal tasks

● This test is given to all of the LCS students in 2nd and 5th grade

What is the CogAT? (Cont.)

● This test is NOT an I.Q. Test● This measures learned reasoning abilities● This test focuses on specific areas of reasoning

linked to school success

Measures These Reasoning Skills

● Comprehend problem situations● Detect similarities and differences● Make inferences● Make Deductions● Classify and categorize objects, events,

and other stimuli● Create and adapt problem-solving

strategies● Use familiar concepts and skills in new

contexts

Uses of the CogAT for the Classroom

● Adapt instruction to needs and abilities of students

● Alternative measure of cognitive development for placement in school services such as gifted education or special education

● Identify students with discrepancies between observed and actual expected levels of achievement

CogAT vocabulary you need to be familiar with

● Raw Score is the number of items answered correctly

● Universal Scale Score (USS) provides a continuous growth scale of cognitive development

● Percentile Rank (PR) is the percentage of scores in a specific distribution that fall below the point of the given score. A percentile rank of 50 is average.

● Standard Age Score (SAS) is the normalized standard score

● Stanine (S) is a Standard Nine Scale

Standard Age Scores (SAS)

These are score for students who qualify for gifted services:

● Very High: 128-150● Above Average 112-127

These are scores of students who are average learners or below average learners:

● Average 89-111 ● Below Average 73-88● Very Low 50-72

Stanine Interpretations from the CogAT

● Stanine 9 Very High● Stanine 7-8 Above Average● Stanine 4-6 Average● Stanine 2-3 Below Average● Stanine 1 Very Low

COgAT Profiles

● A Profile: Confidence bands overlap; Scores are same level

● B Profile: Score above or below the other two scores, which are the same

● C Profile: Two scores contrast● E Profile: Extreme B or C Profiles

CogAT Profiles Examined

● A Profile: The students verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal scores are roughly the same level (about ⅓ of students have this profile)

● B Profile: One of the scores shows a relative strength or weakness when 1 score is above or below the other 2 (About 40% of students)

● C Profile: The student shows a relative strength and a relative weakness. (About 14% of students in this category)

● E Profile: B or C is much more extreme than for the others. (14% of students)

Find your Student’s

CogAT scores in their cum.

Folders in the office

Why?....The stanine is 8, and there is one score that is more than the other two. To find the strength and weakness subtract the highest and lowest SAS scores (138-106=32). The difference has to be greater than 28 to fit profile. So this student would fit into Profile E. The strength is Nonverbal (N+) Weakness is Quantitative (Q-).

Look at the CogAT results at the bottom. What Profile would this student fit?

8E(N+/Q-)

Find your Student’s

CogAT scores in their cum.

Folders in the office

Why?....The stanine is 6, and, all the scores overlap each other.. So this student would fit into Profile A. There is no clear strength or weakness.

Look at the CogAT results at the bottom. What Profile would this student fit?

6A

Where to find resources to help to teach this student?

After you have found the score from the student’s file you next need to go to the following website:

http://www.hmhco.com/cogat/cogatprofile

Plug in the information, and the website will give you the information you need.

Useful Information for your 3-5-3 Plans for students

● You can take some of the suggestions and use them on your 3-5-3 plans.

● There are suggestions for students with the particular profile you entered

● There are general suggestions for students in that profile

Some Resources

CogAT Form 6 Short Guide for Teachers

CogAT Form 6 Interpretive Guide for Teachers and Counselors