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The Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability TestŪ (NNATŪ) is frequently used as a screening test for gifted program entry. The NNATŪ is also used in conjunction with standardized achievement testing to see whether or not children are working up to their potential.
The NNATŪ is a short (about 30 minutes actual test time), multiple choice test, with no reading. As the test name suggests only non-verbal (also called spatial or figural) reasoning ability is tested. The NNATŪ is referred to as a matrix reasoning test because of the format in which the questions are presented.
There are seven different levels of the NNATŪ for administration from Kindergarten to Gr 12. Preschool children can be tested using the Kindergarten level test. Tests include up to four different types of questions - pattern completion, reasoning by analogy, serial reasoning and spatial visualization.
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Pattern completion problems, as the name suggests, require children to identify the option which will complete the pattern.
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Reasoning by Analogy requires the identification of relationships between shapes. The relationship between a large square and a small square, for example, is analogous to the relationship between a large circle and a .... small circle. Relationships may be presented in more than two dimensions.
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Serial reasoning problems require children to identify the shape which comes next in a pattern.
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Spatial visualization problems involve visualizing how objects might look when rotated or otherwise transformed or combined.
The NNATŪ is commonly considered to be a difficult test. The test is designed to rank children according to ability so questions in any particular level of the level of the test range from those determined to be quite easy for children of that age to answer correctly to those that most children are unable to answer. The most difficult questions on any test are difficult. For that reason our recommendations for gifted learners include titles notionally for older children (If you've got a bright child you'll know that you need to purchase above grade level material to extend your child. In the NNATŪ your child will have an opportunity to demonstrate their advanced analysis skills.)
Suggestions for Preparation
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Building Thinking Skills - figural analysis sections only (the first half of Books 1 and 2). This series builds the skills required to solve non-verbal matrix reasoning problems working from description to identification of similarities and differences to sequences to classification and finally to analogies.
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LUK Learning System presents a large number of matrix and other non-verbal reasoning problems. It is designed to be done independently without language so is well suited to both teach required skills and raise awareness of what to look for in problems. All the LUK books are designed to be used with a controller.
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Math Analogies. This series explictly assists children to use analogous reasoning with spatial information. (There are also numerical analogy questions. These aren't relevant for the NNATŪ)
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Thinker Doodles come in two forms - Clues and Choose and Half 'n Half Animals. Both titles require children to use visual clues to complete pictures. While the NNATŪ doesn't have questions anything like this the ability to see detail in pictures is important as is understanding of concepts like symmetry. This is a fun way for young children to work on these skills.
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Visual Perceptual Skill Building has a range of activities designed to assist the development of visual perception. If you child has difficulty processing visual detail this is a great supplement.
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Advanced Dot-to-Dot Books. The seven books in this series are not graded. Books 1-4 are of similar difficulty level. Books 5-7 introduce a wider range of challenges. The NNATŪ test is unlikely to be like anything else your child has done. These books use and build your child's existing awareness of non-verbal information in preparation for testing. Why not have fun as you learn?
Additional Highly Recommended Titles are
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Memory Challenge. If you remember your own test taking days you'll recall how important reading comprehension is to performance on most written tests even if the test itself is not intended to test reading. The NNATŪ is a non-verbal test. Children don't see any words. They see a page full of shapes and figures. If your child has the ability to quickly assimilate the non-verbal information contained in the question and store it in their memory as they puzzle over the answer they'll have an advantage over a child who has to spend longer looking at the question to work out what is there before they can try to answer it. This is similar to a strong reader being able to read the question faster and thereby having more time to solve it compared to slower readers. While we don't include Memory Challenge in our core suggestions because it takes time to build these skills we highly recommend Memory Challenge. Memory Challenge has adjustable difficulty levels making it suitable for use with children from as soon as they can hold a mouse through to adults. If the user perseveres their visual memory will improve.
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SET Game. SET is a multi-award winning game requiring players to identify attributes and make sets. It can be played solitaire or with two or more. It provides some light relief to test preparation while continuing to build essential skills. We highly recommend the game of SET for your game shelf.
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Think Ahead Games is a software program requiring children to find a path through a grid of shapes. They need to recognize patterns, classify, compare and contrast and more. As with some of our other suggestions the presentation looks nothing like the test but these skills are all required to perform well on the NNATŪ. Think Ahead Games has adjustable difficulty levels so works well for all ages.
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