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About the NNAT
Why Take the NNAT
NNAT Test Format
NNAT Levels
NNAT2 VS NNAT
NNAT Test Preparation
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About the NNAT
The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT), developed by Pearson Inc., is a standardized test designed to assess the reasoning ability of students ages 5 to 17. The NNAT is utilized extensively in the U.S. as part of the admission process for gifted and talented programs. Questions from the NNAT test are used in the NYC Gifted and Talented Test.
The NNAT assesses nonverbal reasoning and general problem solving skills in children. The NNAT is considered culturally neutral as it contains minimal use of language and directions, and does not require reading, writing, or speaking. Instead, the NNAT incorporates abstract shapes and designs, which allow for unbiased scoring regardless of a child’s primary language, education, and socioeconomic background.
Why Take the NNAT?
Firstly, the NNAT is administered throughout the U.S. as an admission criterion for many gifted schools and programs. If you suspect your child is gifted, attempting the NNAT does not require a reason.
Secondly, The NNAT test is comprised of nonverbal questions that involve shapes and colors. Therefore, it is an excellent way for English-language learners and children who primarily excel in non-verbal skills to demonstrate their abilities.
NNAT Test Format
The third, current, edition of the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT3) contains 48 questions and takes 30 minutes to administer. The test may be administered either on paper or online.
The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT3) includes four question types You may see samples of all question types here.
| Question Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Pattern Completion | In Pattern Completion items, students are shown a design and asked to identify which portion is missing. |
| Reasoning by Analogy | In Reasoning by Analogy questions, students are expected to recognize relationships between various geometric shapes. |
| Serial Reasoning | Serial Reasoning questions require students to recognize a sequence of shapes. |
| Spatial Visualization | In Spatial Visualization questions, students are asked to combine two or more objects and determine how the resulting figure will look like. |
NNAT Levels
There are seven NNAT levels administered, depending on the student’s grade level. Not all NNAT test levels contain all four types of questions. For example, the NNAT Level A for kindergarten includes only Pattern Completion and Reasoning by Analogy items.
The following chart displays what type of questions are included on each of the seven levels on the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test.
| Level | Grade | Pattern Completion | Reasoning by Analogy | Serial Reasoning | Spatial Visualization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Kindergarten |  |
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| B | Grade 1 | |
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| C | Grade 2 | |
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| D | Grades 3-4 | |
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| E | Grades 5-6 | |
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| F | Grades 7-9 | |
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| G | Grades 10-12 | |
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NNAT2 VS NNAT
The NNAT and NNAT2 are similar tests. Both measure general ability and are used as an admissions tool for placement in gifted and talented programs and schools across the country. Each contain seven levels (A-G) and four different types of questions. However, the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test 2 consists of 48 questions while the NNAT consists of only 38 questions. The NNAT2 can be administered online. TestPrep-Online's materials are formatted after the NNAT2, the most recent NNAT test edition.
NNAT Test Preparation
The NNAT is widely known as a difficult test. You will notice that students only have ,roughly, half a minute to solve each question. In order to receive a high NNAT score, it is important that your child is familiar with the different types of questions that will appear on the NNAT. Our tests also offer timed-mode which will simulate the actual test in the best way possible, helping your child prepare for the time pressure that is part of the exam.
TestPrep-Online recommends that students begin preparing for the NNAT 2-3 months prior to the test.
Now that you know more about the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT), have your child try some practice problems and NNAT practice tests to ensure s/he will be ready for the exam. All of our packages include hundreds of sample questions, helpful study guides and full length practice tests. Our premium packages grant you access to the Video Academy, which is a series of video tutorials designed to further explain the questions in the NNAT (see video below).
The NNAT is used as an admissions tool for gifted programs in Houston, TX, and Virginia Beach, VA, as well as in many other cities. Find out more about gifted testing in your local school district.
You may still be wondering about preparing your child for the NNAT if you cannot tell if your child is gifted or not. You can learn more about identifying gifted children, as well as understanding the differences between gifted and bright children.
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