NNAT Test (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test)

What is the NNAT?

Schools use the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) to assess K-12 students for gifted and talented programs. It serves as a group-administered aptitude test, often employed as an entrance exam for these programs. The NNAT utilizes shapes and figures to evaluate the problem-solving and reasoning abilities of a child without relying on their language skills. In other words, the NNAT assesses how a student thinks instead of what a student knows.

Watch these videos to learn more about the NNAT:

Differences between the NNAT-2 and NNAT3 test

Schools across the United States extensively use the NNAT, including NNAT-2 and NNAT3, for screening gifted and talented admissions. These tests evaluate a child’s problem-solving and visual-spatial reasoning skills using questions featuring abstract shapes and designs, rather than assessing their school-based knowledge.

The NNAT-2 (second edition) and NNAT3 (third edition) are two different versions of the test. Here are the key differences between these two versions:

• Test structure: Both the NNAT-2 and NNAT3 feature 48 questions. However, the NNAT3 boasts an enhanced structure, better aligning with the cognitive abilities of the tested children. This improved structure ensures a more precise evaluation of a child’s nonverbal reasoning skills.
• Item content: The NNAT3 contains updated questions and item content compared to the NNAT-2. This update aims to provide a more engaging and contemporary experience for the test-takers, making the assessment process more enjoyable and accessible.
• Accessibility: NNAT3’s design focuses on enhanced accessibility for a diverse range of students, including those with special needs. Improvements in visual presentation and administration ensure that children with various learning needs can effectively complete the test.
• Scoring: While both NNAT-2 and NNAT3 use the same scoring system (Naglieri Ability Index), the NNAT3 has updated its norms to reflect more recent demographic data. This ensures that the test’s results are more representative of the current population, leading to a more accurate comparison among the test-takers.
• NNAT3 has undergone updates to enhance compatibility with modern technology. Both NNAT-2 and NNAT3 can administer online, but NNAT3 simplifies test administrators’ management of the testing process with enhanced digital features.
• Test preparation materials: The NNAT3 has updated its test preparation materials to be more comprehensive and helpful for test-takers. These materials are specifically designed to help students familiarize themselves with the test’s content and format.

NNAT3 Improvements and Accessibility

The NNAT3 is an updated version of the NNAT-2, featuring an improved test structure, updated questions, better accessibility for diverse students, updated norms for scoring, enhanced digital administration, and more comprehensive test preparation materials. These updates aim to provide a more accurate, engaging, and accessible assessment of nonverbal reasoning skills in children.

The NNAT is the gold standard for unbiased scoring. It disregards primary language, socioeconomic status, educational history, or color/vision impairment. This is achieved by using minimal language and written directions, not relying on a child’s reading, writing, or language skills. Additionally, only two colors (blue and yellow) are shown.

NNAT Test Quick Facts

There are 4 types of questions on the NNAT test:

• Pattern completion
• Reasoning by analogy
• Serial reasoning
• Spatial visualization

The latest version is the NNAT3. It takes 30 minutes to complete. It includes 48 questions. These questions are broken down into four unique question types.

Prepare your child to tackle all four NNAT question categories with ease. TestingMom.com can help! We have 4,700+ practice questions. They are organized by grade level. These questions help your child build confidence and familiarity for the NNAT.

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What Grade Levels Do You Support for the NNAT?

TestingMom.com offers NNAT-2 and NNAT-3 support for Kindergarten through 8th grade. This support is available with all levels of Membership.

Pro tip: If my child doesn’t know an answer, should they guess?

The official guideline from the publisher is that students should not guess if they do not know the answer – that random guessing compromises the validity of the scores. However, the NNAT3 score is calculated based on the number of right answers and the student is not penalized for incorrect answers. As a parent looking for a high score, it is better for your child to answer all questions than leave an answer blank.

Four Subtypes of NNAT3 Questions

• Pattern completion – Students must identify the correct missing piece in a larger design from which a section has been removed, often resembling a jigsaw puzzle.
• Reasoning by analogy – Students use visual-spatial reasoning abilities to discern logical relationships between various geometric shapes and figures (e.g., large triangle to small triangle, then large circle to small circle and so on).
• Serial reasoning – Students must recognize sequences created by shapes and figures that change visually to form logical patterns. For example: Once a student identifies the relationship between two images shown in the top row, the same rule applies to images shown in subsequent rows.
• Spatial visualization – Students must determine how two or more designs would look when they’re combined (and it some cases, rotated). They may also see questions that ask what a design should look like after it’s been folded, rotated or otherwise altered, like punching holes in a piece of folded-up paper and then identifying the new pattern that’s visible when it’s unfolded.

NNAT Questions Types By Grade Level

The NNAT3 test is assigned by grade level; however, it scores based on a child’s age, comparing them to others within a 3-month age range. Moreover, the questions have the same format whether your child is taking the NNAT-2 or NNAT3 test.

• • Children entering or in kindergarten will take the Level A exam, which has Pattern Completion and Reasoning by Analogy questions.
  • Children in first grade will take the Level B exam, which has Pattern Completion, Reasoning by Analogy and Serial Reasoning questions.
  • Children in second grade will take the Level C exam, which has Reasoning by Analogy, Pattern Completion, Serial Reasoning, and Spatial Visualization questions.
  • Children in third and fourth grade will take the Level D exam, which has Spatial Visualization questions, Reasoning by Analogy, Serial Reasoning, and Pattern Completion questions.
  • Children in fifth and sixth grade will take the Level E exam, which has Spatial Visualization questions, Serial Reasoning, Reasoning by Analogy, and Pattern Completion questions.
  • Children in seventh through ninth grade will take the Level F exam, which has Spatial Visualization questions, Reasoning by Analogy, Serial Reasoning and Pattern Completion questions.
  • Children in tenth through twelfth grade will take the Level G exam, which has Spatial Visualization questions, Serial Reasoning and Reasoning by Analogy questions.

NNAT3 Test Subsections by Grade Level

Interested in boosting your children’s NNAT confidence and familiarity? Join TestingMom.com for valuable parent lessons to aid your child’s effective test preparation. These lessons complement our practice questions.

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Looking for more resources to help your child approach the NNAT with confidence? TestingMom.com can help with:

• We offer 4,700+ NNAT practice questions, categorized by question type and grade level. This builds confidence and familiarity for Test Day.
• Our program is customizable based on your child’s grade level and upcoming tests. This allows you to target their prep effectively.
• Our interactive practice includes 30+ games from top educational publishers. These games strengthen skills in math, language arts, science, social studies, and more.
• A Student Success Team is available to offer guidance or assistance if you encounter any difficulties.
• With over 400,000 practice questions, we cover tests from Pre-K to 8th Grade. These include gifted and talented, private school admissions, state tests, and more. All of this is available for one low price.
• Parent resources to help you easily navigate your child’s testing process.

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What is the NNAT?