Verbal Section of the OLSAT
The verbal section assesses a child’s ability to understand different meanings of words in context, to determine relationships between words, and to be able to put words and sentences together in a meaningful way.
The verbal section has the following categories.
- Verbal Comprehension – understanding of language; similarities and differences among words
- Verbal Reasoning – using language to infer, apply, and classify
Verbal Comprehension on the OLSAT measures a child’s ability to understand language, including both the literal and inferential meaning of words and phrases, as well as the relationships between them.
Subcategories of Verbal Comprehension:
Following Directions: This subtest evaluates a child’s ability to listen to or read instructions and then execute them correctly. It may involve identifying a particular object, shape, or pattern based on detailed directions.
Antonyms: This subtest assesses the child’s vocabulary and their understanding of opposite words. They are given a word and asked to select the antonym from a list of choices.
Sentence Completion: In this subtest, children are asked to complete sentences in a way that makes sense, testing their understanding of sentence structure and context.
Sentence Arrangement: This part measures a child’s ability to understand the logical order of events. They are asked to arrange a series of pictures or sentences into a sequence that tells a coherent story.
Subcategories of Verbal Reasoning:
Aural Reasoning: This subtest assesses a child’s ability to solve problems, draw logical conclusions, and make inferences based on orally given information.
Arithmetic Reasoning: This subtest assesses a child’s ability to solve arithmetic problems that are presented verbally. The child must understand the problem, remember the facts, perform the operations, and come up with the correct solution.
Logical Selection: This subtest measures a child’s ability to identify the logical choice or the choice that doesn’t belong in a given set of words or phrases.
Word/Letter Matrix: This subtest requires a child to complete a matrix of letters or words following a logical pattern. It assesses the child’s ability to understand relationships among words or letters and apply reasoning skills to complete the pattern.
Nonverbal section of the OLSAT
The nonverbal section assesses a child’s ability to put pieces of information together to form an understanding of the bigger picture. The nonverbal section has the following categories:
- Pictorial Reasoning – inferring from and evaluating pictures. Pictorial Reasoning on the OLSAT measures a child’s ability to infer and evaluate information presented in picture format. This section assesses the child’s spatial and visual reasoning skills.
- Figural Reasoning – reasoning involving geometric shapes and figures, as well as patterns and their progressions. Figural Reasoning on the OLSAT measures a child’s ability to understand and manipulate geometric shapes and figures. It assesses the child’s spatial reasoning skills and their understanding of patterns and progressions.
- Quantitative Reasoning – inferring and understanding relationships with numbers; understanding and using computational rules in context. Quantitative Reasoning on the OLSAT measures a child’s ability to understand and infer relationships involving numbers, as well as apply computational rules in various contexts.
Subcategories of Pictorial Reasoning:
Picture Classification: This subtest assesses a child’s ability to identify the common characteristic among a group of pictures and select an additional picture that shares the same characteristic. It tests the child’s understanding of categories and logical relationships.
Picture Analogies: This subtest measures a child’s ability to identify the relationship between two pictures and apply the same relationship to a new pair of pictures. It tests the child’s understanding of analogical reasoning.
Picture Series: In this subtest, the child is asked to identify the pattern or sequence in a series of pictures and predict the next picture in the series. It tests the child’s understanding of sequencing and pattern recognition.
Subcategories of Figural Reasoning:
Figural Classification: This subtest asks the child to identify the common characteristic among a group of figures and select an additional figure that shares the same characteristic. It tests understanding of categories and logical relationships.
Figural Analogies: This subtest measures a child’s ability to identify the relationship between two figures and apply the same relationship to a new pair of figures. It tests understanding of analogical reasoning.
Figural Series: In this subtest, the child is asked to identify the pattern or sequence in a series of figures and predict the next figure in the series. It tests understanding of sequencing and pattern recognition
Subcategories of Quantitative Reasoning:
Number Series: This subtest asks the child to identify the pattern or sequence in a series of numbers and predict the next number in the series. It tests the child’s understanding of numeric sequencing and pattern recognition.
Numeric Inference: In this subtest, the child is asked to infer and apply mathematical relationships or principles to solve problems. It tests the child’s ability to understand and reason with numerical information.
Number Matrix: This subtest requires the child to complete a matrix of numbers following a logical pattern. It assesses the child’s ability to understand relationships among numbers and apply reasoning skills to complete the pattern.
These sections can also be administered in standalone fashion depending on what the school or district is looking for. For example, the New York City gifted program administers the verbal section of the OLSAT while relying on the NNAT for their nonverbal scores.
The sections are explained further at the links below.
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