Heather in WI
09-14-2009, 10:08 AM
From the Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search (http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/numats/) page...
Imagine that you’re measuring a roomful of kids with a yardstick. That’s fine for the kids who are shorter than three feet, but for those who are taller, the yardstick is an inadequate tool. The same is true for gifted kids—to measure their abilities, you need a better tool than a grade-level test, one that can measure above that 99th percentile where the yardstick ends.
That better tool is Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS). Started in 1982, NUMATS is a program of the Center for Talent Development (CTD) that offers above grade-level testing for high-performing students in grades 3 through 9. This Talent Search approach is an extremely well-researched and respected program model in gifted education.
NUMATS uses tests intended for older students to provide a more accurate measurement of aptitude, because studies show that students who score in the top 10% on school achievement tests differ widely from average students in their abilities and educational needs. In-grade achievement tests just don’t accurately represent these gifted students’ potential.
NUMATS uses the EXPLORE test—developed by ACT and normally given to students in grade 8—to determine the abilities of students in grades 3 through 6. The ACT and the SAT tests, typically used for college admissions, provide a more accurate picture of the mathematical and verbal reasoning abilities of students in grades 6 through 9.
After students test, parents receive comprehensive information about how their student measures up to other gifted students. This valuable feedback helps families plan for the future.
We stumbled upon the test by accident last year, and I thought others here might benefit, too. We found this test extremely helpful for our oldest. We knew he excelled at math, but were shocked to find his science scores higher than his math scores. And, also were shocked to find his grammar & reading scores much lower than expected! We changed science curricula to his level this year because of the testing (versus trying to keep both older boys on the same level as we had been doing), and also switched grammar programs because even though he was doing well in that program, obviously something wasn't clicking. (He loves doing Grammar & Writing with Peace Hill Press this year, too! I can honestly say he didn't love his last program. {grin})
Imagine that you’re measuring a roomful of kids with a yardstick. That’s fine for the kids who are shorter than three feet, but for those who are taller, the yardstick is an inadequate tool. The same is true for gifted kids—to measure their abilities, you need a better tool than a grade-level test, one that can measure above that 99th percentile where the yardstick ends.
That better tool is Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS). Started in 1982, NUMATS is a program of the Center for Talent Development (CTD) that offers above grade-level testing for high-performing students in grades 3 through 9. This Talent Search approach is an extremely well-researched and respected program model in gifted education.
NUMATS uses tests intended for older students to provide a more accurate measurement of aptitude, because studies show that students who score in the top 10% on school achievement tests differ widely from average students in their abilities and educational needs. In-grade achievement tests just don’t accurately represent these gifted students’ potential.
NUMATS uses the EXPLORE test—developed by ACT and normally given to students in grade 8—to determine the abilities of students in grades 3 through 6. The ACT and the SAT tests, typically used for college admissions, provide a more accurate picture of the mathematical and verbal reasoning abilities of students in grades 6 through 9.
After students test, parents receive comprehensive information about how their student measures up to other gifted students. This valuable feedback helps families plan for the future.
We stumbled upon the test by accident last year, and I thought others here might benefit, too. We found this test extremely helpful for our oldest. We knew he excelled at math, but were shocked to find his science scores higher than his math scores. And, also were shocked to find his grammar & reading scores much lower than expected! We changed science curricula to his level this year because of the testing (versus trying to keep both older boys on the same level as we had been doing), and also switched grammar programs because even though he was doing well in that program, obviously something wasn't clicking. (He loves doing Grammar & Writing with Peace Hill Press this year, too! I can honestly say he didn't love his last program. {grin})