Reasoning Progress Tests - Stage Two

Denis Vincent and Mary Crumpler

The Reasoning Progress Tests, Stage Two, consists of matched pairs of verbal and nonverbal reasoning tests. They are all standardised group tests, taking just 45- 50 minutes to administer to a whole class. Measures of verbal and nonverbal ability tend to correlate highly - but are most informative when they are at variance. The Reasoning Progress Tests allow teachers to choose one or both measures, according to the background and degree of any social/ language disadvantage, and any special needs, of the pupils concerned. The tests are designed for use at any time from the first term, giving maximum flexibility as to when during the school year the tests might be used.

The Reasoning Progress Tests yield key measures of general ability - independent of actual achievement in taught curriculum subjects - against which to view individual pupils' attainments. The tests can help to identify able underachievers, as well as those pupils most likely to benefit from learning support. They also enable schools to 'benchmark' successive pupil intakes, and inform target setting and evaluations of class and whole school performance.

The tests are published as two Stages (corresponding to Key Stages 1 and 2 in England & Wales), and cover the full primary phase. When used alongside the Reading Progress Tests and the Numeracy Progress Tests, by the same authors, they bring valuable new perspectives to pupils' performance and progress: where a child's attainment in reading and/ or numeracy is found to be significantly at variance with their reasoning ability, this should prompt further investigation.

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