Our friends at TestingMom.com sent Abacus Mom this top AABL guide for students and parents.
The AABL is an iPad-administered exam for children ages 4 through 6 for admissions into gifted and talented programs. With fun graphics covering verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, early literacy and mathematics, the screening process is engaging for your young child.
The test itself assesses your child’s verbal and quantitative reasoning, early literacy, and mathematics skills. The scores are then compared to other children taking the test at the same level throughout the United States, giving an accurate level where your child is performing.
What specific skills are covered, you may be asking? For quantitative reasoning, the following list gives you a clear picture:
- counting, adding and subtracting
- patterning, sequencing, ordering, classifying and comparing
- solving mathematical problems, understanding concepts of relativity, directionality, time and measurement
For verbal reasoning, your child will be tested on his or her ability to tune in, understand, and reason using language they hear or pictures they see.
Finally, for early literacy, your child will be tested on the following:
- vocabulary
- Identifying numbers, letters, shapes
- letter sounds
- rhyme and alliteration
- breaking words into syllables
- phonological awareness
- knows books are read from left to right, top to bottom, squiggles on page represent letters that make sounds that combine to make words
- retelling stories
- knows stories have a beginning, middle and end
- creatively making up stories based on pictures in a book
The AABL test is administered by the ERB at specific test sites. The testing will occur on a one on one basis for a child entering preschool. For a child entering kindergarten, it will be five students and one proctor. For first grade, it will be six students and one proctor.
For more info, go to TestingMom.com.