CogAT Test Prep Should be Fun

The CogAT Test, as an exam that plays a big role in gifted and talented program admission criteria these days, is a daunting prospect for many parents. In an effort to help with CogAT test prep, there are many parents that push their children like crazy to perform well, including practices like hiring special tutors and sending their kids through gifted and talented boot camps with the intention of boosting their score on the CogAT test.

While every parent wants the best for their children, the frenzy for CogAT test prep activities each year can take a turn for the worse. Kids can get bored with the activities. Worse yet, they can develop anxiety and other negative thinking regarding CogAT test prep or CogAT formal exams.

To prevent negative reactions and still allow your kids to benefits from CogAT test prep initiatives, you’ll want to ensure that activities remain lighthearted and fun. Kids learn best when they are comfortable and encouraged. CogAT test prep programs that emphasize enjoyment in learning are the most beneficial, especially for younger kids who don’t really understand yet what all the fuss is about with CogAT and other IQ exams.

Some good ways to keep test prep light while still making sure it’s preparing your child for the upcoming test:

• Online games and quizzes: There are several websites that offer interactive games and activities that closely mimic the questions your child will find on the CogAT. These can be much more fun than standard practice questions, since it feels more like a game and it may give your child instant feedback on how they’re doing.
• Flash cards: There are some good flash cards that test the same skills that your child will need to use on the CogAT test. These are fun because it feels like a game, rather than like work.
• Talking it out: Sometimes it’s helpful to just talk about the concepts that are measured on the test – and incorporate them into your everyday life! The next time you’re out and about with your child, ask them to find a square or circle – or make a math problem out of the cans on the grocery store shelf. This helps keep your child on their toes, while also showing that the test measures important skills that they need in their everyday life!

Shyness and the CogAT

One thing that many parents whose kids are taking the CogAT worry about is shyness. While shyness is common – and not a negative trait, in and of itself – it can be severely limiting for children who are sitting for standardized tests like the CogAT.

According to this site, shyness is an emotion felt by nearly all people at one time or another. It is a fusion of several different feelings, including fear, excitement, and tension. It’s important to note that not all children who prefer to spend time alone may not necessarily be shy. The key to shyness is that children feel tense when they first interact with others.

Children tend toward shyness at certain ages. As infants, many children are shy around adults. Around age 4 or 5, children become more vulnerable to embarrassment, which can lead to a bout of seeming shyness. At the beginning of adolescence, children are also more likely to exhibit shy behaviors.

Interestingly, if parents label their children as shy, those children are more likely to end up as shy. Therefore, parents can actually create the reality with their words. Additionally, genetics seem to play some role in shyness, as adopted children tend to exhibit a similar level of shyness as their biological parents.

Children are most likely to be shy when they are in new social situations. This is especially true when they have reason to feel like they are in the spotlight. For this reason, taking the CogAT, or any standardized test, will have good reason to clam up, even if they aren’t normally the retiring sort.

According to TestingMom.com, an important point to remember is that public school test proctors and evaluators can’t coax shy children out of their shell. That is, if a child isn’t answering a question on the CogAT, the proctor can’t say, “Come on, go ahead and give it a try!”

If your child is very shy, let the teacher or proctor know before she takes the CogAT. Hopefully the test administrator will be mindful of your child’s social tendencies before the child sits for the test. Take your child to the site where the CogAT will be given and tell her what to expect. Tell her that an adult wants to know what kids like her know. Let her know to do her best and that you will be waiting for her the entire time.

Tips for CogAT Test Prep

There are multiple forms and types of CogAT test, each of which is designed for children in particular age groups or academic grade levels. The Cogat Form 7 is the test that is usually given to second graders, though it may be used with kids in other grades as well. It is designed to assess kids’ rational thinking abilities. The CogAT form 7 is an image-based exam that presents questions in illustrated or graphic format, allowing children with even limited language skills to perform equally well on the exam and demonstrate a more accurate picture of their own intelligence as a result.

To study for the test, you may want to use some combination of online questions, workbooks, and/or a tutor. Even word game and puzzle books and similar activities can help kids build up the same reasoning skills that are tested on the CogAT exam.

The site http://www.thinktonight.com/CogAT_Grade_2_s/117.htm gives some good advice for children preparing for the CogAT. One good tip is to skip areas where your child is already strong. If, in the process of preparing for the exam, you find that your child is doing well with a certain subject area, you can skip that section or study it much less than the other sections. This will give your child more time to prepare for the areas where he is struggling or could do much better with just a bit of practice.

Some people are opposed to the idea of CogAT test prep, believing it puts some kids at an unfair advantage. However, others believe that test preparation only allows children to become comfortable and familiar with standardized tests. Basically, those who prep for the Cogat believe that their already gifted children just need some experience participating in prep activities, like CogAT practice tests, to meet their own best possible performance on their formal exam.