It is used to determine whether a student can qualify for a gifted and talented program. It asks questions that are not based on what the student has learned, but what they are capable of learning in the short-term future. This is different from other schooling tests, which focus on achieved learning. There are three components to the test, each of which is delivered separately:
Verbal Non-verbal Quantitative
These tests are delivered as a group-administered intelligence test, using paper and pencil, with a multiple-choice format. The whole CCAT takes about 90 minutes to complete in total. In Canada, the CCAT is delivered instead of the CogAT, with a similar focus of identifying children who have the potential to succeed in a gifted and talented program. The CCAT was developed through trials that included the results of more than 50,000 Canadian children and is normed on more than 40,000 students. It is also standardized and co-normed with the Canadian Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS).
Verbal Classification
This assessment lasts 10 minutes and is designed to evaluate the conceptual-thinking skills of the student. Each question in this subsection presents a series of words. To answer the question correctly, the student needs to work out what the connection or relationship is between these words from the given multiple-choice options. Example: What word in the list below can be used to group these animals? a) Cars b) Babies c) Farm animals d) House pets Example: a) Been b) Go c) Will d) Went The questions in this section need to be answered by finding the link between a pair of words, and then using that information to find the missing word in a second pair. This section also has a 10-minute time limit. Example: a) Wet b) Warm c) Yellow d) Dark
Number Analogies
In just eight minutes, students need to complete this section by looking at two pairs of numbers that are somehow connected and determining the rule used to put the numbers together. This rule is then used to identify the missing number in a third pair from a selection of multiple-choice options. Example: a) 10 b) 16 c) 57 d) 15 Example: a) 4 b) 3 c) 8 d) 2 Example: a) 7 b) 13 c) 6 d) 4 Family Membership gives you access to all the TestPrep-Online resources for the next 12 months. You will also get two separate accounts, which can be very helpful if you have two children preparing for their tests.
Figure Analogies
Students have 10 minutes to complete this subsection. Each question is based on different matrices – a chart with two figures in the top row, and a single figure with a blank space in the second row. The student must find the pattern that links the images, figures or shapes in the top row and use that rule to choose the right missing figure from the multiple-choice options. Example: In 10 minutes, the questions present three images that are somehow connected, and from the multiple-choice options, students need to decide which word describes how the images are connected. Example: a) Parallelogram b) Square c) Rhombus d) Quadrilateral Using spatial awareness and by visualizing the paper unfolded, your child will need to find the answer that matches how the paper would look. Example:
The Age Percentile Rank (APR) – The APR shows your child’s rank as a percentile compared with other children of the same age. The Grade Percentile Rank (GPR) – The GPR demonstrates your child’s rank with children in the same grade. Stanine – This is a numerical figure that determines overall performance, with 1 being very low and 9 being very high; the average is between 4 and 6.
The top 20% of the APR and GPR is considered a ‘good’ score, but technically your child cannot fail the CCAT.
How to Pass the CCAT Grade 4 Test
Create a Tailored Study Plan
Every child is different – so methods of studying and revision should be personalized to what suits them, and you. While some children thrive on rote learning, others are visual learners and remember more from watching videos. Some students like creating mind maps to explore ideas, while others are interested in small facts presented around their space on sticky notes. Having a plan will help your child know when it is time to study, and an effective timetable will ensure they don’t miss out on other activities but have plenty of time to revise and study effectively.
Sit Practice Tests
Facing any assessment can be nerve-wracking, and unfamiliar structures and layouts can make things more difficult for your child. Practice tests can have multiple benefits if you are approaching the CCAT, and there is a wealth of places online where you can access relevant questions and even full assessments. You can use both CCAT and CogAT practice tests, as they are broadly similar. Practice tests should be used as a precursor to the real thing. They can introduce your child to the idea of answering questions under time pressure if you use a stopwatch or similar. They are also especially useful for showing your child what the test might look like, how the questions are presented and what they can expect in the real thing. Taking practice tests early during your child’s preparation period can help identify if there are specific sections, principles or ideas that your child might need more support or learning in. You can then focus revision and knowledge on those areas.
Take a Holistic Approach to Preparation
Making extra learning fun and something to be aspired to will help your child in the long run – whether or not they are facing a test. Practicing for the CCAT or any other assessment is an opportunity to improve cognition and aptitude, as well as getting to spend some quality time with each other as you learn together. These tests are not meant to be simple, but you can make them interesting, which will help keep your child motivated and make for a better learning experience in their future school life too. Pushing your child too hard to be successful can often have the opposite effect, so don’t make the learning process all about the results of one test.
Promote Healthy Habits
Children need somewhere between nine and 12 hours of sleep every night. This is even more important when they are learning and revising. You can help your child have a better sleep schedule – and better quality of sleep – by creating a relaxing bedroom environment and a reliable bedtime routine, and sticking to a consistent time when they go to bed. Parents tend to find that their child sleeps more deeply and for longer if they are not using screens from an hour before bedtime. Eating well is important too. Healthy, nutritious meals aid concentration and focus, so make sure to provide meals that are high in protein and include carbohydrates that offer slow-release energy – especially on the day of the assessment.
Read With Your Child
Reading with your child, whether you read to them, they read to you or you simply read your own books together, can help your child develop in so many ways. When sharing a book, get your child to look at the language used, find unfamiliar words and define them, and look at grammar, spelling and punctuation. You can push them to read more advanced fiction and non-fiction to introduce them to different ideas and ways of writing.
Try Age-Appropriate Calming Techniques
Taking any assessment can be stressful. It is important that, as part of your learning habits and healthy habits, you are making time for mental self-care for your child. This might include scheduling some regular outdoor exercise, like walking a dog, riding a bike or going skateboarding. Exercise is a great healthy habit to help a child feel better when they are under pressure and helps them to switch off and think of something completely different. As part of your holistic approach to learning, you might also want to consider adding some mindfulness exercises into your learning timetable. This might include journaling or doodling, breathing exercises or even meditation. You can find age-appropriate resources for mental health, developed for children, via YouTube or through mobile apps.
Final Thoughts
Children cannot ‘fail’ the CCAT, but it is developed to help identify students who would benefit from admission into a gifted and talented program. The CCAT is a well-respected indicator that points to a student’s potential learning ability in the near future, allowing educators to get an understanding of whether a child would benefit from such a program. The questions are straightforward and designed to evaluate potential rather than learned knowledge, but the unfamiliarity of the testing structure and working under pressure might put an anxious child at a disadvantage. You can help your child perform at their best by supporting them in preparation, using practice tests and generally making learning a fun yet integral part of their everyday life. Remember that, although getting a good score can help your child get a great start in their education, it is not worth putting them under so much pressure that they are stressed out or unhappy.
