Measures verbal aptitude, word knowledge and concepts, facility with language, verbal reasoning, and analogies. Students with high verbal scores usually do well in reading and language activities. Since most classroom instruction and assignments are language-based, these students typically perform very well in the classroom on a daily basis. To support their advanced linguistic abilities, they may need to be provided with enrichment activities including advanced vocabulary, real-world writing, and a wide range of supplemental reading. Students with low verbal scores may struggle with reading, writing, and other language-based activities. They may need supplemental instruction in vocabulary as well as in basic literacy skills.

Measures mathematical reasoning and problem solving, numerical sequences and patterns, manipulation of mathematical concepts. Students with high quantitative scores usually do well with complex mathematical or numerical activities and concepts. Enrichment tasks should go beyond calculations and include mathematical thinking, explorations of advanced concepts, and real world problem solving (probability, codes, etc.). Students with low quantitative scores may need supplemental instruction in basic math skills to achieve success.

Measures reasoning and problem solving with patterns and relationships, pictorial analogies, and categories. This subtest is also helpful for obtaining an accurate assessment of the cognitive abilities of a student who may have limited proficiency in English or who has had limited opportunities to acquire verbal or quantitative knowledge. Students with high non-verbal scores often do well with logic, models, creative thinking, constructions or building, technology, or other non-language based activities. Because the problem solving skills on the non-verbal subtest have little direct correlation to most reading, writing, and math instruction, students with high non-verbal scores who have strong aptitudes in this area may not be easily recognized in the classroom. It is important to help these students continue to develop their verbal and quantitative skills, but also to find ways for them to apply their excellent non-verbal skills. Use a variety of graphic organizers and other pictorial ways for students to demonstrate learning (including thinking maps, diagrams, drawings, models, multimedia projects, etc.). Provide opportunities for creative problem solving, finding logical patterns and relationships, and use of high-level questions and critical thinking activities. Students with low non-verbal scores may just not have strengths in this area, OR may have had no previous exposure to pictorial problem solving and analogies, OR may be “out-thinking” themselves (“well, it could be this, but if you look at it that way, it could be this, or even this…”), OR have vision issues, OR may just not understand the tasks.