Raven's tests allow you to check the level of development of thinking and intellectual abilities. This methodology for assessing child and adult intelligence is widely used by educators around the world.
Description of tests
The Raven Tests (tests with the standard Raven Progressive Matrices) were created to differentiate children according to their level of intellectual development. Their author is John Raven. The unique technique has gained popularity due to its high degree of reliability and ease of use. It is used by educators when determining the ability of children to learn, assessing their skills. There are several varieties of the test. Despite the fact that initially the technique was developed exclusively for diagnosing the intelligence of children, it was subsequently supplemented. Teenagers and adults can also take tests, but with more complicated tasks. For a more accurate diagnosis, experts have come up with a correction factor for age.
To pass the test, you must complete tasks of varying complexity. At the same time, the complication of tasks occurs gradually. Children who can think logically have every chance of a successful solution. The tests present graphical objects that have certain signs for decryption. The subject's task is to analyze the figures and images, find similar features in them, as well as missing links to complete the composition. This technique is good in that the level of cultural development of a child or an adult is not important for the successful passing of the test.
Raven's tests are organized in 5 series, each of which consists of 12 problems of different difficulty levels. 20 minutes are allocated to complete the entire test. It is also possible to remove time limits, but in this case the result will be interpreted somewhat differently and special tables will need to be used for decryption.
You can take the test online, but teachers do not recommend this method for testing children. The test taker must explain the tasks and be confident that they have been understood. For children aged 5-9 years, a color version of the technique is suitable.
Step-by-step passing of tests
Testing is divided into 5 stages, each of which is usually designated by certain Latin letters.
- series A: the child needs to understand what is the relationship between the proposed paintings, and then add the missing elements to the drawings;
- series B: it is necessary to understand which figures are similar;
- series C: it is necessary to match the missing fragments to the complicated figures;
- series D: it is necessary to determine how the figures were rearranged (rearrangement can occur both horizontally and vertically);
- series E: you need to find parts of one drawing, showing the ability to analyze and synthesize.
Before giving the first task, the teacher should clarify that the test can only be started after his command. This is important if the study is a group study. Ideally, about 4 minutes will be allotted for each series, but this recommendation is not required. Each child may take slightly more or, conversely, less time to complete any series of tests. But the total time period of the test should be the same for all. When using the book form of the test, it is impossible to see how the matrix will look like with one or another fragment inserted into its cutout, which may result in a not very responsible attitude of some children to the task.
Decoding tests
The interpretation of the test can occur from different positions:
- assessment of the number of tasks solved correctly (the highest score is 10);
- assessment of the difficulty of tasks and the correctness of answers (the highest score - 19);
- simplified analysis of answers (the highest score is 5);
- qualitative assessment of the result.
The quality of the result obtained can be assessed by a professional educational psychologist. The specialist analyzes how many answers were given correctly, how quickly the child completed the tasks. If the answers were received very quickly, but many of them turned out to be incorrect, this indicates that the child is impulsive, fast, wants to finish what he started as soon as possible, but does not think how correct it is. Slow but correct performance of tasks indicates a child's tendency to analyze.
The indicator of the level of intellectual development (IQ) is calculated according to the formula: IQ = number of correct answers / 60 * 100. After counting, it is necessary to compare the result with a special scale.
According to the Ravena test, IQ in points is assessed according to 5 levels of development:
- very high (result above 95);
- above average (74-94);
- medium (24-73);
- below average (5-24);
- intellectual defect (below 5).
The scatter of the scores obtained in each level can be explained by the fact that the test is taken by children of different ages - from 5 to 13 years old. Each category has its own standards, so it is better to compare the IQ indicator with the average values for children of the same age.
Diagnostics allows you to determine the child's abilities and understand how suitable a particular method of learning is for him. Testing is often carried out when children are assigned to classes at school, if it is necessary to resolve the issue of transferring a child to a school or a class of a higher or, conversely, a lower level. Children who have shown very weak results in the test can be sent to undergo a special commission to be assigned to specialized educational institutions.
The rules for passing Raven's tests by adults are the same as for the basic (children's) option. But in this case it is necessary to take into account the correction for age. Over the years, the ability of people to think logically decreases significantly.
The refined degree of intelligence development can be calculated using the formula IQ = IQ (standard) / clarifying coefficient * 100
For different age groups, the following coefficients are adopted:
- from 14 to 30 years old - 100;
- from 30 to 35 years old - 97;
- about 35 to 40 years old - 88;
- from 40 to 45 years old - 82;
- from 45 to 50 years old - 76;
- from 50 to 60 years old - 70;
- over 70 years old - 60.
If, after processing the data obtained, the IQ value does not exceed 20, we can preliminarily speak of a severe degree of dementia. This condition requires referral to a specialist.
Raven's test is quite accurate, but it must be understood that this method cannot be used only to assess the mental abilities of a child. An unsatisfactory result is not a verdict yet. The reason for receiving low marks may be a misunderstanding of the essence of the tasks or poor health, excitement.
