Cognitive brain-based skills are essential for performing all tasks – simple to complex. Cognitive abilities include mechanisms for learning, remembering, solving problems and concentrating.Actual knowledge is not cognitive ability. Cognitive ability controls the following series – when telephone rings an individual hears its tone. He/she makes a decision to take the call. When he/she lifts receiver, he/she uses motor skills. Then, he/she speaks using language skills. He/she uses social skills and interacts with person at the other end of the line. All cognitive skills are controlled by neuronal networks.
Common tools for cognitive assessments of children of various age groups are as follows. Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children – Fifth Edition, Australia, for children between 6 and 16 years. The Stanford-Binet – Fifth Edition is used for children between 2 and 7 years. The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition, Australian, for children from 2 years 6 months to 7 years 7 months.
These determine the child’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses.The school teacher and parents work together to improve the development of the child. Children are assessed through verbal comprehension. Teachers test the children’s vocabulary, general knowledge and ability to explain different concepts. The children are tested for their understanding of visual spatial. The children are made to apply the knowledge of what they see. The children are tested on fluid reasoning. They have to use their concepts from visual and apply the knowledge. Children should have the ability to learn, retain information and complete new information. Children should be able to judge about visual information.
In countries where there are special schools and programs for talented children, these evaluations are worthwhile. Children who are above average are encouraged to attend special private schools. On the other hand, if any child has learning difficulties, then the child is given special care. The cognitive evaluation would certainly explain why the child was not doing well in school. Experienced psychologists recommend that child’s cognitive analysis must be combined with a standard psychometric tool.
Schooling is not the end of cognitive skills and abilities to perform well in life. When people apply for work, they may have to take the cognitive aptitude test. This could be the Company wants employees that work laboriously yet correctly and efficiently. The employee can take appropriate decisions. The individual can reason and resolve all issues. The employee would intelligently react to the new and complex situation that may arise.
As a recruiting manager, the cognitive ability evaluation helps to make correct decision while filling the position. As a result, there would be better performance. The common exam is known as the Revelian Cognitive Ability Test (RCAT). There are three categories namely Verbal, Numerical and Abstract.
Medically, Cognitive tests are essential for all those who are between the ages of 50 to 70 years. This is important especially for those who belong to families having a medical history of Alzheimer’s disease. Those tests are evaluated under the health care centres.
Cognitive skills and evaluations are needed throughout one’s life.
