• Features and Benefits
  • Educators told us they wanted tests that matched their curriculum.
  • Educators told us they wanted tests that would engage their students.
  • Educators told us they wanted testing to be flexible and non-intrusive.
  • Educators told us they wanted constructed-response as well as multiple-choice test formats.
  • Educators told us they wanted test reports that they could use to improve learning.
  • Educators told us they wanted resources to make their assessments effective.
  • Educators told us they wanted up-to-date Canadian norms.
  • Testing Time
  • Together with the Canadian Test of Cognitive Skills (CTCS)
• Planning Your CAT·3 Order
• Components with ISBNs and Prices
• Teacher Resource Kit
• CAT·3 CR Dictation
• CAT·3 CR Writing
• CAT·3 CR Mathematics
• Machine Scoring Reports

Features and Benefits

CAT·3 specifications were developed after careful consideration of the four major Canadian curricula—those for Western Canada and the Territories, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

CAT·3 materials are easy to read while having a contemporary and attractive appearance. The format was finalized after much consultation with teachers, graphic artists and publishing experts. The content of CAT·3 was designed to reflect Canadian society and values. This is clearly seen in the theme-based Reading/Language tests. The themes and content reflect the cultural, ethnic, geographical and occupational diversity of modern Canadian society.

CAT·3 offers assessments in a modular and flexible format. The Basic Battery consists of a Reading/Language test that integrates comprehension, vocabulary and language questions and a Mathematics test that includes questions from all strands as defined by each province. This Basic Battery can be comfortably administered within one morning of class time. Even more in-depth assessments of students' strengths and needs are provided through the Supplemental Tests: Word Analysis, Vocabulary, Spelling, Language/Writing Conventions and Computation and Numerical Estimation.

For Grades 2 and 3, CAT·3 spelling tests are administered in the constructed response format—students print the words that are dictated by the teacher. For Grades 4 through 6, spelling tests can be administered using either the constructed-response or the multiple-choice format.

Writing assessments are available for Grades 2 through 12. These writing assessments include narrative, informational, persuasive and letter prompts. A selection of up to six prompts is available at each grade.

Open-ended math assessments are available for Grades 1 through 9. The three or four tasks per grade assess problem solving and communication skills. Students' responses to writing and math tasks can be scored locally or through the publisher.

CAT·3 reports include easy-to-read profiles of students' strengths and needs as well as norm-referenced information. Group reports are also available at the class, school and district levels. The report for parents further facilitates communication between the school and home.

Teachers' use of CAT·3 is supported by several excellent resources. The CAT·3 video introduces and explains how to easily implement the testing program. After testing, the Teacher Resource Manual provides many instructional activities for remediation and review. The Parents' Guide helps teachers share test results with parents.

CAT·3 was administered to over 44 000 students across Canada in Spring 2000. This allows student performance to be compared to the performances of same-grade students across Canada. The norming included students from grades 1 through 12, from every province, from rural and urban areas and from public, private and native schools, ensuring a representative Canadian sample.

See for Yourself!

Call 1-800-668-1006 for more information on CAT·3. Order special review kits for primary, junior and senior levels. Review CAT·3 and update your present testing program.

Testing Time

Basic Battery

Supplemental Tests

Constructed-Response

Together with the Canadian Test of Cognitive Skills (CTCS)

When students write both CAT·3 and the Canadian Test of Cognitive Skills, CTC Scoring Service can provide Predicted Achievement Scores. These scores identify students whose achievement levels are lower (or higher) than would be expected given their cognitive skill levels. Predicted Achievement reports are especially useful in identifying students who are underachieving.

Planning Your CAT·3 Order

For assistance in ordering, please call (905) 513-6636 or 1-800-668-1006 (outside the Toronto area).

1. Decide which grades to test.
2. Select the appropriate test levels by referring to the CAT·3/CTCS Level Chart.
   
3. For Levels 12 and 13, decide whether to administer the Basic Battery or the Basic Battery Plus (with the Supplemental Tests).
4. Decide whether to include CTCS.
5. If including CTCS, select the appropriate test level by referring to the CAT·3/CTCS Level Chart.
   
6. Decide whether to machine-score or hand-score.
   (Because of demands on teacher time, machine-scoring is strongly recommended when testing 30 students or more.
   For machine scoring, you will need to order ancillary materials. Simply indicate on your purchase order approximately how many classes or "groups" you are testing.)
   
7. Decide the quantity required for your order by referring to the chart below. Remember that test books for Levels 11, 12 and 13 are consumable and those for Levels 14 through 19/20 are reusable.
   
   

   Machine-Scoring	Hand-Scoring
   Student Test Books (1/student)	Student Test Books (1/student)
   Test Directions for Teachers (1/teacher)	Test Directions for Teachers (1/teacher)
   M/S Answer Sheets (Lv. 14 to 19/20, 1/student)	U-Score Answer Sheets (Lv. 14 to 19/20, 1/student)
   Practice Tests (1/student)	Practice Tests (1/student)
   Locator Tests with answer sheets (optional, 1/student)	Locator Tests with answer sheets (optional, 1/student)
   Dictation Worksheets (optional, Lv. 14 to 16, 1/student)	Dictation Worksheets (optional, Lv. 14 to 16, 1/student)
   Machine-Scoring Ancillary Materials (indicate # of classes or "groups" tested)	Scoring Keys (Lv. 11 to 13, 1/marker)
   	Norms Book (1/marker)
   	Student Diagnostic Profiles (1/student)
   Teacher Resource Manual
   Constructed-Response (CTC/Marking or Hand-Scoring)
   Student Worksheets (1/student)
   Administering Directions (1/teacher)
   Scoring Binder (1/teacher, when scoring locally)

   
   
   
8. Decide whether you will need any of the following support materials:

   Teacher Resource Manual
   Training CD-ROM and videotape
   Assessment In-Service Folder
   Parents' Guide to CAT Results

   
   

Components with ISBNs and Prices

Teacher Resource Kit

Designed to meet the needs of the Learning Resource Teacher, this kit contains enough materials to administer CAT·3 to three examinees at each level as well as the necessary accessories for marking and scoring. The kit contains:

3 Student Books at each of Levels 11, 12 and 13 1 Student Book at each of Levels 14 through 19/20 1 Test Directions for Teachers for each level 3 Practice Test for each level 3 U-Score answer sheets each (Levels 14 to 19/20) 3 Student Diagnostic Profiles for each level 9 copies for each of Locator Tests 1 and 2 1 copy of the Locator Test Directions 18 copies of the Locator Test answer sheets 1 Scoring Key at each of Levels 11, 12 and 13 1 Scoring Mask at each of Levels 14 through 18 1 Norms Book 1 Teacher Resource Manual for CAT·3 1 Parents’ Guide to Understanding CAT Results 1 carrying bag

Option 1 3 U-Score answer sheets at each of levels 14 through 19/20 3 Students Diagnostic Profiles for each level 1 Scoring Key at each of Levels 11,12 and 13 1 Acetate Overlay at each of Levels 14 through 18 ISBN: 155124310-5 Option 2 1 Scoring Utility CD-ROM and 30 answer sheets ISBN: 155124310-5CD

CAT·3 CR Dictation

Grade Range: 2.3 to 7.5
Administration: Individual or Group
Time: 20 min for Levels 12 and 13; 24 min for Levels 14, 15, 16

CAT·3 offers two formats for spelling assessment. For Levels 12 and 13, spelling tests are administered in the constructed-response format—students print the words that are dictated by the teacher. For Levels 14 through 16, spelling tests can be administered using either the constructed-response or the multiple-choice format. For Levels 17 through 19/20, spelling tests are administered in the multiple-choice format only.

Teachers and/or administrators choosing to use the constructed-response format for Levels 14, 15 or 16 will need to include the Dictation Worksheet Photocopy Master with their order.

Training CD-ROM and Videotape

This interactive CD-ROM (Videotape) is an excellent training and in-service tool designed for teachers and school administrators.

It introduces CAT·3 to the first time user, describes its modular architecture and explains how some of the key assessment issues have been addressed.

Furthermore, this tool covers the following topics regarding the effective use of CAT·3:

• multiple-choice: preparing for testing, administering the tests, processing the answer documents after testing
• constructed-response: preparing for testing, administering the tests, processing the worksheets after testing
• understanding and interpreting test results
• linking assessment to instruction
• accessing user support
  

CAT·3 CR Writing

Grade Range: 2 through 12
Administration: Individual or Group
Time: about 20 min per task

The Writing component of CAT·3 consists of a series of writing tasks for each of Levels 12 through 19. Levels 12 and 13 have three tasks each, while all other levels have six tasks. Teachers and/or administrator may choose the number and types of tasks. A selection of up to six prompts at each level allows teachers to collect multiple samples of student writing. The tasks require students to respond in writing to a prompt. Each prompt presents a lively picture or a realistic situation to the students. Teachers are provided with administering instructions that include a short script of what to say to students as they prepare to write. The types of writing tasks in levels 12 through 19 reflect the expanding repertoire of the growing writer:

Students' writing samples can be scored locally or through CTC. Scoring rubrics and anchor papers are available from the publisher, and on-site training for markers can be arranged.

CAT·3 CR Mathematics

Grade Range: 1 through 9
Administration: Individual or Group
Time: about 10 min per task

The CAT·3 test battery for Mathematics includes contructed-response tasks for Levels 11 throught 18. Each level contains four problem solving tasks. These require students to apply mathematics skills and concepts in a context. Specifically, the constructed-response tasks assess problem solving and communication skills. Students' responses to the tasks provide information that complements the information gathered by the multiple-choice component of the test battery. Teachers and/or administrators may choose the number and types of tasks to administer to their students. After administering the Constructed-Response component, teachers have the opportunity to score students' responses. Alternatively, the responses may be submitted for central scoring in the school system or for external scoring at Canadian Test Centre.

Machine Scoring Reports

To view a scoring report, click on the link below:

Ordering