Understanding individual’s composite abilities provides a diagnostic picture of individuals underlying abilities that can help professionals assess why individuals may be encountering problems in school or work settings.
The composite abilities can be divided into areas related to specific skills (skills require multiple abilities in order to be fully realized) such as:
There are 11 reading abilities. Six abilities are basic skills related to “learning to read.” Five abilities are advanced reading abilities and are considered abilities that are need to “reading to learn.”
CFU – Visual closure; ability to see whole objects and whole words
CFC – Visual conceptualization; ability to classify information by concepts and understand the concepts
EFU – Visual discrimination; ability to see detail within a whole object or word
EFC – Discriminating visual similarities; ability to see the differences and similarities in visual information
MSU-v – Visual memory, attention; ability to remember individual symbols that have been presented visually
MSS-v – Visual memory, concentration; ability to remember symbols in the order presented visually
CMU – Vocabulary
CMR – Verbal relations; ability to understand concepts and ideas in context
CMS – Sequencing information; ability to follow direction or sequence information presented
MFU – Memory for details; ability to observe and recall details of information read or seen
NST – Speed of word recognition; ability to track words in a line of type and recognize each word
There are 11 abilities related to arithmetic and mathematics. Six abilities are arithmetic and five are mathematics including algebra, geometry and related subjects.
CSS – Understanding number sequences; basic number concepts
ESS – Judging correctness of number sequences; able to determine what operations to use in solving arithmetic problems
ESC – Judging number classes or sets; determining classes that numbers belong to, i.e., even numbers, odd numbers, prime numbers.
NSS – Applying number facts; ability to perform the required operations in an arithmetic problem
MSU-a – Auditory memory, attention; ability to recall individual symbolic information presented auditorily
MSS-a – Auditory memory, concentration; ability to remember symbols in the order presented auditorily
CFS – Spatial orientation; ability to maintain a particular point of view in a figural/spatial system
CFT – Spatial conservation; ability to recognize identical objects from different points of view
CSR – Symbolic relations; ability to see patterns in symbolic information
NSS – Applying number facts; ability to perform the required operations in an arithmetic problem
NMI – Logic/deductive reasoning; ability to use deductive thinking and logic in solving figural and symbolic problems
NFU – Reproducing figures, shapes and designs
CFU- Spatial orientation; ability to maintain a particular point of view in a figural/spatial system
CFT – Spatial conservation; ability to recognize identical objects from different points of view
CSR – Symbolic relations; ability to see patterns in symbolic information
DFU- Ability to generate original visual ideas and the ability to communicate visually using figures, shapes, pictures and designs
DSR – Abilities to be creative with number concepts and to generate connections between letters or numbers in different ways
DMU – Ability to develop and express through writing unique and original ideas within a limited amount of time
