(PTONI) Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence

BY DAVID J. EHRLER AND RONNIE L. MCGHEE

Unbiased, quick, accurate, and completely nonverbal, the PTONI is an excellent way to assess reasoning abilities in young children.

Each PTONI item requires the child to look at a series of pictures and point to the one that does not belong with the others. Items are arranged in order of difficulty—those at the beginning measure lower-order reasoning (e.g., visual and spatial perception), while those appearing later assess more complex cognitive skills (e.g., analogical thinking, sequential reasoning, and categorical formulation). The nonverbal format is especially appropriate for children whose language or motor skills are not well developed. Because directions are presented in eight languages, the PTONI is also ideal for youngsters who speak languages other than English.