Understanding the HAST Primary Test

With HAST, you can increase your chances of being placed at one of the top-performing academic schools. It is an ability test used by secondary schools for identifying students who want to engage in accelerated learning and enhancement programs.

In this blog, we are going to give you a comprehensive idea about HAST. Understanding the HAST Primary Test can help you perform better.

What is HAST Primary Test?

HAST is a test compiled by the ACER or Australian Council for Educational Research. The test has been designed to identify academically gifted students who can enjoy the benefits provided by accelerated learning and enhancement programs.

The test draws upon the significant experience of ACER in high-stakes testing for schools such as Selective High School Test and Opportunity Placement Class Test in NSW, the Queensland Academic Entrance Test, and the Ignite Program in South Australia.

The Hast Primary Test assists in the assessment and placement at the middle primary level by deciding on the students who are working at levels higher than their friends. The test results are used for verifying existing information about a student or identifying the ones who are already performing the best.

HAST Primary Test can be used for the entire cohort testing or as the second stage screening tool for discriminating more between highly able students who are at the top of the scale.

What are the Top Benefits of the Higher Ability Selection Test- Primary?

There are many advantages of the HAST Primary Test. We are going to list a few of them below-

•       Assesses higher-order thinking skills instead of general ability.
•       Ranks students against their gifted or higher achieving friends within each cohort.
•       Assesses pupils at levels much higher than their age.
•       Confirms parent and teacher observations about the abilities of a student.
•       Discriminates better at the top end of performance than regular general population tests.
•       Helps schools to decide which student should be included in enhancement programs or differentiated curricula.
•       Gives students, parents, and teachers impartial and formal evidence of the abilities of students.

 What does the HAST Test Include?

HAST Primary includes the following-

•   Mathematic Reasoning Test

It is a test that measures mathematical ability, in opposition to the achievement in mathematics school tests. The material used to test is chosen from a wide range of sources and might differ from standard school-based curriculum materials.

Students have to apply strategic and logical thinking to work through the questions given in the test.

•   Reading Comprehension Test

The test measures how well a student can understand ideas in language and interpret them. This test asks students for looking at visual and written material and answers questions based on it.

•   Abstract Reasoning Test

The test assesses the ability of the candidate to use abstract reasoning skills to recognize the relationship and perceive ideas at an abstract level. The skills are extensively applicable across the curriculum and are associated with successful academic results.

•   Writing Test

Ultimately, the writing test is concerned with the ability of students to express their feelings and thoughts in writing. It is primarily a creative task.