About the measure
Versionⓘ
TOBANS
Subject
Maths
Test of Basic Arithmetic and Numeracy Skills
Assessment screening
Subscalesⓘ
8 tests — arithmetic tests (addition, addition with carry, subtraction, subtraction with carry, multiplication), basic number processing tests (dot comparison, digit comparison, count the dots).
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Test source
https://global.oup.com/education/content/primary/series/tobans/?region=uk
Guidelines available?ⓘ
Yes
Norm-referenced scores
Yes
Age rangeⓘ
7 – 11 Years
Key Stage
Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2
UK standardisation sample
Yes
Publication date
2014
Re-norming date
N/a
Eligibility
Validity measures available?
Yes
Reliability measures available?
Yes
note whether shortlisted, and reasons why not if relevant
Shortlisted
Administration format
Additional information about what the test measures
Basic number sense (digit and got comparison), enumeration (counting), fluency of basic calculation skills (addition, subtraction and multiplication).
Are additional versions available?
N/a
Can subtests be administered in isolation?
Yes — separate scores are provided on each subtest.
Administration Group Size
Individual, Small group, Whole class
Administration duration
Timed test. Children are given 60 seconds or less to complete each subtest. Allow additional time to introduce the tests.
Description of materials needed to administer test
Manual, photocopied test sheets, writing implements, stopwatch.
Any special testing conditions?
Organise the the classroom in a way that will facilitate administration of the test. Ask children to be quiet and listen carefully to instructions.
Response format
Response mode
Electronic
What device is required?
N/a
Question format
Multiple Choice
Progress through questions
Flat
Assessor requirements
Is any prior knowledge/training/profession accreditation required for administration?
Not stated (no)
Is administration scripted?
N/a
Assessor requirements
Description of materials needed to score test
User manual, online tracker and correlation charts to Numicon, Inspire Maths or MyMaths (www.oxfordowl.co.uk).
Types and range of available scores
Raw scores, standard scores (<70 – >130, subtest standard scores, composite arithmetic standard score, overall standard score).
Score transformation for standard score
Age standardised
Age bands used for norming
6 months
Scoring procedures
Computer scoring with manual entry of responses from paper form/simple manual scoring key — clerical skills required.
Automatised norming
Online
Construct Validity
Rating Construct
Does it reflect the multidimensionality of the subject?
Specific measure of mathematics — arithmetic and numeracy efficiency and fluency.
Construct validity comments (and reference for source)
Construct validity was assessed by comparing performance against a well established measure. All participants in the standardisation sample also completed the numerical operation test of the WIAT2UK (adapted for group administration). Correlations with arithmetic composite score of TOBANS were excellent and adequate to good for other subtests (arithmetic composite .81, count the dots .64, digit comparison .62, dot comparison .54).
Criterion Validity
Rating Criterion
Summarise available comparisons
Criterion validity was assessed by comparing performance against maths SATS score a term later for a sub-sample of participants from the standardisation sample (N=160). Correlations with arithmetic composite score of TOBANS were excellent and good for other subtests (arithmetic composite .72, count the dots .54, digit comparison .49, dot comparison .36).
Reliability
Rating Reliability
Summarise available comparisons
Good test-retest correlations on all subscales .72 – .93 (with a two day interval). (Addition .92, addition with carry .89, subtraction .88, subtraction with carry .85, multiplication .93, arithmetic composite .97, dot comparison .72, digit comparison .80, count the dots .79.) Demographics of test-retest reliability sample are unclear (N=93).
Is the norm-derived population appropriate and free from bias?
Does the standardisation sample represent the target/general population well?
If any biases are noted in sampling, these will be indicated here.
Whole classes participate, all schools located in Yorkshire, information about SEND and FSM provided at school level only, where is below national average in both cases. Gender differences were small and not statistically reliable.
Sources
Sources
Brigstocke, S., Moll, K., & Hulme, C. (2016). Test of Basic Arithmetic and Numeracy Skills. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.