A brief overview of the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts-R

A chapter written by Jerome M. Sattler in his book, "Assessment of Children," discusses the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts -R in particular. This test is a "pictorial multiple-choice test designed to measure knowledge of various concepts (such as direction, amount, and time) that are thought to be necessary for achievement in the first few years of school." There is also an extension of the Boehm-R, known as Boehm-Preschool, which is used for ages 3 through 5.11.

The original test contained about 50 pictures arranged by order of difficulty, from least to most difficult. For each picture item, the child selects one picture from a set of three, based on a statement read by the examiner. The items cover concepts of relative relationships, such as space (next to, farthest), quantity (few, most), and time (always, after). For example, one item from the Boehm Test is " Look at the trees; mark the tree on the left." The revised test includes new picture items, the removal or rearranging of others, and the modification of some artwork.

The raw scores of this test are converted to percentile ranks. The norms are provided by grade level, SES level, and beginning and end of the school year. Tables also show the percentage of children passing each picture item using the same given levels.

In this assessment tool, language comprehension seems to be a key factor. The child must interpret the structure and form of the syntax in the verbal statement given to them and identify the pictured item correctly. After the test was given in the 1971, it showed those who modified the test that the revised edition of the Boehm Test "measures the acquisition of verbal concepts rather than acquisition of specific dimensions such as space, quantity, or time."


The newest edition of the Boehm Preschool assessment, the Boehm-3 Preschool, helps you measure 50 basic concepts most frequently occurring in current kindergarten, first, and second grade curriculum. It can be group-administered in a classroom setting. It helps to effectively identify concepts children already know and those they need to learn to be successful in school. It includes directions for administration in English and Spanish. Two parallel forms, E and F, enable you to conduct pre and post testing to help determine if the student's comprehension of the concept is consistent across multiple contexts. The results can be used to demonstrate progress as a result of teaching or intervention. The assessment tool may be used as part of a battery of tests for assessing students' understanding of basic relational concepts. It also helps to identify students who may be "at risk" for learning difficulty and who may need a referral for additional testing, as well as including tools to aid you in complying with the IDEA guidelines (Boehm 2001).

The BTBC-R is a screening and teaching instrument and is not intended as a measure of mental ability.




Sources I used in addition to discussions from my assessment and curriculum oriented courses:


Sattler, J.M. (1988). Assessment of Children. San Diego: Jerome M. Sattler.

Boehm, A.E., Ph.d. (2001). Boehm-3 Preschool. San Antonio, TX: Pearson