Use mental tests as supplementary evidence of pupils' abilities in dealing with the apparently bright and the apparently stupid¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 6 claims (6 for) · 3 studies (3 associational), q1–q2 · 0 of 3 report an effect size · 6 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article's practical recommendation is that group mental tests give teachers, principals and superintendents "supplementary evidence of pupils' abilities," especially for pupils whose apparent ability is misleading. Apparent dullness may reflect circumstances, laziness, or study habits, and apparent brightness may reflect unusually favorable opportunities, so all available information should be used in teaching and advancing pupils.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Tests must be administered by trained examiners; the article notes its administrators had been trained in the author's laboratory.

Constraints¶

• Test evidence is supplementary; the article warns apparent ability may be misleading due to circumstances, laziness, or study habits rather than underlying ability.

Target Learners¶

• elementary and high school pupils

Target Learning Goals¶

• accurate assessment of pupils' mental abilities for placement and advancement through school grades

Claims¶

• Mental differences between bright and dull pupils can be ascertained by means of simple group tests [+W]
• Completion, word-building, logical memory and controlled association tests are most valuable for separating dull from bright pupils [+W]
• Substantial overlap exists between bright and dull groups: 48 per cent of poor pupils match the lowest good-group record [+W]
• Brighter pupils tend to work below capacity: the authors argue the greatest wastage exists among the brightest children, who may keep up to group averages while working under their ability [+W]
• The Binet-Simon scale accurately graded fairly minute individual differences in mental ability within same-age groups, as validated against teacher and principal judgments [+W]
• Cases with Differences of minus 9 or below — 21.5 per cent of the standardization sample — are described as marked cases of wasted intelligence whose ability is not being utilized [+W]

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Pyle, W. H. (1917). A Psychological Study of Bright and Dull Pupils. The Journal of Educational Psychology. https://psycnet.apa.org