Measure the mind

USEFUL TESTS

There are those who can adjust easily to different circumstances and be successful. Some are born with the ability to tackle  problems comfortably while some may not.

Such differences can also be seen among school children. In spite of a uniform educational system, some are capable of grasping  difficult topics easily. Some will go for the easier ones while it may not be possible for many others to understand even simple tasks.

The mental development of children is dependant on their  ability or intelligence. This apart, their social background, time of learning, general health, capacity to grasp, method of teaching — all play an important role. Except for mental ability, other aspects can be easily judged. A student who appears physically strong may be weak in learning whereas a fragile-looking boy may be good at grasping information.

Intelligence is hard to define. There are no apparent physical signs with which this can be gauged in a large group. It may vary from extraordinary to  well below the average. As far as education is concerned, each individual has to be treated differently. Not encouraging the deserved with proper opportunities or forcing students to pursue courses in which they are not interested is a wasteful expenditure of human resources.

Why measure it?
There are various aptitude tests to measure the educational development rate of a child. Educational growth is dependant not only on the mental ability but also on other factors. Psychologists, over a period of time, have come up with many solutions to test one’s intelligence. These tests are based on the individual’s ability to understand a given task and to act suitably.

Alfred Beanet, a French educational officer had developed a questionnaire to identify children of low aptitude. These questions are designed to measure their intelligence quotient. His conclusion was that those who have weak aptitude would also lag behind in their educational development. Generally, the method of teaching employed in schools is based on the ability of children who are of average intelligence.  Children below the average may find it difficult to compete with others. By keeping the average students performance as the base, a questionnaire is prepared for children of age 3 to 13 years.

Different sets of questions for each age group are prepared. If children of a particular age can answer the questions set for them completely, they are considered normal. This meant that both their chronological age as well as mental  were the same.  But if a child of six years is able to answer questions set for the four year age group he is considered below average. Though these tests were prepared to study children of lesser ability, it can also be utilised to judge children who are above average.

Obtaining IQ ratio
Earlier attempts to measure intelligence were very limited in its approach and scope. Subsequently, the questions were modified in a more scientific way and put to test.
This method has more universal acceptability. Intelligent Quotient (IQ) ratio is obtained by dividing the mental age with that of the chronological age. For  example, if a six-year-old completes all the tasks assigned to his age group, he can be considered as average and his IQ will be ‘normal’ (100). If his mental age is less than his chronological age, it is below normal (
It is believed that a person’s mental ability will grow up to an approximate age of 16 years. But there are those who are able to develop their IQ till they turn 40. Psychologists have conducted various tests to determine the ratio of Intelligence quotient (maximum and minimum). This varies from a high of 150 to a low of 50. These tests also infer that the percentage of high intelligence or low intelligence among the people is very less and the maximum people (about 60 per cent) will be of average intelligence.

Type of tests and its usefulness
These tests should be reliable, valid and follow proper norms. Earlier, memory power alone was enough to gauge one’s intelligence. Later, other factors such as the ability to understand a given topic, to think and analyse and the decision-making ability became vital components to measure an individual’s intelligence. Single or multiple characteristics and the ‘step’ method were taken into consideration. Questions were prepared for the tests accordingly.

The ‘step’ method employed is more useful in determining a person’s capability at the beginning itself (whether a person is interested in literary activity or scientific). This method helps teachers guide students better. This will make them understand the student’s potential in a  particular field so that proper guidance can be given to encourage him/her.

There are many types of aptitude tests to measure one’s mental ability. They are verbal, non-verbal (encouraging the use of sensory motor system), pictorial etc. Group tests are conducted for faster results.

A child’s IQ must be tested before admitting him/her to a new grade. These tests help in guiding the children select a  field that he/she can excel in. Such tests help students select special subjects for study based on his/her interest and aptitude. Such tests are widely used by employers too. An employer can use such tests to determine an employee’s potential and decide on matters such as pay hikes, bonuses, etc.

In schools, group tests are very useful. They help in identifying those children who show less enthusiasm in class or who are less active, due to various reasons. It may be because of physical, social or other inadequacies. The results obtained thus, should not be revealed to the child or to the parents. Teachers should use the results to make separate group of students who are weak so that they can be guided properly to correct themselves.