This week, we were asked how a child be assessed to test their intelligence. This is actually a rather difficult question to answer because what determines a child's intelligence? Is intelligence simply based on a child's cognitive understanding about the world that they live in or is it something much better.
I personally believe that a child's intelligence depends on their development of the whole person. A child may be cognitively intelligent, but may be struggling with emotional intelligence. If the child is struggling in emotional intelligence, this may impact their social relationships with others. Where I work at, we use an assessment tool, Teaching Strategies GOLD, which the teachers use to track the development of every child in a variety of categories, such as cognitive, socioemotional, physical, and language. By looking at the whole child, our teachers can make connections from one developmental area to the next and see if any concerns that they may have are connected to another area.
In Southeast Asia, professionals are using a variety of assessment and screening tools to test children in low-income areas for disabilities. Some of the screening tools that are being used consist of the Ten Question Screening (TQSI), Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST), and basic hearing and vision screens. Of the children that were screened, many were found to have disabilities that restricted their movement and caused poor health, which was mainly caused due to the poor living conditions that they were in. These results can provide organizations, such as the WHO, with an idea of the areas that need special attention in improving the living conditions for these children. If the living conditions are improved, there is a good chance that the percentage of disabilities may decrease.
Reference:
Krishnamurthy, V., Srinivasan, R., and Ummeed Child Development Center, Mumbai. (2011). Childhood disability screening tools: The south east asian perspective. A Review for the WHO Office of the South East Asian Region. Retrieved on December 6, 2012, from http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/NMH_CDST.pdf.
I too believe a child's intelligence should be on the whole child not just on certain abilities. I did not realize that Southeast Asia used the Denver Development screening test to do assessment on children in low income areas. Is this the only assessment that is done?
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Tiffany! We also use Teaching Strategies Gold as part of our portfolio assessment. It is a great tool and gives a wonderful indication of the whole child's development. I enjoyed learning about the assessment process in Southeast Asia and I hope these children get the needed help to decrease the percentage of disabilities.
ReplyDeleteGood Post!! I also believe the developing of the whole child plays a vital role in a child's intelligence, as well as their environment as well. A child who is being raised in a unfit environment may not be pushed or encouraged enough to do their best. Their needs may be neglected and it will turn influence the child's ability to learn which will hender the child from reaching their greatest potential. I also think the Assessment your center is performing is a great idea.
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