Development of Special Abilities at the Junior High School Age

Abstract

This paper will report on the results of one part of a larger study carried on for the past eight years in collaboration with Dr. J. W. Tilton, of Yale University. The whole study covers a range from kindergarten to college. It includes experimental attempts to change pupil's profiles as well as statistical attempts to find factors related to special ability. Here em phasis will be given to the junior high-school years. At this level, attempt will be made to: (1) define more accurately the meaning of special abil ity or trait differences; (2) to show how large a deficiency is ordinarily nec essary before it can be called a significant special disability; (3) to show how much permanence can be expected in special abilities during junior high school; (4) to show that a number of factors are related to special abilities; (5) to see whether the long-range effect of all factors is to level a given pupil's special abilities; and (6) to see to what extent a pupil's to tal academic achievement pattern can be accounted for by general ability and to what extent it can be attributed to special ability.