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Uncovering potential: dynamic assessment of non-verbal reasoning ability in educationally disadvantaged children

South African research into dynamic assessment has contributed to the growing body of
international research which supports the efficacy of dynamic assessment in uncovering
learning capacity in a variety of populations of learners with special needs. This study
investigated the application of dynamic assessment to a sample of black children within a
South African township clinic setting. Aged 9-15 years (mean age = 10.96) they had been
referred to the clinic with learning difficulties. The experimental group (n=48) was
exposed to a group dynamic assessment process, using certain tasks of the Learning
Propensity Assessment Device (LPAD). Their performance was assessed prior to and
following the mediated learning intervention. Using Analysis of Covariance, comparisons
of pre and post-test scores combined with an innovative qualitative scoring method
designed by Lurie and Kozulin (1996) yielded positive findings for the experimental group
as compared with a control (n=24) not exposed to mediation. Results of the Raven's
Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) and the Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure Test
(ROCFT), suggest that the intervention yielded changes, not only in the scores attained, but also in the quality of the responses on the post-tests.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/14071
Date07 March 2014
CreatorsGewer, Anthony
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatapplication/pdf

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