Individual Scale for Northern Sotho-Speaking Learners

J. Landman

The scale was constructed to measure developmental intelligence – in other words the learner’s inherited intellectual potential as developed up till the day of testing under specific environmental influences. The purpose of such measurement is to use the results as an objective means for diagnosing and planning of psycho-educational strategies to aid the learner. This scale can also provide a profile of a learner’s cognitive abilities.

The scale comprises the following ten tests:

• Vocabulary;
• Comprehension;
• Verbal Reasoning; Problems;
• Memory;
• Pattern Completion;
•  Block Designs;
•  Absurdities;
• Form Board and

•  Mazes.

These ten tests constitute the Global IQ Scale (GIQ). The first five tests constitute the Verbal IQ Scale (VIQ), while the last five tests constitute the Performance IQ Scale (PIQ).

Two shortened scales are also available, namely the GIQ 9 (with the subscale VIQ 9) and the GIQ 4. For the calculation of the GIQ 9 and the VIQ 9 the Vocabulary Test is omitted. The GIQ 4, which is supposed to give an indication of the testee’s global intelligence, comprises the tests: Comprehension; Problems; Block Designs and Absurdities.

Norms

The Individual Scale for Northern Sotho-speaking learners has been standardised for learners between the ages 9 years 0 months and 19 years 11 months.

The Individual Scale for Northern Sotho-speaking learners is a point scale. Scales for each separate test, as well as scales for separate age groups, are normalised to a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3. For the Global, Verbal and Performance IQ Scales the mean is set at 100 and the standard deviation at 15.