INTRODUCTION Intelligence testing began when the French government asked Alfred Binet to create a test that would compare children's intelligence. These tests were designed to identify children's intellectual level and be used to improve the education system. To achieve this, Binet measured a child's mental age, the level of performance typically associated with a certain chronological age (Soomo 2014). If the child's mental age was the same chronological age, the child scored 100. Scoring higher than 100 meant a higher intelligence; scoring lower meant below average intelligence. Stanford professor, Lewis Ternman, adapted Binet's test to create the Stanford-Binet Intelligence test which is still in use today. "The Stanford- Binet …show more content…
In fact, they are at a much, if not more, of risk than a child with learning disabilities. According to the Time article Are We Failing Our Geniuses? , "American schools spend more than 8 billion a year on educating the mentally retarded. ....no more than $800 million on gifted children." In a sense, gifted children are being neglected in the American education system. They are left in classrooms that are no longer challenges them. "Schools have often forced gifted students to stay in age assigned grade" (J. Cloud, 2007). This puts them at risk of becoming bored and apathetic. Because of their intelligence, they might also find it difficult to relate to someone that is chronologically their peer, leaving them feeling alienated. Because of this alienation, highly intelligent people could be considered socially …show more content…
Parents need to weigh the pros and cons of informing the child their score. A child who is told their IQ score could either feel constantly pressured to perform at a higher level. Where as a child knowing they have a lower score, might not push themselves because they feel intellectually inferior. "Psychologists usually recommend just giving children a general idea of their abilities until they are adults" (S. Rimm 2009). It is important to remember that every child learns differently. Knowing this can help parents and teachers make adjustments in their children's education, giving their student the best opportunity to