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Sunday, November 14, 2010

Eleven Plus Standardisation

In the world of the eleven plus we often talk about standardisation and standard scores. We all hope that an age related standard score will make it as fair as possible for eleven plus children. The scores reflect a child’s attainment on a certain day at a certain time. A pass through the vehicle of a standardised score is not the full sum of a child’s ability.

What would happen if the final eleven plus standardised score was a component in a child’s portfolio?

The work done Arnold Gesell tried to provide standardised observation methods for babies and young children. Openings were made in the walls of the observation room, and specially constructed looking glasses were built in. From the one side of the room they looked normal – but from the other side the walls were transparent and allowed clear observation of a child’s behaviour. Cameras were able to take up to 3000 pictures a second allowing a minute analysis of movements. The cameras could record a child interacting with books and papers.

There may be some information in this blog for men and women of vision. Parents of preschool children could book their child into a `Pre Eleven Plus Clinic’. The clinic would take details of weight, height, ability to interact with pre eleven plus books and appetite for concentration. (There would be a fee of course.)

The standardised results f the pre eleven plus test could be combined with the standardised results of the actual eleven plus examination.

Proud parents could then feel that they had done their best.

“When is it time to start eleven plus work?”

`Come to a pre eleven plus course

aimed at children from

three months and upward.

Your child will learn how to be

observed and tested.

The results will help in the actual

Eleven plus examination.

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