Publication Date

1964

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Wernick, Walter||Nerbovig, Marcella H., 1919-2002

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Education

LCSH

Ability--Testing; Prediction of scholastic success

Abstract

PROBLEM: The problem was to determine if two specific fac­tors affect academic achievements of students. One factor was the effect of chronological age. The other factor was the position of a child is his family with respect to sibling relationships, if any. PROCEDURE: One hundred forty-nine fifth and sixth grade pupils were selected from two grade schools of the Elmhurst Public School District Forty-six, Elmhurst, Illinois. Data for these pupils were obtained from the cumulative folders of the schools. The fourth grade achievement test score and the fifth grade intelligence test score were used. The achievement test used was the Iowa Every Pupil Achievement Test and the intelligence test used was the Science Research Associates Intelligence Test. The students were placed in four age groups and four groups based ©n position in the family. The four groups based on age were Group A-December, January, and February Births, Group B-March, April, and May Births, Group C-June, July, and August Births, and Group D-September, October, and November Births. The four groups based on position in the family were Oldest Child, Middle Child, Youngest Child, and Only Child. When all of the information had been gathered, the groups were equalized on the basis of the average intelligence quotients. The average achievement test scores were calculated and a comparison for each of the groups was made. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: The comparison of scores for the groups based on chronological age showed that the older child usually achieved a higher score than the younger child. The older child received a higher average score in twenty-six of twenty-eight possibilities. The difference of the total achievement scores between Group A and Group B was .24 of a grade, between Group B and Group C was .10 of a grade, and between Group C and Group D was .25 of a grade. All of these average differences were in favor of the older group. The greatest difference occurred when Group A was compared to Group D. The difference of the total achievement test scores was .59 of a grade in favor of the older group. On the individual test scores the youngest group received average scores that were approximately one half year lower than the older group, with the exception of reading skills. The difference between Group A and Group D in reading vocabulary was .76 of a grade and in reading comprehension was .81 of a grade in favor of the older group. It was concluded that chronological age does have an effect on achievement. The comparison of scores for groups based on the position that a child held in his family with respect to sibling relationships, if any, showed a very slight difference. Of the three groups the Oldest Child, the Middle Child, and the Youngest Child, the Middle Child Group achieved the highest average score on every test. The Youngest Child Group received the lowest score on every test, except one. However, the range of difference was only from from .23 to .33 of a grade. The Only Child Group was less consistent. This was possibly due to the small number of cases. In any case the differences were so slight that it can hardly be considered a factor that affects achievement.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

58 pages, 3 unnumbered pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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