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AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM
OF GRADES FOUR THROUGH SIX AT BOND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
LEON COUNTY, FLORIDA
A Thesis
Presented to
The Faculty of the Graduate School
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
by
Eugenia Edna Warren Brewington
August 1955
AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM
OF GRADES FOUR THROUGH SIX AT BOND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
LEON COUNTY, FLORIDA
A Thesis
Presented to
The Faculty of the Graduate School
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree 4
Master of Science in Education
Ajpprsved d. .JUea__
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.
II.
Im.
IV.
THE INTRODUCTION
The Problem
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of the Problem
Importance of the Problem
Delimitation and Scope of the
Problem
Hypothesis
Basic Assumptions
Organization of the Study
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
SUMMARY
Conclusions
Recommendations
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX
PAGE
1
3
3
3
3
5
5
6
6
7
39
62
63
64
66
70
LIST OF TABLES
TABLES
I
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
PAGE
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
in Punctuation Test for Fourth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores of
Capitalization Test for Fourth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores of
Usage Test for Fourth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Spelling Test for Fourth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
Sentence Sense Test for Fourth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Punctuation Test for Fifth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Capitalization Test for Fifth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Usage Test for Fifth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Seplling Test for Fifth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis 6oores and Raw Scores
of Sentence Sense for Fifth Grade
35
37
39
41
43
45
47
49
PAGES
TABLES
XI.
XII.
XHm.
XIV.
XVI.
XVII.
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Punctuation Test for Sixth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Capitalization Test for Sixth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Usage Test for Sixth Grade
Scatter Diagram of Otis Scores and Raw Scores
of Spelling Test for Sixth Grade
Comparison of Means and Standard Deviations
of the Tests for Fourth Grade
Comparison of Means and Standard Deviations of
the Tests for Fifth Grades
Comparison of Means and Standard Deviations
of the Tests for Sixth Grades
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The writer wishes to acknowledge with appreciation
those persons who so untiringly worked with her in the making
of this study. She is appreciative to the teachers and pupils
of the Intermediate Area of Bond Junior High School for their
contributions. For reading and making helpful criticisms,
acknowledgements are due Dr. Walter Johnson, Mr. Neville
Clarke and Dr. E. C. Wallace, her Chairman.
For assistance with statistics, acknowledgements are
due Mr. L. H. Pennington. To her husband, Mr. James
Brewington and her family and all others who have made con.
tributions, her debt is gratefully acknowledged.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The goals of teaching language arts are as old as the ideals
of western civilization. Yet each generation faces the task of
interpreting these goals anew in the light of the conditions at its
own age. To think clearly and honestly, to read thoughtfully, to
communicate effectively to listen intelligently have always been
basic to the perpetuation of democratic ways of living. In the
second half of the twentieth century the challenge to develop
such skills with the attendant insights upon which their value
depends is peculiarly vital to the future of democracy.
Modern life makes peculiar demands on the program of the
school. Modern life with its mechanization of industry, its
clearly marked social strata, its inevitable competition, its
crowded cities, and its conflicting interests makes heavy demands
upon those who would deal creatively with differences. As social
progress struggles to keep pace with science and invention, men
must come to know and understand each .other for the achievement
of that social cohesion on which the future of democracy depends.
Language is the social instrument.
A knowledge and understanding of men and nation's and
careful examination of the values, as guides for the future, and
the development of constructive avenues of intercommunication
among men everywhere are primary requisites for intelligent
living.
Literature can give perspective on the conflicting ideas
and ideals of today's world, granting to youth spiritual insight
and a sense of proportion. Reading, listening and expression can
develop the child's power to use all available sources of informa-
tion, to think critically and to express himself with clarity and
expression. It is the school's responsibility to provide situations
that are enriching, stimulating and challenging so that children
will be motivated to read, write, speak, and listen creatively
and critically under the guidance of well prepared teachers.
In view of the foregoing facts and conditions the writer
believes that the language art experiences should be integrated
with all phases of the elementary school program so that the
girls and boys may become increasingly competent in the skills
of language.
The challenge is tremendous and it is immediate. Everyone
realistically concerned with the future of boys and girls now
learning to live must face it. Being cognizant of these facts, the
writer believes this necessitates a careful examination of what
the curriculum has to offer for the improvement of teaching of the
language arts to the extent that children may be better prepared to
deal effectively with the critical problems of life in these times.
I. THE PROBLEM
Statement of the Problem. This investigation is an analytical
study of the language arts program of grades four through six at
Bond Junior High School, Leon County, Florida.
Purpose of the Problem. It was the purpose of this study to
make an analysis of the language arts program in the fourth, fifth
and sixth grades' of the Bond Junior High School. To make an analysis
of the program, it is necessary to:
(a) determine the extent to which the language instruction meets
the needs of the pupils;
(b) determine the extent the classroom atmosphere is conducive
to creative writing;
(c) determine the media provided by the school to develop the
art of listening and to what extent the teachers are making use of'the
equipment;
(d) determine the status of the pupils in grades four through
six in use of language skills;
(e) show that relationship between language ability and achieve.
ment in the areas in respect to test results of the Iowa-Every Pupil
Test.
Importance of the Problem. Many factors have contributed
to the need for reexamination of the language arts experiences in the
intermediate grades at Bond Junior High School. One of the
factors is the changing concept of the language arts. Language
Arts once meant reading, writing, and spelling, but today
language power is recognized as part of all growth. Today, we
look at the learner and the society of which he is a part and search
to guide his growth both in and through the experiences of reading,
listening, writing, and speaking necessary to effective living.
Normally, children in the intermediate grades have a
growing zest for life. They are curious, alert, and awakening
to fresh interest in their own potentialities and in the world about
them. Many of them have sufficient skill to read for information
and enjoyment. They have much to learn about the world near
and far. Their interests extend far beyond home.
They have a flair for action, adventure and mystery. They
have faith in their own capacity for doing things both together and
individually. Children in these years have become aware of
the group. &They recognize ideas and beliefs of others. They are
the upper grade children now and find in the challenge of school
leadership a motive for developing language and reading skills and
sense of responsibility and effective group procedures. In a program
based upon meeting, extending and intensifying these interests boys
and girls become aware of the value of clear and comprehensive
expression, under the careful guidance of the teacher, they should
develop skills, necessary to group planning and perfect their
reading for wide range of purposes.
With a consciousness of the changes and an increase in media
of communication, the way is opened for an analysis of the language
arts program in the intermediate department at Bond School and the
adaptation of the program to the situation in which it is used.
Delimitation and Scope of the problem. This study was under.
taken with the following limitations in mind:
It is limited to five hundred thirty-three pupils grades four
through six of the Bond Junior High School at Leon County, Florida
for the school term 1954-.5.
This study is limited to an analysis of scores obtained from
the Iowa"Every Pupil Test and the Otis Quick Scoring Test of
Mental Ability.
There were five hundred thirty-three pupils participating from
the intermediate grades but after the tests were administered,
because of drop outs and absentees, it was decreased to two hundred
thirtyefive pupils. The tests were matched and each child had to have
two tests, an achievement test and an Otis Quick Scoring test for the
Intelligence Quotient, after the tests were scored the results obtained
were compared.
Hypothesis. Growth and improvement in language arts is
dependent on the mental development of the child; the methods
should vary to meet the individual need of the child; the materials
of instruction should be rich and varied; the environment should be
stimulating and language experiences should be recognized in all
integral parts of the school.
Basic Assumptions. A pupil's competency in language skills
is conditioned by the breadth of his intellectual capacity.
A pupil's competency in language skills is conditioned by the
motivation and demands of the situation.
A pupil's growth in language skills will depend on the extent
to which he is conscious of the way in which he is directing his effort.
Procedure and source of data. Involved in the study were the
pupils of grades four, five and six of Bond Junior High School.
Tests were given to determine the intelligence quotient of
the pupils.
The IowaoEvery pupils test of language skills were given
to measure pupils' academic score in the language skills, namely,
punctuation, capitalization, spelling, usage and sentence sense.
Tables were set up to make comparison of the intelligence
quotients made on the tests.
The Otis Quick Scoring Test gave results of the pupils intelligence
quotients.
Organization of the Study. This study has been divided into
chapters in the following manner:
Chapter One is the Introductory Chapter.
Chapter Two contains the review of related literature, which
includes several abstracts of previous studies.
Chapter Three contains the presentation and analysis of
data obtained from the study.
Chapter Four contains the Summary, Conclusions and Recom*
mendations.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Communication through spoken and written language
belongs to man and to him alone. It is the most important
influence in his upward climb through the centuries. It is at the
utmost consequence in the life of an individual that he learns to
use the forms of communication. The skill he develops in the
use of these tools influences his choice of vocation, the friends
he draws about him and the pattern of personal living he builds
for himself.
A young person who expresses himself clearly and with
confidence and who enjoys books and reading tends to select
academic work in the high school, to go to college and to enter
the professions or to become a business, industrial, social, or
political leader. A person who lacks linguistic skill, who has
a less extensive vocabulary and less facility in self-expression
or reading, tends to turn for his vocation to types of work with
people and things in which linguistic demands are of a different
sort and other competencies are more important than facility in
the use of language.
Scholars and teachers have always been interested in
language. Teachers and parents are interested chiefly in the
48054
functions of language, its development by children, and its
effect upon their lives and personalities. Educators are
interested in ways and means of enhancing the language arts
programs. Many books and studies have been made in order to
improve the language arts program and its effectiveness.
1
Paul McKee believes the basic purpose in the teaching
of language from the kindergarten through college is to help
people to engage successfully in the important activities of
modern life in which the use of language plays a fundamental
role. It includes such common matters as (1) conversation
(2) letter-writing (3) story telling (4) making speeches of various
types (5) giving directions, explorations and announcements (6)
creative writing (7) making reports and reviews (8) reading
various types of written and printed material and (9) listening
to various types of talking.
Some writers have referred to most of these activities
as functional centers in language. Our schools must provide
definite and effective teaching of what the writer here arbitrarily
designates as the three basal program to be included in any course
of study.
Paul McKee, Language in the Elementary School, Revised
Edition, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Riverside Press, Houghton
Mifflin Company, 1939, p. 3.
9
One of the most important jobs of the teacher is concerned
with the problem of motivation to secure and maintain the child's
interest in language.
2
McKee language book in the elementary school describes
an effective program of instruction for the entire elementary
school. The language arts are divided into the traditional areas
as composition, written and oral, spelling, writing, reading
and literature. It is the purpose of the book to consider the
problem of improving instruction in the first three of these subjects
during the six years of elementary school.
He believes that there are certain things a teacher or super-
visor should know about teaching of any one of these three subjects.
Stated in terms of problems these are:. (1) What should be taught in
a given subject? (2) How should the abilities or items to be taught
in that subject be spread over the grades? (3) What are the
effective methods and materials which should be used in teaching
the subject? and (4) What means should be employed in testing
the accomplishment of the pupils? Definite methods for teaching
and evaluating each subject is presented in the volume.
3
In addition to McKee's subjects in the language arts, Duker
Paul McKee, Language in the Elementary School, New York,
Houghton Mifflin Company c 1934.
3Sam Duker, "How Listening is Taught," The Instructor,
May, 1955, pp. 35, 76.
states that teaching children to listen effectively has become
an important part of elementary school language arts instruction
at all levels. The awareness of the importance of teaching this
skill is a comparatively recent development. The article listed
devices and ways of teaching listening in various grades.
The opaque projector and tape recorder were given as
great aids in teaching listening.
Musical records were played after a carefully prepared
list of motivating questions had been asked. Practice was given
in following a gradually lengthening series of oral directions
in the form of a game. Other children watched to see if the direc-
tions were properly carried on in the right order. A number of
games and devices for improving listening were presented. As a
result of this emphasis on listening class discussions were improved.
It was obvious that the children found satisfaction and security in
mastering a skill for which they had full readiness and in the
exercises of which they could meet with success.
4
Russell states that research in child development in the
United States and its findings about children with some of their pos-
sible implications for the language arts program has had a
4
David H. Russell, "The Child Sudy Movement and the Language
Arts Curriculum," Child Development and Language Arts Research
Bulletin of the National Conference on Research in English, Chicago,
Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, p. 3.
comparatively long and honorable history. It dates back at
least to G. Stanley Hall's "The Contents of Children's Minds
on Entering School," a study of children's concepts made in
the 1880's and published in 1903. Stimulated by the work of
Cattell, of Thorndike, of Watson and others, it developed
rapidly after 1920.
Educational psychology has probably concentrated on the
individual to the exclusion of the child-in-a-group. Early
5
work, such as Furfey's was directed to boys' gangs and
reports of many small studies can be found in social psycholo-
6
gies. More recently the work of Tyron in peer relationships
about the sixth and ninth grade levels and applications of
7
Moeno's sociometric techniques by Elliott and many others who
have opened up new areas of study of children in groups. An
8
example of recent work is that of Cunningham and her associates.
Paul H. Furfey, The Gang Age, New York: Macmillan
Company, 1926, p. 189.
6
Carolina M. Tryon, "The Adolescent Peer Culture,"
Adolescence. 43rd Yearbook Part I, National Society for the Study
of Education. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1944, 217-
239.
7
Merle H. Elliott, "Friendship Patterns," Progressive
Education, XVIII, 1941, pp. 383-390.
8
Ruth Cunningham and Others, Understanding Group Behavior
of Boys and Girls, Bureau of Publications, Teachers College,
Columbia University, 1951, pp. 446.
Sears has suggested five trends or emphases in current
child study. These are (1) an emphasis upon molar behavior,
or the study of the child as a whole, especially in terms of his
motivation; (2) stress upon the learning process at various
levels; (3) emphasis upon the social settings of behavior as in
the work of the cultural anthropologists; (4) the use of projective
techniques, such as doll play and finger painting; and (5) the
application of child psychology to such agencies as the home, the
school, and the clinic.
This summary of the child study movement suggests that
it has attacked many important problems in child development.
It indicates further that many of the research results have
implications for the school but that much of the material is not
directly connected to the language arts curriculum. It attempts
to bring the two together in showing child development data as
one influence on the curriculum.
Commenting on a usage doctrine which he calls "Obedience
10
to the Club Spirit," I. A. Richards declares that
"It makes the conduct of language subservient to
manners -* to the manners of a special set of speakers.
If you belong to a certain sort of club you thereby enter
upon an engagement to behave, while there, in certain
9
Robert R. Sears, "Child Psychology", Current Trends in
Psychology. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1947,
pp. 50-74.
10
I. A. Richards, The Philosophy of Rhetoric, New York:
Oxford University Press, 1936, pp. 77-78.
ways. Similarly, in using a language, you join a more
or less select company of correct users of the language.
Deviation from their customs is incorrectness and is
visited with a social penalty. "
11
Fries points out that language practices vary among
different social classes. He draws the analogy between levels
of language usage and clothing. Clothes or habits of dress connote
or suggest certain information concerning the wearers. In like
manner language forms and constructions not only fulfill a primary
function of communicating meaning will also suggest that one
habitually associates with those social groups for whom these
language forms are the customary usage.
12
Khater found that upperclass children speak more about
themselves and their own possessions, while lower class children
tend to speak more about the outside world of people and things.
He found further that in speaking about their experiences the upper-
class children tend to draw from both the immediate and the remote
in place, and from the past and present in time, while the lower-
class children tend to draw mostly from their immediate present
I1C. C. Fries, American English Grammar, New York: D.
Appleton-Century Company, 1940, pp. 10-11.
12
Mahmoud Roushd Khater, The Influence of Social Class on
the Language Patterns of Kindergarten Children, Unpublished Ph.D.
dissertation, The Department of Education, The University of
Chicago.
environment and to project themselves into the future. Upper-
class children are "inclined to listen to each other and comment
upon each other's speech freely and spontaneously, while the latter
are inclined to remain silent until they are drawn out of their
shells. "In discussion, although most of the children from both
classes have been concerned with the problems under discussion
more of the upper-class children tend to contribute to its solution,
while lower class children tend more to drop the problem from
their minds and devote more attention to the narration of personal
experiences. As for language patterns, Khater reports that patterns
of language used by upper-class children are, in general, more
mature. Pronunciation among them is on an adult level, and the
structure of sentences is more mature and nearer to the standard
English. All children were concerned with the mastery of the
subordination and coordination of ideas.
A number of valuable studies dealing with the relation
between socio-economic status and intelligence and personality
have been made in recent years. While few of these are explicit
on the subject of language development or language usage of the
various socio-economic levels, they suggest a number of interesting
observations concerning various phases of communication.
13
Lazar3 found that although school facilities in New York
were roughly equal as among the various socio-economic levels,
the bright group had, in general, better home environments than
either the average of the dull group, and the average group had
better opportunities than the dull group. She found a close relation-
ship between the number and quality of books and magazines in the home and
socio-economic status. Bright pupils ranking lowest in socio-economic
status, were interested in reading, but the quality of the material
was inferior. It is reasonable to conclude from their findings that
environmental factors had a powerful effect upon the nature and extent
of the children's reading choices.
14
In this connection, Russell lists as one of three basic
factors which determine what a child or an adult will read, the
accessibility of the material, in a world where radio, movies,
sports, club work, and hobbies compete for one's time.
15
Of interest is the observation made by Maddy5 that, although
children of professional families average higher in Intelligence
13
May Lazar, Reading Interests, Activities and Opportunities
of Bright, Average, and Dull Children, New York. Bureau of Publi-
cations, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1937, pp. 49-50.
14
David H. Russell, Children Learn to Read, New York: Ginn
and Company, 1949, p. 10.
15
Nancy Ruth Maddy, "Comparison of Children's Personality
Traits, Attitudes, and Intelligenee with Parental Occupation, Genetic
Psychology Monographs XXVIII, 1943, pp. 3-65.
Quotient than children of semi-skilled workers families, children
of professional families living in economically poor neighborhoods
have slightly lower intelligence test scores than the average for
their occupational group, while the reverse is the case for
children of semi-skilled families living in wealthier areas.
An earlier bulletin of the National Conference on Research
in English reported on the mass media of communication in their
16
relations to education. Other recent publications, of a somewhat
17
more popular nature, are a pamphlet of the Public Affairs Conmittee
gives significant data on mass media of communication.
18
Fleege found that two percent of the movie audience were
under the age of seven; 11.8 per cent were seven to thirteen years
of age; and 22. 1 per cent were between the ages of fourteen and twenty.
Boys and girls in the upper grades and high school averaged one
movie a week and children in primary grades about one movie in
every two weeks. Most commentators attribute the decline in
attendance since 1945 to the advent of television.
16
John J. DeBoer and Fred Godschalk, "The Mass Media of
Communication and Children in the United States", unpublished
Report to UNESCO made for the Bureau of Research and Service
of the University of Illinois.
17 -
Frank Josette, "Comics, Radio, Movies--and Children,"
Public Affair Pamphlet No. 148, New York: 1949.
18
Brother Urban H. Fleege, "Movies As An Influence in the
Life of the Modern Adolescent" Catholic Educational Review XLIII
1945, pp. 336-352.
Despite the rapid growth of the television industry, the
number of radio homes in the United States is greater than
ever. It is safe to generalize that radio is available in the
homes of all but the merest handful of children. Even these are
accustomed to it in the homes of friends, in automobiles, in
taverns and lunchrooms and the cross roads store, the radio
is everywhere.
,-The average amount of radio listening has bean variously
reported as from a minimum of five and one-quarter hours per
week to a maximum of eighteen and one-half hours. According
19
to Clark, peak listening for adolescents come between the ages
of twelve and fifteen. NBC figures for 1948 confirm Clark's
figures by reporting ninety-one minutes per day average of radio
listening for the fifteen to nineteen year age group.
20
In a fairly recent study, Mitchell found that the reading
achievement of a group of sixth grade pupils was adversely affected
by a variety radio program, but not by a musical radio program.
She found no differences in this respect between boys and girls,
but she discovered that pupils with Intelligence Quotients above
19
W. R. Clark, "Radio Listening Habits of Children," Social
Psychology, XII, 1940 pp. 131-149.
20
Adelle H. Mitchell, "The Effect of Radio Programs on the
Silent Reading Achievement of Ninety-One Sixth Grade Students,"
Journal of Educational Research j[LII (February 1949) pp. 460-470.
18
one hundred were not adversely affected by the variety program,
and made significant gains in reading achievement during the
21
musical program. Hall in a more recent study found that within
certain limitations, substantial aid to reading comprehension
results from the use of background music at the eighth and ninth
grade levels. She reported that students below average in
intelligence and achievement receive more benefit from musical
background than those above average. Her findings parallel
those of studies of the effects of music on factory production.
Television is the most rapidly growing of the mass communi-
cation industries. Numerous estimates of time spent by children
in viewing television have been reported, ranging from twenty to
twenty-five hours per week--almost as much time as children
Z2
spend in school. Lewis found a decline six months after tele-
vision programs first became available in the community--perhaps
as he suggests, as a result of parental control, novel by wearing
off, and both children's and parents' recognition of the time
consuming factors involved, of skills, and the exclusive emphasis
21
Judy C. Hall, "The Effect of Background Music on the
Reading Comprehension of Two Hundred Seventy-Eight Eighth and
Ninth Grade Students", Journal of Educational Research, XLV
(February, 1952) pp. 451-458.
22
Philip Lewis, "TV Viewing Hurts Grades of Sophomores
and Juniors, But Helps Seniors," Advertising AgenXII (May 8, 1950).
in instruction lay in imparting these important skills of literacy.
23
Probably Piaget more than any other psychologist, has stimulated
interest in language as communication and as a means of studying the
child himself. Both psychologists and educators today have come to
look upon language as a vitally important form of behavior through
which the individual adjusts himself to his social environment.
Accordingly, the field or language activities embraces the entire
range of childhood interest s and experiences. Some emphasis on
language activities as arts and greater attention to the language
arts as communicative activities have enriched the modern concept
of the language arts.
In language skills it is difficult to overestimate individual
differences in patterns of language development and facility in
24
dealing with language situations. McCarthy states that language
is one area in which more marked and more striking degrees of
individual differences can be observed than in almost any other.
25
McCarthyZ5 further states that a measure which has been used
satisfactorily in many major investigations, is a highly sensitive
23
Jean Piaget, The Language and Thought of the Child, New
York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1926.
24
4Dorothea McCarthy, "Language Development in Children"
Manual of Child Psychology, ed., L. Carmicheal, New York: John
Wiley and S6ns, 1946, pp. 476-581.
5Ibid., p. 583.
index that reveals developmental trends from infancy to maturity
and reflects sex, occupational, and intellectual group differences
with remarkable consistency.
The great popularity of comic books or magazines justifies
26
their inclusion in a discussion of the mass media. Malter
who classified one hundred eighty-five comic book titles according
to type of content, distinguished the following categories: westerns
adventure stories, animal antics, love stories, detective stories,
"Superman" stories, adult antics, jungle stories, children's antics
and sport stories, in that order of frequency. He found that the
per cent of pages devoted to human and crime are approximately
one-third of all comic story content is devoted to humor. He con-
cludes that general attacks on the comic magazines are unwarranted,
since there are both good and bad examples.
The effects of comic book reading on children has been the
subject of much debate. Expert opinion tends to favor the view
that comic books serve the maladjusted child as an escape device,
but are not in themselves a cause of delinquency. The problem
appears to be one of making a proper distinction between desirable
and undesirable comic books, and of providing effective competition
in the form of high grade children's literature.
26
Morton S. Malter, "The Content of Current Comic Magazines,"
The Elementary School Journal, LII (May 1952) pp. 505-510.
Interest in the study of language development and activities
as strands in the pattern of total growth of the child is a phenomenon
at the recent past and of the present. In an earlier day, psycholo-
gists considered language as a means of expressing mental
content; educators regarded language primarily as a body.
Studies of growth in composition abilities indicate that there
are developmental trends in the use of written language which the
27
teacher may employ as guide posts. Hoppes in a study of the
writing of three hundred eighty-six pupils in grades three to
six in a Chicago Public School found that growth in this area
might be summarized as (a) growth in the number of sentences
used in a composition, (b) growth in the length and complexity
of sentences (c) decline in the "run-on sentences, although this type
of error was uncommon, (d) decrease in unpleasant repetition of
words and phrases, (e) growth in the use of inverted order of
subject and predi cate, indicative of the ability to give emphasis
to an idea by increasing the prominence of its position, (f) increase
in the proportion of abstract nouns accompanied by decrease in pro-
portion of specific, concrete, individual nouns, and (g) decline in
the number of sentences whose subject is "I", possibly marking a
2William C. Hoppes, "Some Aspects of Growth in Written
Expression", Elementary English Review, X (March, 1933) pp. 62-70;
121-123.
22
decline in egocentrism. Hoppes also found that in all grades girls
tend to write more than boys.
28
Baer's study of written compositions of almost twelve
thousand children in grades one through eight in the St. Louis Public
Schools indicates that the number of sentences used by a child in
telling a story varies from an average of approximately ten in the
sixth grade. The length of the composition remained approximately
the same from grade six through eight. The average number of
sentences used by girls in all grades w&a slightly higher than the
29
number of sentences used by boys. Baer regards the number
of sentences were used as an elemental factor in languages growth.
She also reports that complex sentences were used more commonly
than compound, although both types were employed at all levels.
She concludes that the use of the complex sentence appears to be
another of the elemental factors in the growth of language usage, and
to correlate as closely as any other factor with maturity in language
ability. There were few children who used incomplete sentences in
this study, but percentage of pupils using "run-on sentences" increased
rapidly until grade five. The percentage dropped slightly from fifty-one
28
M2ata V. Baer, "Children's Grotrth in the Use of Written
Langauge", Elementary English Review, XVI, (December, 1939), pp.
312-319.
)Ibid. p. 319.
30
in grade six to fifty-one in grade eight. Baer's research would
indicate that this phase of language usage deserves consideration
in written language program of the elementary school.
Creative writing, which may be partly an individual and
partly a group affair, can give opportunity for vocabulary growth
sociability, sensitivity to meanings, and probably some growth
in order and sequence in relating occurrences. However, the child's
capacity for organizing and relating experiences in logical or
connected fashion is limited by maturational factors. Typically,
not until a child is nine or ten can he give a reasonably accurate
account of what happened within a definite period of time.
31
Swenson and Caldwell who analyzed six hundred eighty
letters written by pupils from grade four through twelve in a
typical midwestern community report that pupils letters showed an
encouraging improvement in communication skill from grade to
grade, that performance of individual children at each grade level
varied widely enough to correspond to average performance at
several grade levels and that variation within grades was fairly
consistent from grade to grade. They report that there was evidenced
a general positive relationship between ability in written communication
30
Ibid., p. 320.
31
Esther J. Swenson, and Charles G. Caldwell, "The Process
of Communication in Children's Letters", Elementary School Journal.
XLIV (December 1948) pp. 224-225.
and intelligence, and a trend toward increasing differentiation
of writing ability by intelligence level with more years at
schooling. The same writers in reporting on spelling in the same
group of letters, state that an increase in the average length of
letters and a reduction in spelling errors were, both marked
between the fifth and sixth grade groups. This reduction, they
feel, may indicate some association between master y of mechanics
(spelling in this case) and freedom of written expression, as
evidenced by the amount written.
Psychological readiness for handwriting consists of the
child's having something to say and an urge to say it in writing.
32
Dawson has pointed out that handwriting should not be taught
as a subject in its own right, but rather as a means to a desired
end. Today's emphasis is away from the push-and-pull, oval
drill of yesteryear and toward functional handwriting used as a
tool, with emphasis on legibility and reasonable speed and with
the encouragement of the development of some individual style
rather than slavish following of this or that handwriting "system."
Within this framework, handwriting still needs to be practiced,
and such practice can result in decided gains in both legibility
and speed.
33
Artley has pointed out that growth in reading, writing,
or spelling is contingent upon depth and richness of experience
which provides ideas and the opportunity for the use of words.
Spelling readiness, according to Artley, includes the following
abilities: (1) auditory perception and discrimination, or the ability to
recognize the sounds that are heard in a word, to associate with
them their appropriate letter symbols or phonograms, (2) visual
perception and discrimination or the ability to analyse a word
visually, noting its arrangement of letters, the presence of familiar
prefixes or suffixes, syllables, or already known "little words"
and the visual similarity of the new word with an already familiar
one, (3) accurate pronunciation and careful enunciation (4) clear
recognition of the meaning, since a word whose meaning is unknown
is not going to be used by the child in either spoken or written
discourse, and (5) accurate handwriting and proper letter formation.
34
Russell's study carried on in Canada, resulted in these
significant findings, among others: (1) spelling readiness was
acquired in the high first grade by most of his subjects (2) spelling
success was facilitated by attention directed toward phonetic
analysis, configuration, sound of words, syllabication and recognition
3A. Sterl Artley, "Principles Applying to the Improvement of
Spelling Ability," Elementary School Journal XXIV (November, 1948).
34David H. Russell, "Reading as Communication," Childhood
Education XXVII (February 1951) pp. 274-277.
26
of word families (3) spelling abilities in the second grades studied
were found to be closely related to abilities in recognition of words
and capital and lower case letters and to visual and auditory per-
ceptive abilities, and (4) a cancellation of language skills, which
can be taught and which seems basic to success in the language
arts, at least of the primary level, was identified.
The separation of language growth into oral, written and
mechanical aspects of language in the three sections above needs
to be corrected by an emphasis upon the interrelatedness of all
phases of language development. Some of the research showing
35
relationships has been summarized by Hildreth.
The interrelatedness of language growth shows first in the
sequential patterns of language development discussed above
i. e., the child listens with comprehension before he speaks with
meaning; he develops a substantial oral vocabulary before he
reads.; he makes considerable reading progress before he writes;
he usually begins to spell when he needs spelling in his own
writing.
36
Beery has indicated that reciprocal relations between
reading and listening includes these (1) pupils will listen better
35
Gertrude Hildreth, Learning the Three R's, 2nd Edition
St. Louis: Educational Publishers, Inc., 1947.
36
Althea Beery, "Listening Activities in the Elementary
School," Elementary English Review XXIII (February, 1949)
pp. 69-79.
if they expect to use what they hear; (2) listening needs to be
reinforced by other modes of experience; and (3) since compre-
hension improves when pupils are encouraged to check themselves
on ideas gained from reading, listening, probably needs similar
checks. Several writers, including Beery, have emphasized the
fact that listening as a developmental skill needs to be explored
by research.
,The child s language is probably the best means of studying
37
his thinking. Curt, believes that perceptual and ideational
meanings develop side by side and that they are related to intelligence,
social status, and the stage of cultural development attained by the
society in which the child lives. While many of the conclusions
of Piaget are open to question in the light of current research
evidence, he did call attention to the fact that much of children's
thinking is characterized by egocentrism, absolutism, animism,
and a lack of understanding of cause-and-effect.
38
Baker in his study of children's free discussions in grades
two, four, and six in three, schools in the New York area were
factual and were concerned with the present. There were gradual
37
Margaret W. Curtis, Child Psycholgy, New York: Long-
mans, Green and Company, 1938.
38
3Harold V. Baker, "Children's Contributions in Elementary
School General Discussion" Child Development Monographs No. 29.
Teachers College, Columbia University, 1942.
gains apparent in the fourth, and sixth grades in terms of the
attention given voluntarily to adult activities and interests.
The higher the grade, the greater the dependence upon vicarious
experience. Baker found second graders to be almost entirely
individualistic in expressionswith little give and take as compared
to fourth and sixth graders.
Roma Gans' 39 gathered some facts about the extent of
clildrens' reading, that should delight even the skeptic. A study
made by the American Library Association revealed that more
children than adults are using the libraries. The demand for library
materials in schools is one of the worries of today's administrator,
hamstrung by inadequate budgets. Skill in the use of the library
and the ability to gather information from several books is common
to today's children in schools, that have enough money to supply
this need. In such fortunate situations one finds even primary
children who love reading and have gained a wide knowledge of
authors, stories and poems through reading on their own. The rapid
rise of the trade book industry in children's books in the United
States and the work of some of our finest authors and artists in
producing these books are further evidence of the application of
reading skill and tests developed in today's schools.
Romas Gans, "Are the Schools Neglecting the Fundamentals?"
Teachers College Record, Teachers College, Columbia University
Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 43-45.
In addition to the fundamentals which are measured by
tests previously used in schools and the various standardized
tests, some very important skills are being taught to today's
children and youth. Much attention is given in a vast number
of schools to what is commonly called problem solving. Even
children in the primary grades begin to gather evidence, collect
facts, make observations, test out ideas, and finally arrive
at generalizations or conclusions. Such procedures no matter
what they are called, develop essentials in meeting the problems
of living. Instead of assuming, as teachers did in former years
that able pupils will demonstrate intellectual maturity in adult
life, today's educators seek to assure this maturity by guiding
children and youth to acquire intelligence.
0.4 1.- "o 10 00
0 0 n o 0 U 0 Oa a uC i L
0U 0 1 U 1 0 u- 0o i
00 a I I I
00. 0
I
-
a0
I
J -~ N N -
I
N 00 i- t- N l-
N N k -
k- N
N N N -4 N
4 N
- N N
- -
-C
cy- (. U 0
4^ C' 4 a' 00 '0
o 0 Io I
0 N
0 N -
a' L>.) 0 -
I I
I 4 un 07 a
/
.co
I
t
40 Ul
rD
I
ts
Sww
rf
o
a 1
-4
I
ulul
00 o
0 Ul
I
a' a
s0l
-l
r
00o
Z
-00
0 00
% u-,
t74
0
Co
0
M
O
tI
0
Ln
0
H
1-4
0
M
tri
a o
N 1- 0 0 o o 4 -.. M'
0 JI 0 Ln 0) L O Ul 0 .n 0 un
I 1 9 1 1 s I I I I I
W -w ,, -0 o 00 00o -4 -I 0
N 00 'D 'D & %
& % l0
N
- -
- P
N Ul I -W
SN
1NN
a .10 U&
iJ2 20 2
N I -
UW N b -
- N *- N
& N
1- r-
N
0-1
1- -I
a-
1 0
S0
r
C>-*
N -
1 o0 C) 00 0 00 W
nU A N -W o 1-
UO U0 O U1 wU
I I I I I t I
N UW ) 0i 0' -1J 00
I
W ^
'0
SI
* -
rr
I
so U
N b
I
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s C
I 01
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s Ol
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I
00 00
0 0L
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0 I
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ci
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M
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0
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W W
t
In Table I the Otis test scores y, range from fifty to
one hundred twenty-four. In this table, X1 represents Part I
grade equivalent. The mean score taken for Part I was 27.48
while the standard deviation for the 87(n) students was 15. 50. The
product moment correlation coefficient between the mean (Xl) and
the IQ (y) was 11. The frequency of the IQ scores shows that
only eight students made an '%average" punctuation score, twenty
made 95-99 as eight made 90-104. Only one student made a
superior score of 120w124 as compared to three students who made
a low score of 50-54. The frequency for (y) Otis IQ scores ranged
from 50 to 124 while the frequency for the grade equivalent (punctua*s
tion)(fxi) ranged from 10.100, the average score being 30-40 in which
nine students made an average score, ten made scores above average
between 50o59 and while the one student made the highest score of
95-100, seventeen made low scores between 10-14. The (u, fy was
2 2
*93, ivI fx1 was .77, ul fy was 881. Avl fxI was 907 anduuv was
208.
Data presented in Table II shows the relationship between the
Otis Test and Raw scores of the Capitalization Test for fourth grade.
In Table II the total number of students was eighty-seven.
This test was centered around capitalization. The Otis Test scores
ranged from 50-124 while the grade equivalent scores ranged from
10.94. The mean score (x2) on the test was 34. 43, a rise approxi-
mately 7. 05 above the punctuation test. There were eighty.seven
pupils tested. The product moment correlation coefficient between
the mean grade equivalent (x2) and the IQ (y) was 19 while there was a
standard deviation of 17.90 (sx2). For the Otis Test there were
eight students in the average bracket while the extreme of the normal
probability curve (normal distribution) was three making scores
between 50-54 and one making a score between 120-124. y was
89.16 and sy was 14.98 as in Table I. The Otis scores were ju fy__
1 -
"93, Iv1 fx2 .130, ful fy 881, iv fx2 1152 and uuv 270.
Information presented in Table III shows the relationship
of Otis scores and Row scores of usage test for fourth grades.
The tables show the frequency distribution and mean correlation
of the scores.
-iW ~ O O Oo ZOO -J -j 0 0' ul
H. i 0N U- O UI O 0 n 0 Ul O Ul O
N O U 00 I 1 I I 1 I 3 1 3
1I I I S.0 No 00 0 --j --4 0CY ON U l
)-A -- '0 A '0 Ao t.0 A O0 Ao '.0 A
N w 0
At '.0 At Ah
-51
I -
0' 0
I- N
-
-
S- -
A- 4
N
N o
- .1.
N a; N N -W
N U
- -
N I-
w> 0
N N I-
- N
UO 0
00 -
I', 0
0 -
N O L '.D u- A
- 0 00 0 00 l
I I I
U' a r O b N ( A U' 0 .0
,W w
A I
I
NN
o,
t
I
A
00 0
No
I
I
Q I
Ul
I
-141
I
A0
A0
t-1
0r
M
0
0
H
0
0
Ej
0
a
o
0
In Table III the number of students for the Usage Test was
eighty-seven, the mean score of which i~as 27.69 or 6.76 above the
previous test. The Otis IQ ranged from 50-124 the average score being
89. 16 the standard deviation for Test III of the fourth grade on
this test was 18. 55 and for the Otis it was 14. 98, while the product
moment correlation coefficient between X3 and y was .21. The
majority of the pupils made scores between 105-124 while thirty-two
made scores between 50-84 in the Otis. On the usage test most
students made sub-average scores as seen on the table. In this table
2
the sum of ul and fy was -93 while u 1 fy 881, tuv 306 vI fx3 -75,
.vi fx3 1263.
Table IV reveals the correlations between the Otis scores and
the scores of the Spelling Test made by the eighty-seven students
in the fourth grade.
Iu -r c- -
N, i- 0
o U' 0 u-i 0
I I 1 1
- C- -a -
N '- 3-' 00O
4s '04 '04
4 ID0 00
110 00
s'r0 4s0
w sa -w Uli
I-..
00 -Q -4 0O
0 01 0 (n
SI I I
00 -J -J 0a
03~ 4
tP o P \
00N
-t -
N N N
rU.-
0- 6-
1- -.0
N -
6- -o o 00 0 00
t
In l l0 U
II I I
N W L Un
I 0I
a' --J 00
0 uL- 0
I l I
a, Ul L
!N
N N LI)
N 4 N (. W
0 0
0
z I
I0
NO
I
N N
j Ul0
I
%0
I
,0 Ul
4" 0
I
%D ul
40
I
'-u On
I
.'A 00
0
a' N
-4 0
00 0
'.0 Ln
I
40
IO or
!
H-a.
In Table IV the number of students in the distribution was
still eighty-seven for the Spelling Test. The mean score was
34.46 or 7.77 above the previous test. The Otis IQ average score
was 90w94 while 35,.39 was the "normal" score for the spelling
test. The sigma for test IV was 15. 80 while the product moment
correlation coefficient between the Otis and the test was 41. The
4ul fy was -93, ,v fx was .25, 4u2 fy was 881 ,iv 2 fx4 was 875, and
uuv was 368. More students made sub-average scores on the Otis
Test the majority of pupils made between 1 and -1 (ul) of the average
score; on the Spelling Test most scores were sub-average.
Table V is a scatter diagram showing the relationship of the
Otis scores and Row scores made by the eighty-seven students in the
Sentence Sense Test.
CHAPTER III
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Educators are now focusing considerable attention upon the
subject of pupil's ability to read. It has been found through various
methods that weaknesses in all other subject areas stem. It is
an important phase in any curriculum to notice where the weak
points are and try to find through some form of research what
attributes to the weaknesses.
One of the most important aspects in the teaching profession
is to know the child and aim your standards toward his progress.
Tables I, II, III, IV and Y show correlations between the
Otis test and the Iowa Every Pupil Test for the children in the
fourth grades. Eighty-seven pupils participated in the test. The
Iowa Every Pupil Test measured language skills in punctuation,
capitalization, usage, spelling and sentence sense.
The code for Tables One through Fourteen is as follows:
n is the number in the distribution
y is the Otis Intelligence Quotient
x is the mean for the particular grade
sx is the standard deviation for the respective test tables
sy is the standard deviation for the Otis Test
xy is the product moment correlation coefficient between the
Otis Test score and the respective test grade level
u and v are letters for coding
f is the frequency for either fy or fx respectively.
In Table V the mean 32. 49 or 2. 97 below the previous test.
The standard deviation was relatively high (15. 01) while the
product moment correlation coefficient between x5 and y was 34.
The mean for y was 89. 16 and the standard deviation for y was
14. 98. The Jul fy was still -93, the ,ul fx5 was lowered to -216,
2 2
Fu 1 fy was still 881, vl fx5 was up 1322 while iuv was raised
499.
In general the mean test IQ's ranged from 27. 48 to 35. 46
while this standard deviations ranged from 15. 50 to 18. 55 in
Table III the sigma for the Otis IQ was 14. 98.
In Table VI, the relationship between the Otis Scores and Row
Scores af the Punctuation Test for the fifth grade.
1. xw N I- 0 0
SI I 1 I I
N' OO
4s s 0 4
- wr
0 0
0o O
0.0 00
01 0
a'> a
N 0-)W
N -
N -
- N
I -1
,1 '0
t-4
I L
I
L)
1(7
- 4
^ N
4 N
-J 0
- -
N I-
N -
- O Oo 0 00 U U0 0 O 1 L j-' Lo
C O
N N W a' 00
)- I-
-c
NN
1
I
40
Qn U1
I
N
I
Iw
z J
UoL U
I
-1-4
'O00
2
r2
P w
t.4
0
0
0
Cl
0
0
Ern
Ct
0
0
0
Cn
In all the tables for Grade Five the number of students were
seventy-four. The average for the punctuation test was 24.76 while
the sigma was 10. 88 which can be readily observed to be naturally lower
than those of the previous grade level the product moment correlation
coefficient between the test and the Otis was 32. The mean for the
Otis was 84. 16 while the standard deviation (13. 58) was
lower than test of the previous grade, also. In the Otis frequency
in the scatter diagram was sub-average as was the frequency for the
punctuation test. On the whole the distribution was more evenly dis-
tributed than in the other grades. The following scores should be noted:
f.ulfy was -42
(v1fx was -34
2
ui fy was 48
2
vl fx1 and uv was 366 and 207 respectively.
Table VII is a scatter diagram of Otis scores and Row scores
of capitalization Test for seventy-three pupils in the fifth grade.
C rj W "i o 00 00 -4 4 O\ Q' 'I U
r. 1N -- 0 0 O ~ O U' 0 O l 0
o uI O Un o i 3 I 1 I1 t l
I I I I 1 000 O OO -4J 0 0 Un Ln
N o 0 0
A s-0 A'0 A
1- 0x N N b-
IA
II C
it I
N
A' ?
IL
1-'
M
II
s
oo
&0 1--
VC
II
0
00 N
t)
N
5A
It
-J
1 0'
N~ N -
N .- A
N N
N~
-
-M -
I% -
w N '0 0 A N i-
-l O U"1 A W N 0
IN n A I II
U' 0'-^ j
40
I
'l
I
I
I
vl
!c
0 0
I-.
In Table VII for capitalization the mean for the test was
28. 99 while that of the Otis was 84.19. The standard deviation
for the capitalization test and thd Otis was 12. 16 and 13. 57
respectively, both notably lower than similar tests for that level.
the rx2y or product moment correlation coefficient between both
test was .21. In the capitalization IQ scores of this test were
decidedly sub-average, while for the Otis IQ the distribution was
2 2
more even. iul fy>, ul fx2, :Cu 1 fy, fu fx2, uv scores were
-41, -44, 538, 460 and 186 respectively.
The information in Table VIII reveals the relationship
between the Otis Scores and Row Scores of Usage Test for seventy
four pupils in the fifth grades.
- 0 0 Ul
nO a
0 U 0 1
I I I 0
-* 0 0
P v r'
-j o' a' u-
0 Ul 0 n
-J 0 a vi
1. '0 L4 .10
N N N
N- -
N -
- W N (N.
N ( I-
i -
No
I -
- ^
Or-
'" N
N a'
0 N
a 0
o o
=4 o
.0 1-r
0 0 w -J 'o0 N %.0 U. L N -
-J a 0'
I I L I I I I
wN. N ,, Q U a' -4-
X
Z
I-
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N N
U 0
I
I
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I
.l Uli
I,
.,0
|^-
0)
tn
N
0
0
0
0
0
O O) w N N '
M3
Table VIII is the Usage Test. The mean for the test was 31. 95
as compared to 84.03 for the Otis. The sigma for this test was 16.48
which was relatively high. 13. 58 was the sigma for the Otis. The
product moment correlation coefficient was .21 as the frequency
for the Otis was quite normal. The frequency for the usage test
showed that sixteen pupils made the lowest score of 10-14 on the
test while twenty-five made low scores 25 to 34 which was very poor
for the grade level. The Jul fy was .44, ul fx3 was -75, fu21 fy was
2
572, fu fx3 was 881 and fuv was 173.
Table IX shows the frequency distribution of the scores made by
the seventy-four pupils of fifth grade in the Otis and the Spelling
Test.
- I.- D %0 00 00 -J J 04 C7 UI u-i
N O 0 0 W O UI 0 UV O (. O L 0
o Ln o0 1 0 I i a I i t 1 I,
I a 3 I I DO 00 00 -. a O C a' Ul uli
N 0 0I
43 .0 %D
N p w N I-
N -
- N v N -
N N
- (, ij N, N~
N N N N -
N -
1- -4
I2r
~. X
lj.
'0
I
I
I
I
I
- 0 0 wI w)
-4 a', L-1 & w)
-j .0
f OO Ul rP o w i
I I t I I
N 0 -' N w 01 a% -4,,
A
C,,
NN
IC"
I
II
I I-
Jl r0s
!s
o o
N 0
SN
l N
030 J
II U
oft
00
r
00
-c
II
N
r
"!;
II
-J
P
0
H
0
0
0
0
0
'I
I-a
The frequency for the spelling test indicates a fairly even
mean. The same goes for the frequency, this would have to be
classified, however, as slightly sub-normal. The mean of the
test was 45. 93 while the Otis Arithmetic average was 83. 90. The
standard deviation of the Otis in the spelling test was 13.58 and
13,44. The product moment correlation coefficient fell to 20
for the seventy-four students. The sum of the Otis frequency and the
test was -46, while the ul, fxy was 58. Scores of u2 fy, ul fx4
was uv were 580, 870 and 192.
The scatter diagram shown in Table X reveals the correlations
of scores made by the pupils in the fifth grade between the Otis
Test and the test on sentence sense.
TABLE IX. SCATTER DIAGRAM OF OTIS SCORE AND SPELLING TEST FOR FIFTH GRADE -----
S 15- 20- 25. 30- 35- 40- 45- 50. 55- 60- 65- 70. 75- 80. 85- 90- F U1
19 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84 89 94
1 2
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85-89
90.94
95-99
100..104
105-109
110-114
115-119
120-124
Fx4
vi
3 1
2
3
1
1
1 1
1
1 1 1
1 -7
3 -6
4 -5
4 -4
6 -3
8 -2
12 -1
13 0
9 1
72 2
3 3
3 4
a
1
2 1
1
1 1
1
3 3 4 8 15 7 5 7 6 7 3
-5 -4 -3 -2
-1 0 1 2
3 4 5
0 5
0 6
1 7
0 2 3 0 1
6 7 8 9 10
9 = 83.90
S =13.58
- =45. 93
SXA =13.44
rx~~ =.20
rX4 1 -
1 1
2
1 3
2
In all the tables for grade five the number in the distribution
was seventy-four. In the final test for grade 5 pupils, the sentence
sense frequency was sub-average as was the frequency for the Otis.
The mean for the Otis was approximately the national average (83. 90)
while that for the other tests was 38.76. While the product moment
correlation coefficient was .18, there was a standard deviation or
sigma of 13.58 for the Otis IQ test scores and 18.58 for the sentence
sense test scores. Characteristically the students tend to do better
on the Otis than the individual tests. In general the scores for the
former were near the national norm while for the latter scores tended
to fall in the lower percentile.
Table XI is a scatter diagram of the Otis Scores and Row
scores for the punctuation test taken by seventy-four pupils in the sixth
grade.
TABLE X. SCATTER DIAGRAM OF OTIS SCORES AND Ri(W SCORES OF SENTENCE SENSE FOR FIFTH GRADE
S10- 15-
4 14 19
50.54
55-59 2
60-64 1
65-69
70.74
75-79 2 1
80.84 1
85-89 1 2
90-94 1-
95-99
100-104
105-109 1
110-114
115-119
120-124
Fx5 8 4
Vi -1 -5
;=-83.90 S\=13.58
20.. 25 30- 35- 40. 45. 50- 55. 60. 65. 7Q. 75- 80. 85. Ui
24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84 89
1 *7
2 .6
4 -5
2 2
I
1. 1
3 10
-4 -3
)L=38. 76
9 9
-2 -1
SX1 8. 58
1 1
3
1
4 2
0 1
rx,=. 18
7
2
1 2
4 -4
5 -3
9 -2
10 -1
13 0
9 1
7 2
3 3
1 3 4
0 5
0 6
1 7
1
3 1
3 4
IM=71
Tablex XI and XIV are the tests for the sixth grade. On Table
XI the frequency for the Otis score was substandard when compared
to the national norm, while the frequency for the punctuation test
was better than average, which shows that the sixth grade pupils
did much better than the other grades, which of course was to be
expected. There were seventy-four students in the distribution. The
mean score for the Otis was 78. 38 while the mean score for the
punctuation test was 38. 76. The standard deviation for the Otis and
the punctuation test were 11. 79 and 15. 32 respectively. The product
moment correlation coefficient was 14. iul fy in this test was 20,
'vI fx1 was .48, :uI fy was 415, Iv fx1 was 726 and
Six students made scores of ten to fourteen and one each made
scores in the 50-64, 65-59, 79-74, and 80.84 respectively.
The information shown in Table XII shows the relationship be-
tween the Otis and the Capitalization test for seventy-three students
in the sixth grade.
TABLE XI. SCATTER DIAGRAM OF OTIS S CORES AND RAW SCORES OF PUNCTUATION FOR SIXTH GRADE
10- 15- 20.. 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- 50- 55- 60. 65- 70- 75- 80-
14 19 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
2
2 1
3 1
2
2
1 3
1 2
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85-89
90.94
95-99
100-104
105-109
Fxl
Ui
2 1
2 2 2
1 1 2
1 3 3
2 E 1 2
1
1
8 12 11 4 1
0 1 2 3 4
38.76 15.32
45-49
50-54
55-59
Fy Ui
1 -6
0 -5
3 -4
6 3 7 7 5 7
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -I
78.38 11.79
6 2
.14
--
In Table XII the scores on the capitalization tests were
compared with the Otis. Seventy-three students took the test.
On the Otis the average or mean score was 77.75 while in the
capitalization test it was 39. 33. The sigma for the former was
14. 06 and the latter it was 11. 81. The product moment
correlation coefficient was 22. Scores on the Otis were slightly
above average but they were slightly sub average on this part of
the capitalization test. The other scores were:
u1 fy 11
v1 fz2 "- 39
2
1u fy 411
2
v 1 fx2 681
uv 128
Information in Table XIII reveals the relationship of the Otis
Test and the Raw scores of the usage test for seventy-two pupils
in sixth grade.
TABLE XII. SCATTER DIAGRAM OF OTIS SCORES AND RAW SCORES OF CAPITALIZATION TEST FOR SIXTH GRAD;
Sv10. 15- 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- 50. 55- 60. 65- 70- 75- Fy Ui
S14 19 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79
2 1 1 1
1 2 2
1 1 2 1 1 1
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85-89
90-94
95-99
1 2 2 1 3
1 I 2
0 -5
3 -4
6 -3
8 -2
8 -1
16 0
14 1
6 2
4 3
3 4
3 5
1 6
7 1 6 5 11 5 10 8 9 7 1 2 0 1
6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Ri=39'33 Syj=14.06 -,x=- 22
S=77.75 S=11. 81
2 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1
1 2
100.104
105-109
Fx2
CI
--
In Table XIII, seventy-two students were tested on the Usage
Test. Again the test scores on the Otis were slightly above
average while in this part of the test scores were slightly subnormal.
The mean for the Otis and the Usage test were 77. 76 and 35. 50
respectively the sigma being 11. 81 and 14.42 respectively. The
product moment correlation coefficient was '29. The figures 11,
2
-23, 411 606 and 139 represent ful fy, ulfx3 LKU fx3, and iuv.
One student made a 75-79 score while seven made 10-14, nine
made 20.24, ten made 30-34 and 34 made between 35 to 54.
Table XIV is a scatter diagram showing the relationship of
the Otis score to the Row scores af Spelling Test for seventy-four
pupils in the sixth grade.
TABLE XIII. SCATTER DIAGRAM OF OTIS SCORES AND RAW SCORES OF USAGE TEST FOR SIXTH GRADE
14 14
45-49
50-54
55-59
60.64 1
65-69 1
70-74 2
75-79 3
80-84
85-89
90-94
95-99,
100-104
105-109
15- 20. 25- 30. 35. 40- 45. 50. 55- 60. 65. 70. 75-
19 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 y
0 *.5
3 -4
1 1
1 2
1
1 1
2 2.
2 1
2 2
3
2 1
1 1
3 7
-5
u=77.76
3 9 6 10 9 7
.4 -3 -2 "1 0 1
Su=11.81 3;=35.50 S$3=14.42
7 8
2 3
tA = 29
3 2 0 0 1
4 5 6 7 8
v =72
Fx
Vi
--"
I
In Table XIV, the same number seventyfour took the test,
2
same as Table XI. Whileul fy was 20, v1 fx4 was 34, $u 1
2
was 415, (vi fx4 was 780, uv was 178. Scores on the Otis were
again above average while on the spelling test they were decidedly
more superior than on the other tests. The Otis mean was 78. 38 and
the sigma 11.79. For the spelling test, the arithmetic mean was 54.
30 and standard deviation 15.92. The product moment correlation
coeffieicnt was 17. In this scatter diagram most scores for the
tests were concentrated in the center as indicated in the table.
TABLE XIV. SCATTER DIAGRAM OF OTIS SCORES AND RAW SCORES OF SPELLING TEST FOR SIXTH GRADE
4 10. 15. 200 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- 50- 55- 60. 65. 70. 75- 80. 85- Fy ui
I4 i'J14 19 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79 84 89
45-49
50-54
1 -6
0 .5
1
1 2 1
1 2
1 1
1 2 1
1
1
1
1
2 2
1
2 2
1 2
1 2
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85-89
90-94
95-99
100-104
105-109
1 3 -4
6 -3
9 -2
8 -1
16 0
2 14 1
6 2
1 4 3
3 4
3 5
1 1 6
1 1 0 1 3 7 8 8
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1
9=78.38 S%=11. 79 ,=54-30
8 13 6
0 1 2
SIx=15. 92
5 4
3 4
r, =. 17
4 0 5
5 6 7
' 74
1 1
Fx4
ui
TABLE XV
COMPARISON OF MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS OF THE
TEST FOR FOURTH GRADE
Otis Norm
89. 16
89. 16
89.16
89.16
89.16
Otis Sigma
14.98
14.98
14.98
14.98
14.98
Test
Mean
27.48
34.43
27.69
35.46
32.49
Test
Sigma
15.50
17.90
18.55
15.80
15.01
Product Moment
Correlation
.11
.19
.21
.41
.34
The table is a comparison of means and standard deviations
of the test for fourth grade. Xl, X2, X3, X4, X represents
punctuation, capitalization, usage, spelling and sentence sense tests
respectively. The Otis mean for all test in the fourth grade was 89. 16,
the Otis Sigma 14. 98. The pupils in fourth grade did best on the
Spelling test. The test mean for the Spelling Test being 35. 46. The
test sigma ranged from 15. 01 to 18. 55.
Test
x1
X2
X3
X4
X
TABLE XVI
COMPARISON OF MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS OF THE
TEST FOR FIFTH GRADES
5th Grade
Test
XI
X2
X3
X4
X
5
Otis Mean Otis Sigma
84.16 13.58
84.19 13.57
84.03 13.58
83.90 13.58
83.90 13.58
Test
Mean
24.76
28.99
31.95
45.93
38.76
Test Product
Sigma Moment Correlation
10.88 .32
12.16 .21
16.48 .21
13.44 .20
18.58 .18
The table shows comparison of means and standard deviations
of the test for fifth grade. X X X X X represent the punc.
1 2 4 5
tuation, capitalization usage, spelling and sentence sense tests,
respectively. The Otis Mean for the fifth grades range from 83.90
to 84. 19. The Otis Sigma for all tests was approximately 13. 58. The
table reveals that fifth grades did best in spelling test as did the
fourth grades.
TABLE XVII
COMPARISON OF MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATION OF THE TEST
FOR SIXTH GRADE
6th Grade Test Test Product
Test Otis Mean Otis Sigma Mean Sigma Moment Correlation
X1 78.38 11.79 38.76 15.32 .14
X2 77.75 11.81 39.33 14.06 .22
X3 77.76 11.81 35.50 14.42 .29
X4 78.38 11.79 54.30 15.92 .17
The table shows comparison of means and standard deviations
of the tests for the sixth grade. X1, X2, X3, X4 represent punctuation,
capitalization usage and spelling tests, respectively. The Otis Test
mean range was 77. 75 to 78. 38. The test mean range was 35. 50 to
54. 30. The sixth grade pupils did better than other grades on the lest
which was to be expected. The scores for the spelling tests were
better than on other tests.
CHAPTER IV
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary. In this study an effort has been made to analyze
the language arts program of the intermediate grade of the Bond
Junior High School of Leon County, Florida. Involved in the
study were two hundred thirty-five students in the grades four, five
and six.
The literature reviewed in Chapter Two indicated the
importance of the broad range of communicative activities
developmental patterns in various phases of language and the varia-
tion from child to child in different language arts abilities.
Academic success of the two hundred thirty-five students in
grades four to six were measured by the Iowa-Every Pupil Test of
Basic Language Skills Form L. The tests were administered and
scored by the investigator. The relationship between general mental
ability as measured by the Otis Self.Administering Test of Mental
Ability, Form A was administered and scored by the investigator.
The relationship between general mental ability as measured by
the Otis Self-Administering Test of Mental Ability, Form A and the
academic success in the language skill was revealed. Tables
revealing frequency distributions, correlations of the variables as
used in this study were compiled and results are shown in Chapter
Three.
Conclusions. The conclusions drawn from this study
are as follows:
(1) The level of intelligence of the two hundred thirty-five
students, participating in this study, in the four to six grades of the
Bond Junior High School range from an Intelligence Quotient of fifty
to one hundred twenty-four.
(2) The mean intelligence quotient for the pupils in the fourth
grade is 89.16 which is slightly below average.
(3) In the fourth grade on all parts of the Iowa Every Pupil Test
the majority of the pupils made sub-average scores.
(4) The fourth grade pupils made sub-average scores on the
Otis as on the Punctuation Test. In light of the few facilities in the
school for the teaching of science, this was to be expected. Their
scores on the former test, however, were not much lower than those
of fifth and sixth grade students as the means and standard deviation
did not differ widely.
(5) Punctuation, capitalization, usage, spelling and sentence
sense scores did not differ widely. On the whole sub-average
students on the Otis test tended to do poorly in the other parts and
vice versa.
(6) The fifth grade pupils made sub-average scores on the
Otis test. The mean for the Otis test for fifth grade pupils was
lower than the fourth grade mean.
(7) The fifth grade pupils made sub-average scores in
the Iowa Every Pupil Test. PurCtuation, capitilization, usage,
spelling and sentence sense scores did not differ widely. On the
whole sub-average students on the Otis test tended to do poorly
in the other parts and vice versa.
(8) The sixth grade pupils made sub-standard scores on
the Otis when compared to the national norm.
(9) The frequency for the punctuation test was better than
average which shows that the sixth grade pupils did better than the
other grades which of course was to be expected.
(10) One sixth grade pupil scored 0 on the capitalization
test, two scored 0 on the usage test.
(11) The sixth grade pupils made above average scores on
the spelling test they were decidedly more superior than on the
other tests.
Recommendations. In view of the findings revealed in this study
the writer makes the following recommendations:
(1) In light of the poor performance on the Basic Language
Skills Form L more emphasis should be placed by the classroom
teacher on the development of these skills.
(2) A follow-up program of individual testing should be
made by competent personnel for those pupils who have intelligence
quotients lower than seventy to see if there is a high level of mental
retardation in the grades four tosix of the Bond Junior High School.
(3) More funds should be provided for the purchasing of test
and other equipment needed for the making of a better language
arts program in the grades four to six at the Bond Junior High'
School.
(4) A program of remedial work for those having a grade
equivalent below 4. 0 be initiated in the intermediate grades at
the Bond Junior High School.
(5) A study should be made to find at which grade level
teachers of Bond Junior High School begin emphasizing the acquisi-
tion of these language skills.
(6) More time should be provided for the pupils in the grades
four to six for use of the library so that they may improve in the
skill of collecting and organizing information.
(7) The classroom teacher should test pupils at the beginning
of the term, chart the results and retest near the end of the term
to determine the progress made in the language arts area.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Artley, Sterl A., Principles Applying to the Improvement of
Spelling Ability, Elementary School Journal, November 1948.
Baer, Mata V., Children's Growth in the Use of Written Language,
Elementary English Review, XVI (December, 1939) 312.319.
Baker, Harold V., Children's Contributions in Elementary School
General Discussion, Child Development, Monographs No. 29,
College, Columbia University, 1942.
Beery, Althea, Listening Activities in the Elementary School,
Elementary English Review, XXIII (February, 1949) 69-79.
Clark, W. R., Radio Listening Habits of Children, Social
Psychology, XII, 1940, pp. 131-149.
Cunningham, Ruth and others, Understanding Group Behavior of
Boys and Girls, Bureau of Publications, Teachers College,
Columbia University, 1951, pp. 446.
Curtis, Margaret W., Child Psychology, New York: Longmans, Green
and Company, 1938.
DeBoer, John J. and Fred Godschalk, The Mass Media of Communi-
cation and Children in the United States, unpublished report
to UNESCO made for the Bureau of Research Service of Univer-
sity of Illinois.
Dawson, Mildred A., Teaching Language in the Grades, Yonkers-on
Hudson, World Book Company, 1951.
Duker, Sam, How Listening is Taught, The Instructor, May 1944, pp.
35-76
Elliot, Merle H., "Friendship Patterns," Progressive Education,
XVIII, 1951, pp. 383-390.
Fleeye, Brother Urban H., "Movies As An Influence in the Life of
the Modern Adolescent" Catholic Educational Review, 1945,
pp. 336-352.
Fries, C. C., American English Grammar, New York: D. Appleton-
Century Company, 1940, pp. 10-11.
Furfey, Paul H., The Gang Age, New York: Macmillan Company,
1926, p. 189.
Gans, Roma, "Are the Schools Neglecting the Fundamentals?"
Teachers Collg e Record, Teachers College, Columbia University
Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 43-45.
Hall, Judy C., "The Effect of Background Music and the Reading
Comprehension of Two Hundred Seventy-Eight Eighth and Ninth
Grade St udents, Journal of Educational Research XLV (February,
1952) pp. 451-458.
Hildreth, Gertrude, Learning the Three R' S, 2nd Edition, St. Louis:
Educational Publishers, Inc. 1947.
Hoppes, William C., "Some Aspects of Growth in Written Expression,
Elementary English Review, X (March, 1933) 62-70.
Josettes, Frank, "Comics, Radio, Movies -- And Children" Public
Affairs Pamphlet No. 148, New York: 1949.
Khater, Mahmoud Roushd, The Influence of Social Class on the
Language Patterns of Kindergarten Children, unpublished Ph.D.
dissertation, The Department of Education, The University of
Chicago, 1951.
Lazar, Mary, Reading Interests, Activities and Opportunities of Bright,
Average, and Dull Children, New York. Bureau of Publications
Teachers College, Columbia University, 1937.
Lewis, Philip, "T. V. Viewing Hurts Grades of Sophs and Juniors,
But Helps Seniors", Advertising Agency (May 8, 1950).
McCarthy, Dorothea, "Language Development in Children, Manual of
Child Psychology, Ed. L. Carmichael, New York, John Wiley
and Sons, 1946, 476-581.
Maddy, Nancy Ruth, "Comparison of Children's Personality Traits,
Attitudes, and Intelligence with Parental Occupation," Genetic
Psychology Monographs XXVII, 1943, pp. 3-65.
Malter, Morton S., "The Content of Current Comic Magazines,
The Elementary School Journal, LII (May 1952) pp. 505-510.
Mitchell, Adelle H., The Effect of Radio Programs on Silent Reading
Achievement of Ninety-One Sixth Grade Students, Journal of
Educational Research XLII (February 1949) pp. 460-476.
Paiget, Jean, The Language and Thought of the Child, New York:
New York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1926.
Richards, I. A., The Philosophy of Rhetoric, New York: Oxford
University Press, 1936, pp. 77-78.
69
Russell, David H., Children Learn to Read, New York: Ginn and
Company, 1949, p. 10.
Sears, Robert R., Child Psychology, Current Trends in Psychology,
University of Pittsburgh Press, 1947, pp. 50-74.
Swenson, Esther J. and Charles G. Caldwell, The Process of Com-
munication in Children's Letters, Elementary School Journal
XLIV (December 1948) pp. 224-225.
Tyron, Caroline M., The Adolescent Peer Culture, Adolescence
43rd Yearbook, Part I, National Society for the Study of
Education, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1944,
pp. 1217-1239.
APPENDIX
OTIS SELF-ADMINISTERING TESTS OF MENTAL ABILITY
By ARTHUR S. OTIS, PH.D.
Formerly Development Specialist with Advisory Board, General Staff, United States War Department
INTERMEDIATE EXAMINATION: FORM A
For Grades 4-9
20 Score ..........
Read this page. Do what it tells you to do.
Do not open this paper, or turn it over, until you are told to do so. Fill these blanks, giving your
name, age, birthday, etc. Write plainly.
Name................. .... .................. .....Age last birthday......years
First name, initial, and last name
Birthday........................... Teacher......... ... Date ..............19..
Month Day
Grade .................. School ................. City..............................
This is a test to see how well you can think. It contains questions of different kinds. Here is
a sample question already answered correctly. Notice how the question is answered:
Sample: Which one of the five words below tells what an apple is?
I flower, 2 tree, 3 vegetable, 4 fruit, 5 animal. ............ ..... ( )
The right answer, of course, is "fruit"; so the word "iruit" is underlined. And the word "fruit"
is No. 4; so a figure 4 is placed in the parentheses at the end of the dotted line. This is the way you
are to answer the questions.
Try this sample question yourself. Do not write the answer; just draw a line under it and then
put its number in the parentheses:
Sample: Which one of the five things below is round?
I a book, 2 a brick, 3 a ball, 4 a house, 5 a box...................( )
The answer, of course, is "a ball"; so you should have drawn a line under the words "a ball"
and put a figure 3 in the parentheses. Try this one:
Sample: A foot is to a man and a paw is to a cat the same as a hoof is to a what ?
i dog, 2 horse, 3 shoe, 4 blacksmith, 5 saddle......................( )
1
The answer, of course, is "horse"; so you should have drawn a line under the word "horse"
and put a figure 2 in the parentheses. Try this one:
Sample: At four cents each, how many cents will 6 pencils cost ? ......................... (/ )
The answer, of course, is 24, and there is nothing to underline; so just put the 24 in the parentheses.
If the answer to any question is a number or a letter, put the number or letter in the parentheses
without underlining anything. Make all letters like printed capitals.
The test contains 75 questions. You are not expected to be able to answer all of them, but do
the best you can. You will be allowed half an hour after the examiner tells you to begin. Try to
get as many right as possible. Be careful not to go so fast that you make mistakes. Do not spend
too much time on any one question. No questions about the test will be answered by the examiner
after the test begins. Lay your pencil down.
Do not turn this page until you are told to begin.
Published by World Book Company, Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York, and 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago
Copyright 1922 by World Book Company. Copyright renewed 1950. Copyright in Great Britain
All rights reserved. PRINTED IN U.S.A. OSATMA: IE: A-83
i" This test is copyrighted. The reproduction of any part of it by mimeograph, hectograph, or in any other
way, whether the reproductions are sold or are furnished free for use, is a violation of the copyright law.
S.A. Intermediate: A
EXAMINATION BEGINS HERE.
1. Which one of the five things below does not belong with the others? (
i potato, 2 turnip, 3 carrot, 4 stone, 5 onion........Donotwriteon.hesedottlin.) ( )
2. Which one of the five words below tells best what a saw is?
i something, 2 tool, 3 furniture, 4 wood, 5 machine............................. ( )
3. Which one of the five words below means the opposite of west?
i north, 2 south, 3 east, 4 equator, 5 sunset.................................. ( )
4. A hat is to a head and a glove is to a hand the same as a shoe is to what ?
i leather, 2 a foot, 3 a shoestring, 4 walk, 5 a toe............................. (
5. A child who knows he is guilty of doing wrong should feel (?)
i bad, 2 sick, 3 better, 4 afraid, 5 ashamed.................................. ( )
6. Which one of the five things below is the smallest?
I twig, 2 limb, 3 bud, 4 tree, 5 branch....... ........... ........ ........ ... ( )
7. Which one of the five things below is most like these three: cup, plate, saucer?
I fork, 2 table, 3 eat, 4 bowl, 5 spoon ................................. ( )
8. Which of the five words below means the opposite of strong?
I man, 2 weak, 3 small, 4 short, 5 thin.............. .................. ( )
9. A finger is to a hand the same as a toe is to what?
i foot, 2 toenail, 3 heel, 4 shoe, 5 knee ......... ............................. ( )
o1. Which word means the opposite of sorrow?
i sickness, 2 health, 3 good, 4 joy, 5 pride .................................. ( )
11. Which one of the ten numbers below is the smallest? (Tell by letter.)
A 6084, B 5160, C 4342, D 6521, E 9703, F 4296, G 7475, H 2657, J 8839, K 3918 ( )
12. Which word means the opposite of pretty?
i good, 2 ugly, 3 bad, 4 crooked, 5 nice..................................... ( )
13. Do what this mixed-up sentence tells you to do.
number Write the the in 5 parentheses.................................... ( )
14. If we believe some one has committed a crime, but we are not sure, we have a (?)
x fear, 2 suspicion, 3 wonder, 4 confidence, 5 doubtful...................... ( )
x5. A book is to an author as a statue is to (?)
i sculptor, 2 marble, 3 model, 4 magazine, 5 man............................ ( )
i6. Which is the most important reason that words in the dictionary are arranged alphabetically?
i That is the easiest way to arrange them. 2 It puts the shortest words first. 3 It enables
us to find any word quickly. 4 It is merely a custom. 5 It makes the printing easier.. ( )
17. Which one of the five things below is most like these three: plum, apricot, apple?
i tree, 2 seed, 3 peach, 4 juice, 5 ripe................................... ( )
18. At 4 cents each, how many pencils can be bought for 36 cents?........................ ( )
19. If a person walking in a quiet place suddenly hears a loud sound, he is likely to be (?)
I stopped, 2 struck, 3 startled, 4 made deaf, 5 angered. ............... ........ ( )
20. A boy is to a man as a (?) is to a sheep.
I wool, 2 lamb, 3 goat, 4 shepherd, 5 dog..................................( )
21. One number is wrong in the following series. What should that number be? (Just write the
correct number in the parentheses.)
1 6 2 6 3 6 4 6 5 6 7 6...... ...............( )
22, Which of the five things below is most like these three: horse, pigeon, cricket?
I stall, 2 saddle, 3 eat, 4 goat, 5 chirp .................. ................... .. ( )
23. If the words below were rearranged to make a good sentence, with what letter would the last
word of the sentence begin ? (Make the letter like a printed capital.)
nuts from squirrels trees the gather..................................... ( )
24. A man who betrays his country is called a (?)
i thief, 2 traitor, 3 enemy, 4 coward, 5 slacker................................ ( )
25. Food is to the body as (?) is to an engine.
I wheels, 2 fuel, 3 smoke, 4 motion, 5 fire................................... ( )
26. Which tells best just what a pitcher is?
i a vessel from which to pour liquid, 2 something to hold milk, 3 It has a handle,
4 It goes on the table, 5 It is easily broken........................................ ( )
Do not stop. Go on with the next page.
[2]
S.A. Intermediate: A
27. If George is older than Frank, and Frank is older than James, then George is (?) James.
I older than, 2 younger than, 3 just as old as, 4 (cannot say which)............... ( )
.28. Count each 7 below that has a 5 next after it. Tell how many 7's you count.
7 5 3 0 9 7 3 7 8 5 7 4 2 7 5 7 3 2 4 7 0 9 3 7 5 5 7 2 3 5 7 7 5 4 ........ ( )
29. If the words below were rearranged to make a good sentence, with what letter would the last
word of the sentence begin? (Make the letter like a printed capital.)
leather shoes usually made are of ................................. ... ( )
30. An electric light is to a candle as a motorcycle is to (?)
i bicycle, 2 automobile, 3 wheels, 4 speed, 5 police............................( )
31. Which one of the words below would come first in the dictionary?
i march, 2 ocean, 3 horse, 4 paint, 5 elbow, 6 night, 7 flown................. ( )
32. The daughter of my mother's brother is my (?)
i sister, 2 niece, 3 cousin, 4 aunt, 5 granddaughter........................... ( )
33. One number is wrong in the following series. What should that number be?
3 4 5 4 3 4 5 4 3 5 ... ....... ........ ....... ( )
34. Which of the five things below is most like these three: boat, horse, train?
i sail, 2 row, 3 motorcycle, 4 move, 5 track .................................. ( )
35. If Paul is taller than Herbert and Paul is shorter than Robert, then Robert is (?) Herbert.
i taller than, 2 shorter than, 3 just as tall as, 4 (cannot say which)................ ( )
36. What is the most important reason that we use clocks?
i to wake us up in the morning, 2 to regulate our daily lives, 3 to help us catch trains,
4 so that children will get to school on time, 5 They are ornamental ................. ( )
37. A coin made by an individual and meant to look like one made by the government is called(?)
i duplicate, 2 counterfeit, 3 imitation, 4 forgery, 5 libel ....................... ( )
38. A wire is to electricity as (?) is to gas.
ia flame, 2 aspark, 3 hot, 4 a pipe, 5 a stove................................. ( )
39. If the following words were arranged in order, with what letter would the middle word begin?
Yard Inch Mile Foot Rod ................................... ... ( )
40. One number is wrong in the following series. What should that number be?
5 1o 15 20 25 29 35 40 45 50 .................. ...... ( )
41. Which word means the opposite of truth?
i cheat, 2 rob, 3 liar, 4 ignorance, 5 falsehood .............................. ( )
42. Order is to confusion as (?) is to war.
i guns, 2 peace, 3 powder, 4 thunder, 5 army .............................. ( )
43. In a foreign language, good food = Bano Naab
good water = Heto Naab
The word that means good begins with what letter?................................. ( )
44. The feeling of a man for his children is usually (?)
i affection, 2 contempt, 3 joy, 4 pity, 5 reverence ........................... ( )
45. Which of the five things below is most like these three: stocking, flag, sail?
i shoe, 2 ship, 3 staff, 4 towel, 5 wash........................................ ( )
46. A book is to information as (?) is to money.
i paper, 2 dollars, 3 bank, 4 work, 5 gold............. ... ............. ( )
47. If Harry is taller than William, and William is just as tall as Charles, then Charles is (?) Harry
I taller than, 2 shorter than, 3 just as tall as, 4 (cannot say which)............. .. ( )
48. If the following words were arranged in order, with what letter would the middle word begin ?
Six Ten Two Eight Four.................................................... ( )
49. If the words below were rearranged to make a good sentence, with what letter would the third
word of the sentence begin ? (Make the letter like a printed capital.)
men high the a wall built stone................... ............... ..... ( )
50. If the suffering of another makes us suffer also, we feel (?)
i worse, 2 harmony, 3 sympathy, 4 love, 5 repelled........................... ( )
5T. In a foreign language, grass = Moki
green grass = Moki Laap
The word that means green begins with what letter?.......... .......................... ( )
Do not stop. Go on with the next page.
[31
S. A. Intermediate: A
52. If a man has walked west from his home 9 blocks and then walked east 4 blocks, how many
blocks is he from his home?... ........ ................................ ( )
53. A pitcher is to milk as (?) is to flowers.
i stem, 2 leaves, 3 water, 4 vase, 5 roots.....................................( )
54. Do what this mixed-up sentence tells you to do.
sum three Write two the four and of. ....................... .......... ( )
55. There is a saying, "Don't count your chickens before they are hatched." This means (?)
i Don't hurry. 2 Don't be too sure of the future. 3 Haste makes waste. 4 Don't
gamble .. ... ...... ........ ... .. ... ..... ........ ....... ..... ......... ( )
56. Which statement tells best just what a fork is?
i a thing to carry food to the mouth, 2 It goes with a knife, 3 an instrument with prongs
at the end, 4 It goes on the table, 5 It is made of silver........................ ( )
57. Wood is to a table as (?) is to a knife.
I cutting, 2 chair, 3 fork, 4 steel, 5 handle. ....... ...... ...... .............. ( )
58. Do what this mixed-up sentence tells you to do.
sentence the letter W rite last this in.......................... ........ .. ( )
59. Which one of the words below would come last in the dictionary?
i alike, 2 admit, 3 amount, 4 across, 5 after, 6 amuse, 7 adult, 8 affect ( )
6o. There is a saying, "He that scatters thorns, let him go barefoot." This means (?)
i Let him who causes others discomforts bear them himself also. 2 Going barefoot
toughens the feet. 3 People should pick up what they scatter. 4 Don't scatter things
around.......... ........................... ... ............ ( )
61. If the following words were arranged in order, with what letter would the middle word begin?
Plaster Frame Wallpaper Lath Foundation............ ................. ( )
62. In a foreign language, many boys = Boka Hepo
many girls = Marti Hepo
many boys and girls = Boka Ello Marti Hepo
The word that means and begins with what letter ?..... ............ .......... ( )
63. A statement which expresses just the opposite of that which another statement expresses is
said to be a (?)
i lie, 2 contradiction, 3 falsehood, 4 correction, 5 explanation................... ( )
64. There is a saying, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." This means (?)
i It is not safe to look into the mouth of a horse. 2 Although you question the value of
a gift, accept it graciously. 3 Don't accept a horse as a gift. 4 You cannot judge the
age of a gift horse by his teeth.......... ......................... ........... )
65. Which one of the words below would come last in the dictionary?
I hedge, 2 glory, 3 label, 4 green, 5 linen, 6 knife, 7 honor.... ............ ( )
66. Which statement tells best just what a watch is?
i It ticks, 2 something to tell time, 3 a small, round object with a chain, 4 a vest-
pocket-sized time-keeping instrument, 5 something with a face and hands........... ( )
67. Ice is to water as water is to what?
i land, 2 steam, 3 cold, 4 river, 5 thirst..................................... ( )
68. Which statement tells best just what a window is?
I something to see through, 2 a glass door, 3 a frame with a glass in it, 4 a glass
opening in the wall of a house, 5 a piece of glass surrounded by wood................ ( )
69. Which of the five words below is most like these three: large, red, good?
I heavy, 2 size, 3 color, 4 apple, 5 very. ............ ........ ........... ( )
70. Write the letter that follows the letter that comes next after M in the alphabet ............ ( )
71. One number is wrong in the following series. What should that number be ?
I 2 4 8 i6 24 64 .......... ................... ( )
72. An uncle is to an aunt as a son is to a (?)
i brother, 2 daughter, 3 sister, 4 father, 5 girl.............. ................. ( )
73. If I have a large box with 3 small boxes in it and 4 very small boxes in each of the small boxes,
how many boxes are there in all? ............... ................. ...... .. ( )
74. One number is wrong in the following series. What should that number be?
I 2 4 5 7 8 io II 12 14 ............................ ( )
75. There is a saying, "Don't ride a free horse to death." This means (?)
i Don't be cruel. 2 Don't abuse a privilege. 3 Don't accept gifts. 4 Don't be reckless. ( )
If you finish before the time is up, go back and make sure that every answer is right.
[41
li*. *t
IOWA EVERY-PUPIL TESTS OF BASIC SKILLS
New Edition
TEST C: BASIC LANGUAGE SKILLS- FORM L
ELEMENTARY BATTERY GRADES 3-4-5
By
F. SPITZER, in collaboration with ERNEST HORN, MAUDE MCBROOM, H. A. GREENE, and E. F. LINDQUIST (General Editor), all of the
College of Education, State University of Iowa, with the Assistance of the Faculty of the University Experimental Schools.
Do not turn this page until you are told to do so.
Your teacher will tell you what to do.
CONVERSION TABLES*
I __II ,
rade Equivalents
Raw
Pt. Pt. Pt. Pt. Score
II III IV V
98 105 82 _--- 40
S93 101 75 ---- 39
89 96 68 ---- 38
S84 90 63 ---- 37
79 85 58 ..- 36
73 77 56 102 35
64 68 53 97 34
58 62 51 92 33
53 55 48 87 32
51 50 47 82 31
48 44 46 77 30
46 40 44 73 29
44 37 43 69 28
42 34 42 65 27
41 32 41 60 26
39 28 39 55 25
38 25 38 50 24
37 23 38 46 23
36 20 37 42 22
34 17 36 38 21
33 14 35 33 20
32 13 34 29 19
32 11 33 25 18
30 10 33 22 17
29 10 32 17 16
28 10 31 14 15
27 10 29 11 14
26 10 28 10 13
25 10 27 10 12
24 10 25 10 11
23 10 24 10 10
22 10 23 10 9
21 10 21 10 8
20 10 18 10 7
18 10 16 10 6
17 10 14 10 5
16 10 12 10 4
15 10 10 10 3
13 10 10 10 2
) 12 10 10 10 1
)10 10 10 10 0
-- .-- .-.-.-- .
Name
Total Scores
Raw Grade Raw Grade Raw Grade Raw Grade
Score Equiv. Score Equiv. Score Equiv. Score Equiv.
190-102
189-101
188-100
187-98
186-97
185-96
184-95
183-94
182-92
181-91
180-90
179-89
178-88
177-86
176-85
175-83
174-82
173-81
172-80
171-79
170-78
169-76
168-75
167-74
166-72
165-70
164-69
163-67
162-66
161-64
160-63
159-63
158-62
157-61
156-60
155-59
154-58
153-58
152-57
151-56
150-56
149-55
148-54
147-54
146-53
145-53
144-52
143-52
142-51
141-50
140-49
139-48
138-48
137-48
136-47
135-47
134-47
133-46
132-46
131-46
130-45
129-45
128-44
127-44
126-43
125-43
124-42
123-42
122-42
121-41
120-41
119-41
118-40
117-40
116-39
115-39
114-38
113-38
112-37
111-37
110-37
109-36
108-36
107-35
106-35
105-35
104-34
103-34
102-33
101-33
100-33
99-32
98-32
97-32
96-31
95-31
J.J ___________
* See Examiner's Mnual, page 8.
94-31
93-30
92-30
91-30
90-30
89-29
88-29
87-29
86-29
85-28
84-28
83-28
82-27
81-27
80-27
79-26
78-26
77-26
76-25
75-25
74-25
73-24
72-24
71-24
70-23
69-23
68-23
67-22
66-22
65-22
64-22
63-22
62-22
61-21
60-21
59-21
58-21
57-20
56-20
55-19
54-19
53-19
52-19
51-18
50-18
49-17
48-17
47-17
46-16
45-16
44-15
43-15
42-15
41-14
40-14
39-13
38-13
37-13
36-12
35-12
34-12
33-11
32-11
31-11
30-10
29-10
28-10
27-10
26-10
25-10
24-10
23-10
22-10
21-10
20-10
19-10
18-10
17-10
16-10
15-10
14-10
13-10
12-10
11-10
10-10
9-10
8-10
7-10
6-10
5-10
4-10
3-10
2-10
1-10
0-10
(LAST NAME)
(FIRST NAME)
Sex __ Grade Date
(BOY or GIRL)
Age on Last Birthday Number of Months
(YEARS) Since Last Birthday
Town or City
School
Teacher -
PART
I:
PUNCTUATION
II: CAPITALIZATION
III: USAGE
IV:
SPELLING
SCORES
Poss. Raw Grade
Score Score Equiv.
(35)
(40)
(40)
(40)
V: SENTENCE SENSE (35)
TOTAL
(190)
Copyright, 1940, by State University of Iowa.
Also Licensed under U.S. Patent 1,586,628
Persons who, without authorization, reproduce the material in this Test or any
parts of it by any duplicating process whatever are violating' the author's copyright.
The material contained herein, or modifications of it, may not be reproduced
except by special arrangement with the publishers and the payment either of a
permission fee or of a royalty on all copies made.
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO
DALLAS ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO
tbe kiberotibe trets Cambtibge
Pr k t IN ='Bs OLA.
1 4&
2 2
i PART I. PUNCTUATION I
Directions: In these exercises all punctuation marks such as periods, commas, question ma
quotation marks, and apostrophes have been left out. You are to put in the punctuation me
that are needed.
Sample: Jacks hat is large
Mr Brown took the scouts of Evansville Indiana to visit Li
colns birthplace near Hodgenville Kentucky The scouts notic
the rail fences the log cabins and the curio shops along the ro
Dont you like to play in the snow
That book was written by T A Wilson
Georges car is a Ford
I am not going said Ellen
Havent you ever been to Des Moines Iowa
I like to read about scouts Indians and pioneers
336 Stone Street
Grand Island Nebras
May 29 1939
Ohio State Department of Agriculture
Columbus Ohio
Gentlemen
We are studying about soils in our science class What bulletin
do you have that give information about soils
Respectfully yours score
Part
Dan Lane
(Do not go on to the next page until you are told to do so.)
S ::
3 4 3
I PART II. CAPITALIZATION
sections: In these exercises all capital letters have been left out. If you think that a wora
would begin with a capital letter, draw a line through the first letter of that word, as has been done
ith the first word in the sample.
Sample: /hat girl's name is mary.
216 sunset avenue
leeds, maine
november 3, 1939
ear friend,
your letter was enjoyed by all of the family. we were glad to
now that you like your work at franklin school, will you tell
s more about the school in your next letter?
your friend,
kate
on wednesday morning mr. d. simms, the sixth grade teacher
Sadams school, gave a talk at the school assembly. pictures
aken during his visit to boulder, colorado, last august and sep-
ember were shown. from his room on chestnut street he had
aken pictures of the snow-capped rocky mountains, the moun-
ains reminded me of the book named "heidi," which tells about
/he swiss mountains.
after the talk he asked, "are there any questions?" there were
o many questions that he said,."come to see me during christmas
action, and i'll tell you the rest." Score on Part
Correct (A)
Superfluous (B)
SScore = A B
(Do not go on to the next page until you are told to do so.)
4
5
-.-.
!I
PART III. USAGE
Directions: In each of the following sentences, only
one of the two words in heavy type is used correctly.
Place an X in the box in front of the word which you
think is used correctly.
Samples:
The marbles i is large.
Share
S am going.
me
1. He D did the work himself.
done
Sis
2. The cow with the black spots eating grass.
Share
3. The stick was D broke
D broken
into two pieces.
D drawn
4. The heavy sled was F drawn over the ice.
] drawed
5. The bell had already D rang,
Srung
w Went
6. He has went home.
D gone
7. Jack D climbe theladder.
Sdcumb
8. Mary and are going together.
L me
9. I knew it would come true.
knowed
10. She is going with Alice and L
LJ me
11. They had L saw the whole show.
L seen
6
12. In the whole group there was
D were
only a few third grade pupils.
13. It was D she who
D her
14. He had D drawn
D drawed
15. She gave me D a
Man
opened the door.
two pictures.
large orange.
16. Will you j sit with me?
D set
17. That job is D to hard for me.
D too
18. I want you to teach me that trick.
D] learn
19. Have you didall your assignments?
Done
20. Dorothy D
21. Jane likes to
came to my house yesterday.
come
D sit the table.
] set
22. She L- don't like to play hide-and-go-seek.
Li doesn't
23. The dog has already eaten your lunch.
Sate
24. It was a old wagon.
(Go on to the next page.
25. This bicycle belongs to Bill and
Sme
26. Have you spoke toyour mother?
I spoken
27. Isn't the color of the roses beautiful?
Li Aren't
28. Beneath the tree ] is many dead leaves.
are
29. There was a chance for him to get away.
D were
30. He looked around and then went to his desk.
L gone
31. He L rung the bell twice.
] rang
2. The song they sang -was an old ballad.
Ssung
33. Jerry seen the first bird.
esaw
4. He O threw it out of the window.
[ throwed
15. Wasn't there L no
Sany
more candy?
$6. The boy fell off the chair.
off of
87. The hat was almost L blown into the river.
blowed
8. While I was asleep, they bringed me a book
brought
8
8
n come in woodenboxes.
39. The books usually com inwoodenboxes
comes
40. Everyone 0-isn't here yet.
Aren't
(Do not go on to the next page until you are told to do so.)
Score on
Part III
i
6 9
-'7"--
PART IV. SPELLING
Directions: In each exercise, the
word in heavy type is spelled in four
different ways. Only one of these
spellings is correct. Place an X in
the box in front of the spelling which
you think is correct.
Sample:
0. There is my
F-I
LI
booke
buk
book
boke
1. A library book
librery
library
library
2. Do reveew your work
review
S review
reveiw
3. I dair you
daer
dare
dayre
4. A groop of boys
group
] grupe
] gruop
5. An Indian I cheif
6. This is
7. The [
E
chief
cheaf
chief
my dawter
E dauter
E] daughter
H daughter
lth row
th
fthe
vth
~ fil
tfit
fil
fil
8. A bord is hard
Sborde
Sbourd
[ board
10
-"T-
9. I knue he would come
new
knewe
knew
10. The losse is small
looze
Slots
E loss
11. Read the newspaper
E newspaper
E nuzpaper
Snewspeper
12. I -
El
refuz to go
refuze
refuse
refews
13. A El square has four sides
squere
Ssquar
] skware
14. Flowers are beautifool
Sbeautifull
beautiful
[E beautiful
15. I went to the hospital
Shospetal
Hospital
F] hospital
16. I have
El
O
El
El
El
nown him
known
knone
known
17. My opinyun is this
Sopineon
] openeon
Opinion
18. The scout's H I couridg
19. He has E
El courage
- courege
Scouredge
already gone
all ready
already
already
re
20. A language book
language
language
language
21. John is my brudder
Brother
El brother
] brother
22. Close the windew
E window
Swinder
window
23. His spelling lessen
lessn
[] lossen
E] lesson
24. It is tow years old
too
two
L to
25. I am threat years old
Sthre
thrie
] three
26. The [ boxses are gone
Sboxs
boxes
] bocks
27. He brought his coat
brought
bright
brought
28. The new I I automobile
Sautomobele
Sautamobile
Sautomoble
29. The E children play
E] children
childern
children
30. The funney paper
Sfuny
funnie
funny
(Go on to the next
t ;
n
r
.4
.'i
t
I
'
31. A minite after 3
L] minute
Sminit
L minute
32. The school building
] biulding
l builden
L building
A piece treaty
L peace
] peice
L] peece
34. Yours F sinserelly
Ssincerelly
Sincerely
Ssinserely
35. A
sowing needle
sewing
soing
soweing
16. I want to be a solder
Ssoldiere
L soldier
Ssoldeir
My -
1-
EL
throet is sore
throt
throat
throte
a8. A capital letter
A| capital
Capital
capital
9. You're writing a letter
Swritting
Writing
] riteing
0. A thousand trees
Sthouzand Score on
Sthousend Part IV
thowsend
not go on to Part V until you are told to do so.)
*i .. ,'
7
PART V. SENTENCE SENSE
Directions: This is a test to show how well you can
recognize good sentences. Read each exercise and
decide whether or not it is a good sentence. If it is a
good sentence, place an X in the R (Right) box. If
the exercise is not a good sentence, place an X in the
W (Wrong) box.
Some of the exercises are wrong because they are
only parts of sentences; others are wrong because they
should be written as two separate sentences; and still
others are wrong because parts of sentences are added
to good sentences where they do not belong. All such
exercises should be marked in the W box.
Samples:
R W
D D John is a boy
R W
D D The big dog
R W
F -] ]I am sleepy and I went to a movie
R W
DD
R W
RD
R W
R W
nD
R W
R W
R W
DD
R W
DD
1. The long dreary summer day
2. Go into the house
3. The time has come
4. I'm going down the
the old house
winding stairway of
5. Come with me
6. John and his sister came to school together
7. Who gave you that pencil?
8. Yes, I will come
9. Because the rain was so cold
(Go on to the next page.)
Score
Li
! .f
33.
DE
R W
R W
nn[
RLW
10. For an hour and a half he waited
11. The man with the cane came next
12. It is she
13. The boy with the large bundle of rags
waited
14. Here is the very thing I want
15. A desk, a glove, some maps, and a ruler
across the room from me
16. January the month of snows and cold
north winds
17. In Kansas there are oil wells and Topeka
is the state capital
18. In the little white doll house
19. When Jack came back from town
20. The dog was very quiet
21. It was time to go and I am glad to see you
22. The car that was seen in the parade
23. Let us go
24. Daniel Boone the scout and Davy Crock-
ett the bear hunter
25. If you have ever played a hard game
R W
DD
E-i
8
34. The desk is made of
like to play checkers
35. Mother liked my tie
scarf which
walnut wood and
and went to find
26. Te the will come
(Tt*n Emur boolet or and~4 waited ui the pap are
14
-F-
27. From behind the hedge at the side of
road
28. Because of a cold he stayed at home
29. What is there to see?
30. Next came the elephants
31. The meeting is to begin at three o'c]
and I shall be there
32. Nearly everybody in the room
33. The band in white coats, blue trousers,
big blue caps
R W
DD
R W.
DD
R W
R W
R W
R W
DE]]
R I
R W
DD
R W
DD
16WA EVERY-PUPIL TESTS OF BASIC SKILLS
New Edition
TEST C: BASIC LANGUAGE SKILLS- FORM L
ADVANCED BATTERY -GRADES 5-6-7-8-9
By
H. F. SPITZER, in collaboration with ERNEST HORN, MAUDE MCBROOM, H. A. GREENE, and E. F. LINDQUIST (General Editor), all of the
College of Education, State University of Iowa, with the Assistance of the Faculty of the University Experimental Schools.
Directions: The back page of this booklet is an answer sheet on which you will mark your answers to the exercises in Parts II-
[V of this test. Turn the booklet over and print your name, grade, etc., in the proper blanks at the top of the answer sheet
PARTS II-IV
Each exercise in Parts II-IV of this test is of the multiple-choice type; that is, for each exercise there are two or more
possible answers, only one of which is correct. To mark an exercise, you are to put an X in one of the boxes in the correspond-
ng row on the answer sheet. You will be told later how to mark these boxes for each part of the test.
Answer the exercises in the order in which they are given, but do not linger too long over difficult exercises. Skip them,
nd return to them later if time permits. If you do skip any exercise, be sure to skip the corresponding row of boxes on the
answer sheet also.
Never mark more than one box for an exercise. If you change your mind about the answer, erase your first mark very
roughly. Make your marks on the answer sheet neat and heavy, so that they may be plainly seen.
Do not begin work until you are told to do so.
PART I
directions: The punctuation test which is printed on the other side of this page consists of a number of sentences in which
any of the punctuation marks have been omitted. These sentences are like the sample that is given below. At each place
here there is a bracket above the sentence, decide what punctuation, if any, is needed at that place. If no punctuation at
is needed at the place to which the bracket points, place a small x in the box above the N at the left end of the bracket.
some punctuation is needed, place an x in the box above the correct punctuation. If you think two punctuation marks
would be used, be sure to place your x in the box above the parentheses that contain both of these punctuation marks in
e correct order.
Some situations involve the apostrophe. For example, choices (N) ('s)(s') above the word its would indicate that the
ord might need no apostrophe at all, or that it might be written it's or its', respectively.
The first bracket in the sample has been marked correctly. Try marking the other brackets in the sample.
E E Dl DL L D DF LI
(N) (",) (,") (,) (;(N)(,) (N) (,) (.")(".)(.)(?)
Sample: John said that he used a soft blunt pencil
Copyright, 1940, by State University of Iowa. Also Licensed under U.S. Patent 1,586,628
Persons who, without authorization, reproduce the material in this Test or any parts of it by any duplicating process whatever
are violating the author's copyright. The material contained herein, or modifications of it, may not be reproduced except
by special arrangement with the publishers and the payment either of a permission fee or of a royalty on all copies made.
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO DALLAS ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO
jbte Ribersibe tres Cambribgt
PRINTED IN THE U.B.Ao
PART I. PUNCTUATION
O 1 E D 1 ED D D F 01 E
S 64) ) (N) ('s)(s') (N)()(?) (? (N)(.)(?)
Where is my fathers car parked now asked Elizabeth
D O RI F-1 El D 1 R El El E
(N)(I's) s') (N) () (N) ) (N)( ,) (N
On her mothers grocery list were these items 2 lbs butter 1 doz eggs
and 1 loaf of bread.
LD OiD LI
(N) (,) (N) ('r) (r')
John please take off your cap
(N) (") (N) (,")(") (N) (",)I ,(,") (N)(.") (.) (")
If you do that said Mary I may have to change my plans
D D ODD D
(N) (:) (.) (;) (N) (,)
The tour included the following national parks Glacier Yellowstone and
000D D D E
(N) (.) (-) (N) (,) (.)
Mt Rainier Yellowstone was enjoyed most.
(N) (,)(,)(;) (N)(,)(.)
Mr. Phelps the newest teacher was introduced by the Rev Mr. Wade.
0 -O R Y] El 0
(N)(,) (N)(,) (N)('s)(s)
Because of that I doubt whether its strength will hold out.
O E E 0 E 0 OF1 El E0D -F1F-1f 00]
(N) (,) (N)('r)(r') (N)(,) (N)(n)(n) (N)(-)(:) (N)(:) (.)
The man whom you're expecting surely wont be here until 9 00 P M
(N) (,) (-) (N)('s)(s')
Our tent stood the wind but theirs went down.
(N)____)__"__" (N)('s) (s') (N)(?) (?") (.)
The driver asked if all the pupils were in the bus
I-OI [0 [ [ ] -O [O [3O O
(N) (,) (-) (N) ('s) (s') (N) (,) (N)('m) (m')
Nevertheless Jack knows its the truth and Im not going to give in.
LD O LL I LIO
(N) ((N) (r) (r') (N) (,)
Having been fooled once I know were going to be very careful this time.
DL L ID L D
(N) (' s) (N) (,) (N)(, )
Edgar Guests poems however do not compare with those of Eugene Field.
(Go on to the next page.)
PART II. CAPITALIZATION
Directions: Only a few of the words in the sentences
below have been capitalized. You are to decide
whether or not the numbered words should be capital-
ized. After reading each sentence, study each word
that has a number printed below it. If you think the
word should begin with a capital letter, place an X in
the "C" box on the answer sheet opposite the number
of the word. If you think the word should begin
with a small letter, mark the "s" box.
Look at word number 1 and then see how it is
marked on the answer sheet.
We met John this morning.
1 2
The book that i lost was new.
3 4
We spent the summer in the famous green moun-
tains. 6 7
I like to row out to that lighthouse and watch the
8
ocean liners pass.
9 10
At tuscaloosa on the black river is the university of
11 12 13 14
alabama.
15
The doctor says he doesn't like poetry, but we found
16 17
him reading skeleton in armor.
18 1920
At the celebration held on the fourth of july in
21 22 23
backbone state park, senator hanna said, "we shall
24 25 26 27 28 29
always need places for recreation."
30
James asked, "who borrowed my copy of popular
31 32
mechanics last tuesday?"
33 34
Balboa was the first of the spanish explorers to see
35 36
the pacific.
37
Some people think that potatoes must be planted
on good friday. others laugh at this superstition.
38 39 40 41
314 olive street
42 43
windsor, ohio
44 45
april 15, 1939
Hall brothers
47
Ogden, utah
48
gentlemen:
49
Please send me a list of articles on aviation.
50 51
yours very truly,
52 53 54
J. R. Tally
The chinese have lived in asia for centuries, until
55 56 57 58
1912 they were ruled by emperors,
59
but at that time
they set up a republic.
60
"That beautiful star," said the
planet venus." 61
64 65
captain, "is the
62 63
In the south the baptists are stronger than any other
66 67
religious group.
68 69
most numerous.
in the northwest the catholics are
70 71 72
Jack wants to study physics in high school.
73 74 75
When you visit the metropolitan museum, be sure
76 77
to look at the antique furniture.
78 79
The mighty redwoods make one think of god.
80 81
"A representative of the territory of hawaii," my
82 83 84
brother answered, "gave a good talk on democracy."
85 86 87
(Do not turn this page untiW told to do so.)
(Iowa Every-Pupil Tests of Basic Skills, Test C, Advanced, Form L)
2
PART III. USAGE
Directions: In each of the following sentences there
are two numbered words or phrases enclosed in
brackets. If you think the first word or phrase is
correct, place an X in the first box of the row that is
numbered the same as the sentence; if you think the
second answer is correct, place an X in the second box
of the row.
Study the first two exercises carefully and see how
they are marked on the answer sheet. Mark the
other exercises in the same way.
1. The ball hit I
(2 me)
2. That j1
2
isn't the way to do it.
ain't)
3. They 1 began to work early.
S 2 begun) r
4. She pointed toward Mary and 2
5. Sport is 1 a old dog.
12 an
me
(1 teach)
6. Will you 1 teach John how to skate?
2 learn
7. That 1 doesn't make any difference.
12 doesn't
8. There 1 go Henry and Fred.
2 goes
9. They won't even let us try.
2 let
10. Everybody was asked to close 1 is book.
12 their
11. He will ish that part first.
3 T (1 has
12. Jack hasnt no pencil.
12 hasn't
13. I believe 1 their the men.
2 they're)
14. He has j
2 "
swam the Mississippi twice.
swum
15. When the two of us worked together,
1 better
always the 2 best
12 best
16. The man (
(2
I was
threw ), ,
threw down his shovel.
throwed
17. The choice is between Joe and I I
(2 me)
18. Either Alice or Frances 21 is in the lead.
(2 are)
19. That rock has 2 lain there for centuries.
20. He lain
20. He had never 1 went to a movie.
12 gone
21. It must be 12
their dog.
they're dog.
22. The ducks 1 rose into the air.
(2 raised)
23. Alvin is the 1 quicker of the two boys.
2 quickest
24. The fifth grade pupils were
divided 1 among the two rooms.
2 between
25. The wounded rabbit |1
bushes.
bushes.
dragged itself into th
drug
26. Sue and her sister 1 plays together often.
(2 plays)
27 11
272
These )
These here men are the leaders.
These here)m
28. The delivery man had 1 set the milk in th
.2 sat
ice box.
29. There is t o much talk in the room.
2 too
30. Of the two games, the last one was by
far the 1 mor exciting.
2 most
31. He needs help 1
ca ( libe o hebrdnet
bad
badly
32. The cat mbed to the bird nest.
2 clumb
1 is
33. Everyone e enjoying the play.
34. Has he wrote his report?
2 written)
35. The team has already 1 ame into the room.
12 come
36. The struggling dog sunk beneath the sur-
face.
Willy (1 lend
37. Will you 1 rrow me your knife?
2 borrow
l knowed
38. Had he knod of the accident, he wouldn't
(2 known
have come.
39. Ralph was talking to Homer and I
(G o 2 me )
(Go on to the next page.)
3
. There 1 come Bob and Dick.
0. There 2 comes)
I1. My ankle doesn't feel so 11 well today.
r 2 good
(1 she
12. It was 2 he who opened the door.
2(1 herscooter
13. Where did you get that I scooter at
(2 scooter atw
14. The children 1 write s good letters.
(2 writes)
(1 who
45. That was the oldest who you met.
2 whom
16. Please let 1 W boys do it.
2 US)
17. The herd had already been 1 dro many
driven
miles.
48. I could n hardly hear the boy.
12 couldn't
S1 anywhere
49. I couldn't see them 1 anywhere
12 nowhere I
1 tore
50. He has tore his new sweater.
12 torn
il. Small fish are often 1 ate by their parents.
(2 eaten
1 himself .
52. Jack could see self in the mirror.
12 hisself
53 Tharm I did
53. The army 1 don a good job.
(2 done
1 to
54. I too am anxious to hear.
55. That surely must be interesting.
2 surely)r
56. That perfume smells too 1 strong .
S(2 strongly) 1
57. The diver jumped 2of the pier.
58. The waiter had I the package too close
to the edge of the counter.
59. There wasn't 1 anybody at home.
(2 nobody )
60. Have you ever seen a fox?
12 seen)
Sr, C1~, (l themselves)
61. They did the work I themselves
(2 theirselves
62. At that moment the tardy bell 1 rang
S2 rung)
63. Of the three machines, number 2 is
the 1 noisier
(2 noisiest)
64. Each of the boys did thi own work.
65. He (1 had a, barely opened the door when the
trap snapped.
1( How come.
66. Why d you do it that way?
~ ,T (1 excited
67. He spoke excited to the crowd.
2 excitedly
68. Neither of them have ever paddled.
69. Haven't you noy money?
70. Will you set the chair here?
12 set
71. 1 Besides the marbles, what did you get for
12 Beside
your birthday?
72. Neither her teacher 1 nor her principal knew
that she was absent.
73. He can easily1 ru that far.
2 ran
74. If you we older, you could go.
go1 go
12 were
75. Why do you want to gofo ?
2 go forl
76. The choir had just ,g the first song.
S(2 sung)
77. Weareallasbigas 4 he.i
78. I am going with Bob and he *
79. I wonder where he is going.
80. The bicycle can be 1 boughten for ten dollars.
81. Where did it j1 go to ?
(2 go to)
82. He is playing very poorly today.
(Do not turn this page until told to do so.)
PART IV. SPELLING
Directions: Each exercise below con-
tains three incorrect spellings and one
correct spelling of the same word. De-
cide which spelling is correct and then
place an X in the corresponding box on
the answer sheet. Exercise number 1
has been marked correctly.
1. 1
2
3
4
2. 1
2
3
4
3. 1
2
3
4
4. 1
2
3
4
5. 1
2
3
4
6. 1
2
3
4
7. 1
2
3
4
8. 1
2
3
4
9. 1
2
3
4
skool
school
school
schule
exactly
exsackly
exactly
esactly
naturally
natural
natchuraly
naturally
proccedes
proceeds
procieds
proceeds
telephone
telephone
telephone
telephone
available
available
availabul
available
secretary
secretary
secretary
secretary
special
speshial
specail
speshal
courts
courtesy
curtisey
courtisy
10. 1
2
3
4
11. 1
2
3
4
12. 1
2
3
4
13. 1
2
3
4
14. 1
2
3
4
15. 1
2
3
4
16. 1
2
3
4
17. 1
2
3
4
18. 1
2
3
4
19. 1
2
3
4
specific
specific
specific
specific
20. 1 abscence
2 abscense
3 absence
4 absense
assured
assured
assured
asurred
determined
determined
determined
deturmind
usually
usually
usely
usually
lititure
literature
literature
litature
library
libuary
libery
library
quior
chior
quier
choir
announced
anownced
announced
announced
ableity
abilety
ability
ability
envelope
envelope
envelope
envelope
28.
29.
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
21. 1
2
3
4
22. 1
2
3
4
23. 1
2
3
4
24. 1
2
3
4
25. 1
2
3
4
26. 1
2
3
4
27. 1
2
3
4
30. 1 referred
2
3
4
31. 1
2
3
4
32. 1
2
3
4
33. 1
2
3
4
34. 1
2
3
4
35. 1
2
3
4
36. 1
2
3
4
37. 1
2
3
4
38. 1
2
3
4
disapoint
dissapoint
disappoint
dispoint
lunchun
lunchion
luncheon
luncheon
asinement
assignment
assignment
assignment
aviasion
aviation
aviashun
aviashion
gorgeous
gorgousg
georgeous
gorgeous
solemn
solem
solom
solomn
across
acrost
across
across
sencerly
sincerly
sincerely
sinserly
nessary
necessary
nessery
necessary
1
2
3
4
40. 1
2
3
4
refferd
refured
referred
quantity
quantitie
quantity
quanity
described
described
described
disscribed
attendance
attendance
attendance
atendence
sirtificate
certificate
certificate
certificate
tragedy
tragedy
tragedy
tragidy
laboratory
laboratory
laboratory
laboratory
dispair
despair
despare
dispare
materally
materially
material
materialey
pashion
pasheon
passion
passion
abzurd
abserd
absured
absurd
41. 1
2
3
4
42. 1
2
3
4
43. 1
2
3
4
44. 1
2
3
4
45. 1
2
3
4
46. 1
2
3
4
47. 1
2
3
4
48. 1
2
3
4
49. 1
2
3
4
50. 1
2
3
4
committees
commities
committees
committees
intervue
interview
interview
interview
indefinate
indefinet
indefinite
indefinite
apology
apology
apology
apoligy
intelligent
intelligent
intelligent
intelligent
curiosity
curiosity
curiosity
courisity
receive
perceive
percieve
precieve
mislayed
misslayed
mislaid
misslaid
approximately
approximately
approximately
approximately
occurred
occurred
occurred
occurred
51. 1 guarantee
2 guarantee
3 guarantee
4 garentee
(Do not go on until told to do so.]
4
39.
T
Mr, Charles Johnson
DLI
(N)(,)
518 May Avenue
(N) (,)
Richmond Indiana
D 1
(N) (:) (,)
(N)(,) (.)
118 E Leonard St.
DD
(N) (,)
Tacoma Washington
(N)(,) (N) (,)
April 10 1939
(N) (,) (N)(.) (,)
Thank you for the sample materials you sent to our school' We used
E O
(N) (,)
them in our assembly program and in our bulletin board exhibit.
SDND
(N) (,)
Yours truly
Helen Fields
I LDD DL E LI
(N) (.) (N) (.) (N) (,) (N) (,)
Supt Roy T Helmer who is one of my best friends has been head of
I ] O O D Do D DE O I D
(N)('s)(s') (N)(,) (N)((N) N) (;) (.)(,) (N) (,)
Freetowns schools for twenty three years he is very popular with the
pupils.
0 OF] O O11O OM
(N)('s)(') (N)() (-) (N) (,) (N)(,)
While the other boys waited for the parade I visited a sporting store a
D D
(N) (,)
book shop and a radio shop.
OEO OF-O E 0- 0 0 El 1 0 E E
(N)(") (N)(,) (N) (,(",)(,") (N)(,) (,") (",)(.")(")
When you entered the room Johnny said our principal did you see any-
El D D 0 L
(Ng strange
thing strange
ANSWER SHEET: LANGUAGE TEST
NTAMR. RADE0"e
(LAST NAME) (FIRST NAME)
AGE ON LAST NUMBER OF MONTHS
BIRTHDAY L//L SINCE LAST BIRTHDAY -_. SEX ./N/
(YEARS) (BOY OR GIRL)
TOWN OR CIrTY. / )
S-- p 7 i
~,C~niuu' j/--~ -'-
-/
DAT -/
SCORES
Poss. Raw
Score Sce
Part I (76) I I
Part II (83)
Part III (80)
Part IV (50)
Total (289) l
sr- //-
_ _ _
Ir
Part II-Capitalization
C C C
1E 30 D 59
C C B C
2DD 31 ED 60W
3DD 320 61W
40 [ ] 33 -] 62 [-]
C sC aC c
5W1 34QEl 63W
60 E] 35] 64WQ
70 [F *36L E 65
C 8 C B c
8 E 37R 66
C B C ra c
90 38I- D 67W
10 ~0 390 L 68
11 4 40 D 69W]
120 41D D 70
130 42 n n 71W
14 D 43nW 72W
15C a Ca C
15 [ 445 6] 73n
16i0 E 45 E 74W
17I[: 46 n 75Wi
C C c
18 [] 47 [E 76
19 480 [ 770
200 49 r j 78
21 E 0 5O E 79W
22 n0 51D n 80
23 E][ 52Dn 81W
Ca C B C
24~j 54 D 82W
25L[W6 5Di1J 83W
26 1] s 55 84
27D E] 56[E 85E]
C 5c a c
29W a s oDD 87D
Part III-Usage
8
F[]
8
I-1
F-1
8
a
L]
8
El
2[ [
3El[
12W1
13E
14F-M
15WM
16 [-]
17E]q1
19[-
20 1
211
22
230
24 D
26 5
27
28 D
290 ,
29 01
E
I
I
I
I
Fl
0
El
[E
[E
n
n
3
D
D
OD
0D
30 M
31 1
32--]
33
36
37F
380
39W
-40 E
41'0
42
43 5]
44 L:
45 l
46
47 -
480E
49 [
50 E]
51 0
52-
53
54 r
55 F-
56 T
58 a
59 1 -I
60 --
6100
62 E
63 -I
64 D -
650 D
66W] [I
670 [
68W -
69 -
70W[]
71R0
72[] []E]
72WWD
73 R
74 D W]
750 RD
76W [W]
77 W -
78 0 [F
790 DW
80so ]
81W[]
82W F
Grade
Eqlart*
r3' n
7'
p
S-.
El
El
a
D
El
0
F-1
[]
D
a
El
El
El
D
D
OD
D
* See p. 11 in Examiner's Manual for Conversion Table for Form L..
Part Il-;Spe
0-
-1W
SL-
0W
CO
0W
DD13
DDo
DDa
DDn
F3
El
D.
D-
10]
20
30
40
50
60
7W
8 1
90
102
11 D
122
130
14
15
16 [
17F
18 E]
19 F
208
21 9
22 0-
23 7
240
25 0
26 0
270
280
29 0
.30o
310
32-
33 ]
34 I
35 W
36 ]
387
38 D
l I
WIF
0[
DE
u
r-I]
FI
[D
a
D
D
F-]
D-I
El
0
D
D
0
D
El
0
El
El
El
El
El
Dl
41 -
420
43
44
45
46 Q
47 0 ]
48 0]
49 0
50 W
51
O
I
I
IF
El
13
E]
0
D
0D
D
D
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0 0]
- -----
11 qww
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-1
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|
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