I am not a big fan of testing a child's intelligence by merely a typical fill in the bubble test with only one possible answer. No child thinks or acts the same as another, therefore they should not be tested the same.
I am a firm believer in the multiple intelligence theory. Every person learns differently and in return answers differently. When some children are better at speaking their answers while some are at writing them down and others think outside the box while some stick inside of it. For this reason, I think children should be tested in different forms. Make the test as unique to the child taking it.
A child as a whole should not just be tested on their intelligence. They should also be tested on their development and social interactions. Since so much we do on a daily basis is with others, children should have great social interaction to make sure they can be successful in a work environment as adults. Development should be tested because this is the way you can check to make sure nothing is "wrong" with a child and if there is get the accurate help so that the child is not hindered later in life.
Children assessed in China
In China for many years children were tested just on tests. Children we tested in numerous after class tests, module tests, mid-term tests, term tests, year tests, graduation tests and two public examinations: the senior secondary entrance exams and university entrance exams. These tests were based on the Chinese Intelligence Scale for Young Children, which measured cultural, educational and economical disparities.
Along with the modern world changing how we test children, China began to reform how to test children. Now children are observed and tested on development measuring moral performance, civil awareness, learning aptitude, ability to communicate, cooperation, physical well being and literacy. As well as in achievement such as knowledge and skills, methods and process, emotions, attitudes and value. The results from theses tests are done in a qualitative form with rating grades not percentages. China is starting to test the child as a whole, not just by information.
Resources:
Guo, B. (2009). The chinese intelligence scale for young children: Testing factor structure and measurement invariance using the framework of the wechsler intelligence tests. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 69(3), 459-474. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ839009&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ839009
Lingbiao, G. (1993, February 23). Assessment reform in china: A respond to the international trend in the new century. Retrieved from http://xypj.cersp.com/GLB/LUNWEN/200701/3223.html
I agree with multiple intelligence testing. Since my son has an IEP, I am familiar with the assessments used to test a child's cognitive ability. They used several different assessments to determine how he learned. Since my son is a visual learner, it helps the teacher find different techniques to help him reach his potential in school. I do not think testing should be used to make a child nor the family feel their child is unable to learn or they have a problem.
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