Alternative Test: Repeating Twelve To Thirteen Syllables


The three sentences are:--



(a) "_The boy's name is John. He is a very good boy._"

(b) "_When the train passes you will hear the whistle blow._"

(c) "_We are going to have a good time in the country._"



PROCEDURE. Get the child's attention and say: "_Listen, say this: 'Where

is kitty?'_" After the child responds, add: "_Now say this ..._,"

reading the first sentence in a natural voice, d
stinctly and with

expression. If the child is too timid to respond, the first sentence may

be re-read, but in this case the response is not counted. _Re-reading is

permissible only with the first sentence._



SCORING. The test is passed if at least _one sentence is repeated

without error after a single reading_. As in the alternative test of

year III, we ignore ordinary indistinctness and defects of pronunciation

due to imperfect language development, but the sentence must be repeated

without addition, omission, or transposition of words.



REMARKS. Sentences of twelve syllables had not been standardized

previous to the Stanford revision, but Binet locates memory for ten

syllables at year V, and others have followed his example. Our own data

show that even 4-year-olds are usually able to repeat twelve syllables

with the procedure here set forth.



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