nicole kotras masters thesis

acquisition of this complex ability of understanding and reproducing written language.
Integrating the basic avenues of learning, the Griffiths Scales of Infant Development
were constructed. The Scales included the assessment of locomotor development,
personal-social adjustment, hearing and speech, hand and eye co-ordination, and
performance. Griffiths later realized that certain skills and items of learning could not be
logically fitted into any of the five subscales of infant mental development. Sequentially,
Griffiths developed a sixth scale, measuring practical-reasoning abilities, for children
between the ages 2 years and 8 years. This resulted in the development of the Griffiths
Extended Scales, which were published in 1970 (Griffiths, 1970, 1984). These scales
constitute the General Quotient (GQ) and are equal in difficulty at each age level. A brief
description of the six Scales, with more emphasis on the Hearing and Speech Scale, follows:
The Locomotor Scale (AQ), provides the opportunity to observe certain physical
weaknesses or disabilities, or more definite defects of movement. Items include walking up
and down stairs, jumping over a rope, hopping, throwing and kicking a ball, to name but a
few. The items require from the child normal physical strength, skill in speed and movement,
rhythm and poise at a level compatible with their age.
The Personal-Social Scale (BQ), assesses personal and social development. At a
level compatible with the child's age, a degree of self-help is required from the child in terms
of personal cleanliness, efficiency at the table, etc. Information such as the child's name,
home address, family name, etc., can be obtained through a friendly conversation with the
child. Some degree of social interaction is required from the child and also co-operation in
play with other children. Although emotional factors influence performance on all scales,
they usually have a more definite effect on this scale. Griffiths (1984) stated that the
over-protected child and the neglected, usually do rather badly on this scale.
The Hearing and Speech Scale (CQ), is the most intellectual of all the scales, and
assesses both growth and development of language. This scale requires not only the
comprehension of language, but also specific verbal expressive skills in terms of vocabulary,
the use of different parts of speech, and the use of sentences and paragraphs. Items
include, the naming of colours, the repetition of sentences with a varying number of
syllables, the naming of similarities and opposites, the identification of stimuli picture cards,
etc. When it comes to older children, it is the gradual enrichment of vocabulary, the use of
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