24 



Indiana University Studies 



The figures in Table VII B also show an improvement from 

 grade to grade in accuracy, altho it is not so marked as in 

 the rate. The modal score in all grades is below 50 per cent, 

 but the per cent decreases from 48.3 in the fourth to 26.1 in 

 the eighth. There is a slight irregular improvement in the 

 columns 50 to 90, but a decrease in the percentage of pupils 

 making perfect scores. 



The Significance of Individual Differences. Individual dif- 

 ferences are characteristic of nature. They are always shown 

 by the measures of a group unless that group does not repre- 

 sent a random sample. Thus we must expect individual dif- 

 ferences. The pupils in a school are ''graded" and pupils are 

 failed or permitted to skip a grade in order to reduce the in- 

 dividual differences of classes to a minimum. In spite of these 

 provisions it is significant to note that the individual differ- 

 ences in general increase in Tables VII to X from the lower 

 to the higher grades. This condition suggests that our pres- 

 ent methods of teaching and our plan of school organization 

 are yielding unsatisfactory results in this respect. A re- 

 classification of these pupils is suggested. A large per cent of 

 the pupils could be promoted one or more grades and yet their 

 achievements would be above standard. However, reclassifi- 

 cation involves many difficulties, and it might not be possible 

 for a large number of pupils. 



The facts of these tables also suggest that many pupils 

 (those whose scores are below standard) are not satisfactorily 

 responding to the instruction which is now being provided. 

 The instruction may be excellent for some pupils and not 

 reach others. Thus there is a group of pupils, the lowest 

 third, whose instructional needs should be studied carefully by 

 the teacher. Then the teacher will be in a position to plan 

 wisely in attempting to adapt the instruction to the needs of 

 his pupils. In doing this the scores which the pupils make on 

 a standardized test, such as Series B, are very valuable. 



Accuracy or Dependability. Few cities reach the high re- 

 quirement of 100 per cent set by Mr. Courtis. Cities 1 and 

 18 in the sixth grade subtraction get 100 per cent. There 

 are 10 other cities that reach this perfect standard of accur- 

 acy, 6 of them being in eighth grade division. These per- 

 fect median scores do not mean that every pupil worked all 



