| Abstrakt: |
The article focuses on the fact that the learning disabilities often result from sheer immaturity. Current findings at the Gesell Institute suggests that from one-third to one-half of the children in the public schools today may lack the maturity required for the work of the grade in which they have been placed. This occurs because children are entered in school on the basis of their birthday or calendar age rather than on basis of maturity in their behaviour. The substantial discrepancy which may exist between a child's chronological age and his behavior age was first observed in an analysis, undertaken in 1956, of clinical cases seen during the preceding ten years. Learning disability or learning failure can occur in a child who may have good learning potential, simply because the work expected of him is ahead of, or out of phase with, his current level of maturity. Not only does immaturity result in poor grades and failure to work up to one's supposed potential, but in many instances immaturity can produce school failures and personality problems so extreme that they require special psychological help. Gesell Institute proposes that school entrance requirements should be based upon child's behavioral maturity rather than his age maturity. |
