Intelligence | Yoakum/Portfolio

Running Head: Intelligence

Intelligence

Jessica Yoakum

Avila University

Intelligence

You are born with intelligence and it grows and develops through the nature and nurture of our environments. Intelligence is adaptive and related to our learning ability through the use of our prior knowledge and multiple mental processes that help concepts grow and strengthen and branch off. Intelligence is measured through intelligence tests and school achievement. Only 50% of the population will have an IQ average of average or above. Higher intelligence scores in certain areas can show a positive or negative correlation between experience and the score. It is important for educators to know their student's IQ levels because of special programs that are available to help enhance certain types of intelligence. Educators need to place a larger emphasis on the development of intelligence rather than the intelligence test itself.

Intelligence is used to evaluate situations in life and can be used to provide an individual with a solution. Our own learning ability which is inherited through our parents can be enhanced through the interaction between the availability and the enrichment of the interaction. The use of prior knowledge which is gained through primary and secondary sources such as parental interaction and school will guide an individual to interpret and infer information based on the prior skills which have been taught to evaluate situations.

Intelligence uses multiple mental processes that either allow and individual to not only gain knowledge but also to be able to comprehend, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate. The degree to which an individual can fire through these processes and absorb concepts at each level usually requires higher intelligence. A strong variable that interplays with each component above is culture. An individual’s culture provides that person will certain instances in which other cultures do not experience. A person raised in a culture in which talking back to an adult figure can be seen as disrespectful and in another culture talking back can be seen as a way of initiating more interest in the conversation which allows an increase in what Gardener calls interpersonal relationships.

Intelligence tests are measured through a variety of tests which also measures different types of intelligence. Intelligence tests are norm-referenced tests that measure a large domain of learning tasks with just a few items measuring each task. Norm-referenced tests are designated to highlight achievement differences between and among students from high achievers to low achievers. The score of these tests are also used to help teachers select students for learning in remedial, mainstream, and gifted programs.

Intelligence test scores have a strong correlation with school achievement which has shown that higher grades in school have shown a positive correlation with higher intelligence scores. Because of the correlation between school achievement and intelligence, it is imperative to note that this relationship should not be expected from each student. The motivation of students and teachers, family environment, quality of schools, and test-taking skills also play a role in the sometimes deviation of scores. These factors and student performance need to be taken into consideration before placing a student in a certain category.

Only 50% of the population will have intelligence scores between 90 and 110 and 25% will have higher scores above 110 as well as 25% will have lower scores below. This is due to the fact that the average score is 100 in which individuals who score above 100 have higher intelligence scores and those who score below 100 will have lower intelligence scores. The percentile which is the amount equal to other test takers scores that an individual’s score is below, equal to or above the mean. The relativity of these scores deviate from the mean score as well as placing those with a higher intelligence several deviations above the mean. A score of 70 is generally considered as the line for mental retardation and a score of 140 for genius. These scores are collected and compared to individuals within the same area of intelligence is measured.

Higher intelligence scores in certain areas can show a positive correlation between experience and the score. For example, a child who is placed in a musical environment and learns music at an early age will be able to create music and understand patterns more frequently than a child who isn’t raised in a musical environment. On the other hand, a child who is read to at an early age and learns to read also at an early age will be able to write and express themselves more fluently than a child who is raised in the opposite. These intelligences grow and develop due to the increased instances which are needed to comprehend music and develop language effectively.

Environments also play a role in a negative way by decreasing the ability of a child. For example, a child who is neglected at an early age and not communicated with will not be able to develop cognitively to analyze situations with others. Their development in interpersonal and intrapersonal skills will be delayed until they eventually come into contact with the environment that develops these. This usually happens in a school setting and the crucial thing is that most students who start school have already developed a foundation for these skills. The foundation for intelligence skills needs to be introduced at an early age to gain intelligence to the degree to which the child will be able to develop these skills on time and throughout a timeline the mastery of skills.

It is important for educators to know their student's IQ levels because of special programs to promote the future growth of intelligence. These scores can be used to accent and develop areas in which students already have strongholds. Tests can also be directed to more concentrated areas of intelligence to determine which areas have the greatest amount of potential growth. Although this can be quite costly the results for these tests give us an inside view of a particular individual and therefore are able to give that student better direction and overall motivation in learning. On the flip side intelligence is also important not only to those students who reveal exceptional talents but also to help provide students with remedial guidance as well.

Educators need to place a larger emphasis on the development of intelligence rather than placing students in certain areas which also allows for bias. Many factors influence intelligence such as primary and secondary environments which include culture and socioeconomic status. Students who have great potential to achieve learning at a higher concentrated rate and place in a low-income area with lower school tax rates may not be able to develop certain talents because of the confinement of their education. Students who also live in a great school district but are withheld from developing in certain educational areas because their family has different plans for them will also be a factor in the development of intelligence. It is the educators’ responsibility to respect these situations but also to promote and develop intelligence within classroom learning. Making students think intelligently and to discover their strengths is a great way to lay the foundation for future personal growth.

Intelligence categorizes students with their ability to learn and retain concepts to use in the development of other concepts. Only 50% of the population will have an IQ score of average or above due to the comparison between and of other individuals. Intelligence is used to evaluate situations in life and can be used to provide an individual with a solution that uses multiple mental processes to allow the individual to evaluate situations for the best solution. Different types of intelligences are measured through many different types of tests and can be used to promote school achievement. Although primary environments play an important role in the development of intelligence secondary environments such as school and socioeconomic status promote or stall its development. Educators help to create a portion of the secondary environment and it is important for these educators to promote and develop intelligence in the classroom. By the promotion and intelligence in the classroom students will be able to gain insight into their own strengths and weaknesses and through this knowledge, they will be able to grow in areas that promote those certain skills. Yes, intelligence is important but personal achievement can be felt daily and used as a motivator to accent the positive aspects of intelligence.