Teacher's Question of the Week

A. In the Question of the Week series, we have been looking at Feuerstein's Cognitive Map (listed below for reference). This answer will focus upon efficiency, the rapidity and precision of task performance. Feuerstein points out that efficiency is often confused with capacity. A student's knowledge may be intact, but he may not have a chance to express what he knows on a test that assumes capacity and efficiency are synonymous.

For example, a person with a mobility disability may be very proficient at mathematical thinking, but if the only way he can express that knowledge is through a timed, written test, the evaluation of his ability will be inaccurate. Take the famous physicist, Stephen Hawking, for example; he has led current scientific thinking forward through his models of possible causes of black holes in space. However, because of ALS, he can only communicate through special adaptive technology.

If someone wants to be a fireman, for example, then speed of action would play into the job requirements. It would make sense to make a timed physical agility test part of the entrance exam.

Rutgers's Dr. Paula Tallal and colleagues found a timing deficit at the tens of millisecond range in the neurological processing of auditory stimuli in students with learning disabilities. Another research study by Drs. Livingstone and Gallaburda at UCLA (and others in other studies) found a magnocellular defect in the visual transient system of dyslexics that resulted in a timing delay of less than a second in recognizing differences in quick moving, low-contrast images. Although these timing deficits are not very long, they can have cascading effects on oral speech, speed of writing and reading, all of which affect expression of knowledge in every subject area. Studies by Dr. Eden and Dr. Zeffiro of the Center for the Study of Learning at Georgetwon used MRI, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, to pinpoint areas in brains of dyslexics that have lower levels of activity when compared with non-dyslexics while performing a reading task. They say it is a weakness, but can be improved and compensated for with special training since the brain is plastic. Therefore, early diagnosis is crucial.

This is the rationale for providing extended time on tests for students with verified learning disabilities. It gives them the bit of extra time they need to process the information, formulate answers and express their knowledge through a variety of means. The purpose of the accommodation of extended time is to provide equal access to educational programs, and to avoid discriminating against students by "testing their disability". No, it is not just an excuse, as one professor said to one of my students; a learning disability is neurological in origin.

Background Information: What is the Cognitive Map?

The cognitive map provides an analytical tool by which to locate specific points of difficulty in a lesson for the ultimate purpose of drawing out students’ potentials. By pinpointing possible causes of student error, you can give precise feedback to students or make subtle adjustments in the lesson to increase accessibility.

The seven parameters include the following:

1. Content: subject matter.

2. Kinds of operations involved: eg., classification, algorithmic problem solving, syllogistic, analogical, or inferential reasoning, etc. (the abilities and skills activated by your lesson)

3. Modality or the “language” of instruction, presentation or information processing: eg., visual, graphic, numerical, symbolic, verbal, auditory, sign language, kinesthetic, tactile, etc.

4. Phase of the mental act: reception, elaboration, expression.

5. Level of complexity: number, quality, & degree of novelty of units.

6. Level of abstraction: distance between mental act & object or event on which it operates, ranging from objects perceived by the senses to hypothetical propositions.

7. Level of efficiency: rapidity/precision (often confused with capacity).

We will explore some other ways to use Feuerstein's Cognitive Map in the Question of the Week series.

Source: Reuven Feuerstein’s Learning Potential Assessment Device. (Used with permission.)