CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT ABILITIES IN CHILDREN AND TEACHERS' RATINGS OF COMPETENCE AND CERTAIN CLASSROOM BEHAVIOURS

Teachers were evaluating divergent children realistically and positively, and both received favourable ratings in terms of classroom behaviours.

Abstract

S ummary . The finding that teachers appear to dislike high ability divergent children has led some writers to the view that such children may not be evaluated realistically or fairly. A battery of convergent and divergent tests was given to 174 11‐year‐olds and teachers' ratings of conceptual and mechanical ability were obtained, together with ratings of specific classroom behaviours. The test data were factor analysed and orthogonal convergent ability and divergence factors were obtained, factor scores on which were used to define high‐low groups on convergence and divergence. Three‐way analyses of variance were carried out, using convergence, divergence and sex as independent, and the teachers' ratings as dependent, variables. Both convergent and divergent children were accorded high conceptual and low mechanical ratings, and both received favourable ratings in terms of classroom behaviours. It was concluded that teachers were evaluating divergent children realistically and positively.