THE SIMULTANEOUS/SUCCESSIVE MODEL OF INTELLIGENCE: RELATIONSHIP TO READING AND SPELLING ACQUISITION AND THE COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL SHIFT (VERBAL MEDIATION, WORD ASSOCIATION, PIAGET)

This study investigated developmental aspects of the Simultaneous/Successive Model of Intelligence (Das, Kirby & Jarman, 1979) in relationship to cognitive and linguistic development and reading and spelling acquisition in 70 first grade children. The children, a suburban middle class sample, were tested in the fall and in the spring in order to perform cross-lagged panel analyses and path analyses. Factor analysis and multiple regressions were also performed. The following instruments were used: (1) Information Processing - Simultaneous: Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices Test and Memory-for-Design; (2) Information Processing - Successive: Serial Recall and Forward Digit Span; (3) Linguistic Development: Language Comprehension, Paradigmatic Word Association, and Verbal Mediation; (4) Cognitive Development: Multiple Classification and Class Inclusion; (5) Reading: Oral Comprehension, Silent Comprehension, Word Recognition, and Miscue Analysis; (6) Spelling - Developmental Strategy. The results indicate that the use of the Simultaneous/Successive Model of Intelligence as currently tested using the indicated instruments should be limited to children over seven years of age. Distinct developmental differences in fall and spring factor loadings were found.;The hypothesis that appropriate use of information processing modes would cause manifest changes in cognitive and linguistic development was not supported. Instead, linguistic development in the areas of verbal mediation and word association was found to facilitate the development of certain cognitive abilities. Linguistic development was also a causal agent acting on reading acquisition. Information processing mode facilitated development of reading ability. Unexpectedly, linguistic development and early reading ability facilitated later cognitive development but language comprehension per se did not prove to be a significant predictor of any dependent variable.;Suggestions are made concerning adaptations to the Simultaneous/Successive test batteries for use with children under seven years of age. Research directions are indicated for exploring in greater depth the interaction of developing linguistic and cognitive abilities in children in the 5 to 7 age bracket. Finally, the causal link from early verbal mediational abilities and paradigmatic word association to the development of relatively mature reading abilities should be explored in depth.