Crosscultural Comparison of Effects of Instrumental Enrichment on Children in a South African Mining Town

Abstract

Feuerstein's theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability, its construct of Mediated Learning Experience, and its vehicle of thinking skills development, Instrumental Enrichment (IE), have been widely discussed and researched. This study assessed the effectiveness of IE for primary school pupils, combined with concurrent provision to their teachers of training in Mediated Learning Experience and of curriculum packages embodying IE concepts. The effectiveness of the programme for groups of African, 'Coloured', and white English-speaking and Afrikaans-speaking fifth grade pupils in the segregated schools of a South African mining town was assessed. The post-intervention improvements for all groups on cognitive measures were significant, with varying results on scholastic, creativity and self-concept measures. For the African group, the improvements were significantly greater than for the others, which was expected in terms of their educational deprivation under apartheid. The value of IE, and of this particular model of implementation, for children of various cultural groups, is discussed.