Celebrating a Century on Form Boards with Special Reference to Seguin Form Board as Measure of Intelligence in Children

Abstract

This theme paper seeks to trace the historical roots of form boards with special reference to Seguin Form Board as a measure of general intelligence in typical as well as children with developmental disabilities. Despite lapse of about a century since the design and development of form boards in the context of testing and training senses in children with intellectual disabilities, the humble device continues to remain one of the most popular, easy-to-use, and simplest tools being used by rehabilitation professionals. The initial form board era of early 19th century witnessed a spurt of several research studies which has been intermittently tried, retried, tested and retested across ages, nations, cultures and backgrounds. This tribute recommends innovative research even today as the befitting commemoration rather than a requiem for the genius in this apparatus.