IF IT IS RECOGNIZED THAT THE SOLE JUSTIFICATION IN GIVING A TEST IS TO OBTAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHILD, FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE CHILD'S PERFORMANCE ON THE TEST MUST BE CONSIDERED IN THE INTERPRETATION OF TEST RESULTS. A SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT, HIS BACKGROUND, HIS PERCEPTION OF THE TEST SITUATION, AND THE AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS HE BRINGS INTO THE TEST SITUATION WOULD HELP THE TEACHER DIFFERENTIATE AND UNDERSTAND THE CHILD WHO DOES NOT PERFORM BECAUSE HE CANNOT AND THE ONE WHO CAN PERFORM BUT WOULD NOT. THE TEACHER SHOULD CONSIDER EVERY ASPECT OF THE TEST--WHAT IT CAN MEASURE, THE TEST ITEMS THEMSELVES, THE CULTURAL BASIS OF THE TEST, THE KIND OF ENVIRONMENT IT CREATES, THE STATISTICAL ASPECTS, AND HOW THE TEST WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHILD. WHILE CONSIDERING ALL THESE FACTORS IN THE INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS, THE TEACHER SHOULD REMEMBER TO INTERPRET TO EACH CHILD THE PURPOSE OF THE TEST, WHAT THE TEST SCORES MEAN, AND HOW THESE ARE GOING TO BE USED. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (SEATTLE, MAY 4-6, 1967). (NS)