Background and Goals - part 12

The only cases of anxiety reported were of being worried about their drawings (tests 1, 2 and 7). In the case of pen and paper tests (tests 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8) from grade 3 upward at least it was obvious that this was a test; however the children seemed to like the idea. In most schools, grade 3 upward were not contented with a verbal mark such as good, excellent etc.; they wanted number grades. This is probably because they were used to this already. Two teachers reported 2nd graders also wanting grades.

Was there any progress in the way the children reacted to the tests from the first unit to the second, as reflected by the answers to the teachers' questionnaires?

If we examine Table 4, we see the general tendency for the tests to be easier to give and better received in the second unit. There is one notable exception to this: Test 8, although well received and easy to give, is less so than its opposite number, test 3. However, as mentioned before, it was not an exact correlate as the instruction in Test 3 were, for example, Circle the boy, Circle the ball etc. Whereas in Tests 8 they are Put a square around the table, Put a square around the chair etc.. The latter was felt to be more complicated for the children.

Also, although we see a general slight increase in the way the tests are accepted by the children and teachers, there is a big jump in test 12 as compared to test 6. This was felt to be because of the change in content from making animal noises to verbal. However, a deeper analysis involving how different age groups react to different tests may prove to be revealing here as to the need for variation to tests for different ages. Indeed, it was mentioned that test 12 was easier for children from grade 3 upward as grade 1 had difficulty understanding the instructions, even when explained in Hebrew.

The progress between the two units in the way the children learn the material as reflected in the test results.

Looking at a sample of the material involving 27 classes and approximately 250 children, superficially comparing the average test results for parallel tests between units for each class, i.e. comparing the results for test 1 to those of test 7 and the results of test 6 to those of test 12, it seems that there is a very slight tendency to slightly higher grades. Whether or not this is statistically significant is not sure. All in all, the children tend to get similar marks from unit to unit.

• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 1
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 2
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 3
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 4
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 5
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 6
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 7
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 8
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 9
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 10
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 11
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 12
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 13
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 14
• English for Children - Background and Goals - Part 15