I really appreciate this article. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the classroom. These pre-tests, and the hard line inadequate view of what literacy and numeracy are, create a door which seems to shut out more than it lets in. Tests, like the old 11+ in Great Britain, are ways of excluding and defining a future with severe limits for young people. It is good to have the detail that Tessa has included. She doesn’t mention “teaching to the test” which is inevitable. Also that students who are currently resitting this test, or sitting for the first time, do not get their tests back to understand what they have done wrong. Nor do their teachers. And they have to wait till March next year to resit if they have failed. This is wrong. This will kill the will to try.
As the parent of a child with dyslexia and dysgraphia I am, frankly, terrified about what these tests are going to do to his self-esteem in two years time
One of our students today said ‘what happens if I fail?’ - we said ‘it’s ok if you fail, I just want you to try your best’ - he said ‘no miss, what happens if I fail, what does that mean about me? What’s the point in even trying’.
After already failing this test twice, this 16 year old young man was so disheartened that he already wants to give up.
Thanks so much for posting this piece! In an already tough education environment, these tests are really fucking with our heads!
Ngā mihi for sharing this piece that describes so clearly the problems with this approach to assessment. The limitations Tessa describes with this kind of testing also play out with the international tests that successive governments place so much emphasis on. As a teacher educator, I will share this piece with my students to support their critical engagement with policy. Kia kaha Tessa, you are a super star in your commitment to your students.
Great to see an expert (and non-apologetic) take. To add - indirectly - a quite particular student perspective:
- I help mentor a secondary school student who is studying maths 3-4 years above their age/class level - that is, university papers since age 14/15;
- they had to do the numeracy assessment because everyone does; and
- they are, to be fair, -not- a fan of NCEA/NZQA generally but, having done a fair few tests and exams at all levels, they described it as (1) incredibly poorly designed even by NCEA standards;(2) not a good measure of numeracy - more an assessment of how well trained the student has been at test techniques; and (3) while they had no problems, really unfair to any student who hadn't done online formal assessments before / didn't have their own computer / etc.
Thank you so much! My 13yo extremely literate and creative writer daughter did the tests. She got so many of the questions 'wrong', she brought the answers home and justified the use of the words in context. She was right. But she was told she was wrong.
My 11yo ADHD boy is extremely capable, literate and numerate. Yet give him a test of any kind.. a test he knows all the answers to.. and he immediately clams up and his brain muddles up and he gets things completely wrong.
I've heard a local college is helping teaching literacy and numeracy lessons.. 'in order to pass the tests', not to help teach literacy and numeracy.
That's how I feel when I do the reading testing. I can show why I got the answer I got, with evidence and key words in the test, but it's wrong answer. So disheartening and makes it almost impossible for some kids to pass. What often happens is I end up second guessing my answers too, thinking is this what the examiner would think?
I really appreciate your work bringing content like this to your readers. I have learned so much from your research and writing on various topics and through your commitment to commission other experts to bring their knowledge to this forum. Thank you!
My boy has adhd, dyslexia and dysgraphia. He passed the reading but not the maths or writing. He came out out of the maths test exhausted and commented on how there was "so much writing!!!". His teachers are supporting him but his anxiety levels have increased tenfold.
I’d didn’t expect it of Labour but I certainly think with National at the helm now that assimilation is tragically a prime objective of educational outcomes including these tests 🥲
It's difficult to even attempt to be polite about the proposed system, so I won't - it's fuckwitted and destructive, and seems completely in line with the current government's policies of punishment and discrimination. We need them gone, as quickly as possible, before they destroy our younger generation completely. Those with qualifications are leaving the country in droves, and those coming up are being denied the ability to even get any qualifications. Heaven help us.
Thanks for sharing, I had no idea about this. My daughter is only 8 and recently diagnosed ADHD. We're already about 2 years behind in everything, which is hard enough as it is. Reading about what she could face going into high school breaks my heart. The only thing that gives me hope is hearing how many teachers are opposed to this type of testing, and maybe, just maybe, that could lead to change.
I run a tutoring business and the amount of time we have been dedicating to preparing our students for this test is incredible. I agree with the sentiment that Tessa mentions at the start that I don’t think it’s wrong to test for literacy and numeracy skills however these tests are not doing that clearly or well. Most of the problems our students have encountered have been in not knowing how to sit a test well or in struggling with the opaqueness of some of the questions. I have struggled to answer some of the questions (both reading and numeracy) and I consider myself pretty competent at all of this!
The other issue with these assessments being sat in Year 10 is how they are shaping the future education of a lot of students. A year 10 who does not pass the numeracy assessment in year 10, is being funneled into a maths class that does not engage with as much of the curriculum at year 11. They will get a significant education in numeracy skills and statistics (which are good things) but they will not be given as much work on algebra and geometry. Now for someone who struggles with mathematics, this may seem great at the time but I fear it will limit students choices far too much. I worry students, who may take their time becoming an interested mathematician, will have no opportunity to engage with the fun and variety of problems maths can offer. I am worried that the need to pass these literacy tests and numeracy tests are going to suck the last little bit of fun and life out of school for our students already on the edge of bothering to be at school. These tests need some serious work to achieve the aims they are stated to be achieving.
Yup, I'm a teacher and this is the exact struggle we are having. We are debating cutting actual curriculum so we can teach to the test and get students over the line. It goes against my teaching philosophy but if you want students to experience ANY other success they must pass these assessments...
It's grim right?! We shouldn't have to be teaching to the test like that, particularly whent he testing is just wrong and especially at the expense of other really valuable learning.
I really appreciate this article. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the classroom. These pre-tests, and the hard line inadequate view of what literacy and numeracy are, create a door which seems to shut out more than it lets in. Tests, like the old 11+ in Great Britain, are ways of excluding and defining a future with severe limits for young people. It is good to have the detail that Tessa has included. She doesn’t mention “teaching to the test” which is inevitable. Also that students who are currently resitting this test, or sitting for the first time, do not get their tests back to understand what they have done wrong. Nor do their teachers. And they have to wait till March next year to resit if they have failed. This is wrong. This will kill the will to try.
So well said Bonnie
As the parent of a child with dyslexia and dysgraphia I am, frankly, terrified about what these tests are going to do to his self-esteem in two years time
Same here ❤️
Yes! Yes! Yes!
The exact conversation in our staffroom this morning.
Yes I’ve had a huge amount of feedback from teachers. I feel for them so much.
One of our students today said ‘what happens if I fail?’ - we said ‘it’s ok if you fail, I just want you to try your best’ - he said ‘no miss, what happens if I fail, what does that mean about me? What’s the point in even trying’.
After already failing this test twice, this 16 year old young man was so disheartened that he already wants to give up.
Thanks so much for posting this piece! In an already tough education environment, these tests are really fucking with our heads!
That breaks my heart
Absolutely this! We are telling students through these tests that they aren't good enough.
Arohamai broke my heart reading this.
Ngā mihi for sharing this piece that describes so clearly the problems with this approach to assessment. The limitations Tessa describes with this kind of testing also play out with the international tests that successive governments place so much emphasis on. As a teacher educator, I will share this piece with my students to support their critical engagement with policy. Kia kaha Tessa, you are a super star in your commitment to your students.
Tessa is wonderful ❤️
Great to see an expert (and non-apologetic) take. To add - indirectly - a quite particular student perspective:
- I help mentor a secondary school student who is studying maths 3-4 years above their age/class level - that is, university papers since age 14/15;
- they had to do the numeracy assessment because everyone does; and
- they are, to be fair, -not- a fan of NCEA/NZQA generally but, having done a fair few tests and exams at all levels, they described it as (1) incredibly poorly designed even by NCEA standards;(2) not a good measure of numeracy - more an assessment of how well trained the student has been at test techniques; and (3) while they had no problems, really unfair to any student who hadn't done online formal assessments before / didn't have their own computer / etc.
Yeah we didn’t even touch on the issue of it all being online and the disadvantages to that.
Thank you so much! My 13yo extremely literate and creative writer daughter did the tests. She got so many of the questions 'wrong', she brought the answers home and justified the use of the words in context. She was right. But she was told she was wrong.
My 11yo ADHD boy is extremely capable, literate and numerate. Yet give him a test of any kind.. a test he knows all the answers to.. and he immediately clams up and his brain muddles up and he gets things completely wrong.
I've heard a local college is helping teaching literacy and numeracy lessons.. 'in order to pass the tests', not to help teach literacy and numeracy.
Honestly.
Reminds me of when they thought my son couldn’t read when he was reading in like three languages. Some kids just can’t do tests.
That's how I feel when I do the reading testing. I can show why I got the answer I got, with evidence and key words in the test, but it's wrong answer. So disheartening and makes it almost impossible for some kids to pass. What often happens is I end up second guessing my answers too, thinking is this what the examiner would think?
I really appreciate your work bringing content like this to your readers. I have learned so much from your research and writing on various topics and through your commitment to commission other experts to bring their knowledge to this forum. Thank you!
❤️❤️ thank you
My boy has adhd, dyslexia and dysgraphia. He passed the reading but not the maths or writing. He came out out of the maths test exhausted and commented on how there was "so much writing!!!". His teachers are supporting him but his anxiety levels have increased tenfold.
That’s so awful 😞
Great piece, thank you.
I’d didn’t expect it of Labour but I certainly think with National at the helm now that assimilation is tragically a prime objective of educational outcomes including these tests 🥲
Absolutely
It's difficult to even attempt to be polite about the proposed system, so I won't - it's fuckwitted and destructive, and seems completely in line with the current government's policies of punishment and discrimination. We need them gone, as quickly as possible, before they destroy our younger generation completely. Those with qualifications are leaving the country in droves, and those coming up are being denied the ability to even get any qualifications. Heaven help us.
This is excellent.
Thanks for sharing, I had no idea about this. My daughter is only 8 and recently diagnosed ADHD. We're already about 2 years behind in everything, which is hard enough as it is. Reading about what she could face going into high school breaks my heart. The only thing that gives me hope is hearing how many teachers are opposed to this type of testing, and maybe, just maybe, that could lead to change.
I hope by the time your daughter gets there things will have changed!
I run a tutoring business and the amount of time we have been dedicating to preparing our students for this test is incredible. I agree with the sentiment that Tessa mentions at the start that I don’t think it’s wrong to test for literacy and numeracy skills however these tests are not doing that clearly or well. Most of the problems our students have encountered have been in not knowing how to sit a test well or in struggling with the opaqueness of some of the questions. I have struggled to answer some of the questions (both reading and numeracy) and I consider myself pretty competent at all of this!
The other issue with these assessments being sat in Year 10 is how they are shaping the future education of a lot of students. A year 10 who does not pass the numeracy assessment in year 10, is being funneled into a maths class that does not engage with as much of the curriculum at year 11. They will get a significant education in numeracy skills and statistics (which are good things) but they will not be given as much work on algebra and geometry. Now for someone who struggles with mathematics, this may seem great at the time but I fear it will limit students choices far too much. I worry students, who may take their time becoming an interested mathematician, will have no opportunity to engage with the fun and variety of problems maths can offer. I am worried that the need to pass these literacy tests and numeracy tests are going to suck the last little bit of fun and life out of school for our students already on the edge of bothering to be at school. These tests need some serious work to achieve the aims they are stated to be achieving.
Yes definitely, it will suck the life out of these subjects and narrow what they look like for the students.
Yup, I'm a teacher and this is the exact struggle we are having. We are debating cutting actual curriculum so we can teach to the test and get students over the line. It goes against my teaching philosophy but if you want students to experience ANY other success they must pass these assessments...
It's grim right?! We shouldn't have to be teaching to the test like that, particularly whent he testing is just wrong and especially at the expense of other really valuable learning.