Assessment

English literacy assessments in Malta are mainly based on tests standardised among English speaking populations. Such practice raises questions as to its suitability within the Maltese bilingual context. This study explores the implications of such practice by evaluating the performance of Maltese students on a widely used test, namely the Neale Analysis of Reading Comprehension – Revised (NARA II). The test was individually administered to a total of 224 students, representing developmental processes through three age-groups between 7-14 years, and two different home language backgrounds also reflected in two different types of school, State and Independent. Analysis of variance and correlations were used to highlight differences between the scores of the three age-groups and the two types of school and home background. The results indicate that comprehension levels improved sequentially with age; however, the norms derived from a monolingual English population do not represent appropriately the varying bilingual contexts of Maltese students. Moreover, particular discrepancies in the participants’ scores on the three subscales of the test - namely Reading Comprehension, Reading Accuracy and Reading Rate raise questions about the profile of competencies in English reading comprehension that are being acquired by Maltese students.

This research paper attempts to create a snapshot of the perceptions of assessment among teachers of English within Church secondary schools. The aim was to bring forth the teachers’ opinions about assessment as they experience the myriad changes that are affecting education now. It also seeks to give an overview of what assessment procedures were in place before the reform, and if any changes were made, what were they. Data was collected using an online questionnaire made up of multiple-choice items amd items on a 4-point Likert scale. The research found that many teachers still view examinations as being useful in this day and age, but that diversifying continuous assessment is the way forward. However, they do not think that stress will be alleviated with the new proposals being proposed. Teachers in Church schools feel that they are not ready for these changes, nor are their students or their parents. Thus, there is a clear demand for support and professional development sessions to be provided by the Secretariat for Catholic Education (SfCE).

OECD/PISA 2012 survey data showed that mathematical literacy achievement in Serbia is 50 points below the OECD average, while approximately 40% of the students fall into the functionally illiterate group. At the same time, more than half of the students in Serbia reported a high level of mathematics related anxiety. A possible explanation for the low score on the PISA survey lies in the incompatibility of mathematics’ teaching practices in the Serbian education system and the functional knowledge assessed by PISA. This study aims to examine mathematics teachers’ conceptions of mathematical literacy and the assessment of mathematical knowledge. For this purpose, in-depth interviews with 15 mathematics teachers (from primary and secondary schools) and university mathematics professors (from Mathematics Faculty and Teacher Education Faculty) were performed. The participants were asked to define mathematical literacy and to express their opinion regarding the entrance exam (obligatory exam for 14-year-old students finishing primary school), the PISA survey, their assessment practice, and different types of mathematical tasks (PISA tasks and traditional tasks). The participants’ answers to these topics were analyzed using the Inductive thematic analysis to better understand the teachers’ conceptions of mathematical literacy in comparison with the PISA paradigm (the abstract level) and their perception of the differences between PISA and traditional tasks (concrete level). The analysis revealed four different teachers’ conceptions of mathematical literacy (sorted by descending frequency): 1) knowledge about basic mathematical concepts (main formulas, operations, geometry objects, etc.); 2) correct use of mathematical symbolism; 3) use of mathematics in everyday situations (such as in shops or markets); 4) developing a specific way of thinking. Teachers’ comments about the differences between the different types of tasks highlighted additional differences. PISA tasks were described as both more interesting and complicated, as well as assessing reading ability, while the tasks from the final exam were observed as more formal, solely mathematical tasks. The teachers’ opinion was that PISA-like tasks should be introduced to mathematics practice as an addition to the traditional, solely mathematical tasks. The results reveal broad differences between the underlying logic behind PISA testing and Serbian mathematics teachers’ understanding of mathematical literacy and knowledge assessment. In order to overcome the gap between these conceptions, it is necessary to deconstruct meanings present in everyday teaching practices.