Poor Wording Blamed for Low Writing Test Scores (say what!?)

wtvd ^

[chance33_98]

Poor Wording Blamed for Low Writing Test Scores 

By The Associated Press The passing rate for North Carolina's fourth grade writing test has plummeted and educators say the problem is how test's only question is worded.

Some 47 percent of North Carolina's fourth-graders got passing scores this year on the test. Last year's passing rate was 69 percent. State school superintendent Mike Ward says he wants consultants from Florida and Texas to look into why the scores dropped.

Ward said he called for an outside review because of the sharp decline in scores. He also was motivated by complaints from teachers, principals and superintendents about the writing test students took in March.

Teachers say the test question about when a student had a "great" day at school leads to an answer that looks more like a list than thoughtful paragraph.

[chance33_98]

Our education system has went insane.

[pubmom]

The passing rate for North Carolina's fourth grade writing test has plummeted and educators say the problem is how test's only question is worded.

Who did the proofreading on this ?

[per loin]

Poor wording of the AP article makes it impossible to judge how poor wording of the test question may have affected test scores.

[per loin]

Poor wording of the AP article makes it impossible to judge how poor wording of the test question may have affected test scores.

[Constitution Day]

Our publik skools at werk.

Hooray for Jim Hunt!

[Overtaxed]

Jus wut I want spend my tackx dolars fer.

[Clara Lou]

Just so you know-- a writing prompt has to be carefully written so that students write the desired product. There are several kinds of writing that are tested in grades 1-12-- descriptive, narrative, how-to, persuasive, compare-contrast, etc. Texas has been doing this kind of test for years. You can't just sit down and write what sounds like a good prompt.

[Guillermo]

Well, we KNOW what that answer is: MORE $$$

[RightWhale]

an answer that looks more like a list than thoughtful paragraph.

A list may be formed using the colon and semicolon. If the list form is arranged like an ordinary sentence rather than like a vertical list, it looks like a thoughtful paragraph.

Thus, this list:
looks like a list;
is actually gramatically a sentence;
says exactly the same thing.

---

Thus, this list: looks like a list; is actually gramatically a sentence; says exactly the same thing.

[Republicus2001]

the problem is how test's only question is worded. Who did the proofreading on this ?

I was two confused with it too.

[Clara Lou]

If I understand correctly what your're wondering about, here's the answer:
This was a writing test. Students were given a situation about which to write 1-1/2 to 2 pages. It sounds like something about describing someone's "great day." It's the only question on the test. Students are being asked to write an organized, coherent description of something. It sounds as the the question were worded in such a way that students didn't understnd what they were supposed to write.

[DoughtyOne]

the Case of the Freeper FRiva Feva is under scrutiny - super-sleuths are welcomed
come resolve the way to yesterday's Target Post, you're not out of the running yet
win your registration fees to the FRive Las Vegas Conference if you dare

[MotleyGirl70]

Our education system has went insane.

Says who? The Spelling Chequer:

Eye halve a spelling chequer It came with my pea sea It plainly marques four my revue Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word And weight four it two say Weather eye am wrong oar writ It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid It nose bee fore two long And eye can put the error rite Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it I am shore your pleased two no Its letter perfect awl the weigh My chequer tolled me sew.

Sauce unknown from Internet

[twyn1]

Gee--I'm wondering what some of the answers were...

My great day at school

• I didn't get punched, shot at, called a nasty name or have my money stolen
• we all went to assembly to watch this special Cootie Shots "play" about how it's perfectly normal and even kinda cool for two girls to get married and have a baby together or for Bob to wear a dress and makeup and call himself Roberta
• I learned that any bad thing that happens is the fault of our white-wealthy-male driven society
• the security guy at the front door let me through without "wanding" me
• the teacher gave me a star on my math paper, even tho' I had most of the answers wrong, which really made me feel happy and proud of my work

.....

[Paul Atreides]

You should see some of the atrocious spelling by people in COLLEGE! And, they gripe when the instructor counts off for it.

[pubmom]

I got that part, I was referring to whoever wrote this piece not proofreading their own work. Read the first sentence, there's a word missing.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

[billbears]

Hooray for Jim Hunt!

Hey wur a phoniks state!! Its heeray fer jim hunt!!

[Constitution Day]

Ahm sawree.

[steve-b]

The passing rate for North Carolina's fourth grade writing test has plummeted and educators say the problem is how test's only question is worded.

The blind leading the blind.