It is the time of year that we carry out our standarised testing. All schools are now required to administer standardised reading and maths tests, such as the Drumcondra Test, in second, fourth and sixth classes and to report the findings to parents and the Department of Education. Most schools, like ours, do this testing with first to sixth class.
These tests are important. They help us to get a picture of how our pupils are succeeding in math and reading. It is important to remember that test scores will always be looked at in conjunction with class assessments, in addition to how the parents, child and teacher believe that they are progressing. The tests may highlight an area for improvement and indeed show how well a child has progressed. We must remember that the tests are a snapshot of a child on a particular day and must never be looked at in isolation.
It is well known that these tests can cause worry for both parents and children. A recent article in The Irish Times highlighted the pressures felt by teachers and parents for their children to ‘perform’. The best thing to do is to let your child talk about the test if they wish. It is equally important to not share or compare results with others. These are personal to each child and we would urge you to respect everyone’s privacy.
There would appear to be more talk about testing at the moment. This is due to the fact that new ‘norms’ are being used to grade the testing. Norms are the statistics used to grade the results of the children who take the test. The researchers who have set the new norms have informed all schools that we should expect all scores to be lower than last years scores. This is even more relevant to us as we have changed to the new testing this year. The testing that had been in use is now antiquated and is no longer an accurate measure of attainment. We pass on this information to you so that you are not unduly concerned if your child’s scores are lower than last year.
Remember, these tests don’t measure how hard your child has worked, nor the effort that they made throughout the year in all areas of the curriculum, nor their wisdom, intelligence or creativity.
Please find below information about the new testing that will be carried out. If you should have any questions regarding the testing or how your child is progressing please contact your child’s teacher.
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