An exploration of the discrepancy between classroom-based assessment and external summative assessment in English first additional language Grade 12

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Classroom–based assessment, also referred to as continuous assessment(CASS), is a formal and important part of the evaluation of South African learners.The weight attached to CASS varies according to the levels of grades. Moreimportantly, it is only in Grade 12 that CASS marks of all the learning areas orsubjects are combined with external summative assessment marks for a decisionof awarding a National Senior Certificate.Continuous assessment (CASS) is formative in nature. This implies that learnersreceive feedback on their performance throughout the year. The feedback learnersreceive ought to prepare them well for the external summative assessment. Iflearners have been prepared well for the external summative assessment, wewould expect their marks to be consistent with their level of achievement in CASS.However, according to the Department of Education (2003c), having witnessed thefirst year of CASS implementation in 2001, both national and provincialexamination authorities realised that the implementation of CASS was problematicin certain schools. In the analysis of the 2001 and 2002 Senior Certificateexamination results by the South African Certification Council (SAFCERT), hugediscrepancies were found in certain schools between the raw CASS marks and theadjusted examination marks of the same learners in a number of subjects. TheSAFCERT reported that in 2001 a total of 10 182 examination centres suppliedCASS marks that were more than 20% above the adjusted examination marks. This document-based study examines the extent of the discrepancies betweenlearners' CASS marks and the marks they obtained in external summativeassessment. It also tentatively suggests possible reasons for the discrepancies.To this end, this study compares scores for CASS marks of English FirstAdditional Language (ENGFAL) to scores for the same learners in the externalsummative assessment. The documents recording learners' CASS marks comefrom four schools in Ilembe District, KwaZulu-Natal.Although my mini thesis focuses on the extent of the discrepancy, my analysisalso makes some initial suggestions of some possible reasons for thediscrepancies between CASS and external summative assessment marks. Thesetentative reasons are a lack of teacher knowledge in administering CASS; largeclasses; the demanding administrative load of teachers; an interest in passing asmany learners as possible; not wanting to create tension, especially within small,close-knit communities; and in many cases, generally dysfunctional schools.My main suggestions for addressing the problem of discrepancies include:providing better in-service training for teachers in regard to their knowledge ofsubject content and assessment practices; making available to teachers an itembank with samples of assessment questions and tasks; encouraging teachers tobecome active participants of professional teacher organisations; encouraginggreater parental participation in informal assessment; and by establishingassessment committees in schools. In addition, the government could appointmore teachers to reduce overcrowded schools and classrooms, fund theestablishment of functional libraries, promote and monitor English as a medium ofinstruction from as early as the Intermediate Phase.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University