education
Page 3
Local News
http://www.independent.com.mt/daily/newsview.asp?id=9634
Examiners detect 'serious' language problems in students
Examiners in more than
eight subjects have noted that a high percentage of students lack fluency in
both Malta's official languages: Maltese and English.
The examiners' remarks were published in a set of three reports issued by
the Matsec Board last October. The volumes, which focused on the May 2001
exams, were given to schools and public libraries, attracting little attention
from the press at the time.
The reports' constructive criticism was aimed to guide teachers during
lessons. Yet, it throws a disturbing light on local education. The most common
problems pointed out by examiners included weak writing skills, memorised
essays and an inability to think critically or to analyse information.
The Secondary Education Certificate Maltese examiners, for instance, conclude
that: "Perhaps, judging from the replies given in [paper 1], one can come to
the conclusion that in their overall education, students are showing a lack of
courtesy and a clumsiness in their thinking, feeling and writing."
Even when allowed to choose the language they wished to use in their replies,
students still found it hard to express themselves. In subjects including
religion, social studies and history, students can sit for the ordinary level
(SEC) exams in either English or Maltese.
Yet, their skills in both languages were described as "appalling" by
history SEC examiners.
Social Studies examiners had a similar comment to make: "It is very clear
that a number of students find it difficult to express themselves either in
English or Maltese. They lack basic language skills" they said, discussing
the 2,639 students who sat for the SEC exam last May.
In Religious Knowledge, SEC examiners also complained that students lost marks
because they could not understand the vocabulary used in some questions. Asked
to name the successor of Saint Peter, at least one student replied that this
was "is-serduq" (the cock).
Similarly, in the English Literature SEC exam last May, "many" students
who chose the subject, also showed "severe lexical limitations," examiners
remarked. A large number thought the word "heavenward" referred to "a
hospital ward".
And fifth-formers still had problems with their English verbs, writing phrases
like she "didn't looked", he "didn't broke" and she "falled
down."
These language problems also meant that many students could not make any
sense, examiners said. The problem was especially widespread among candidates
who took the "easier" paper B.
For instance, in the Listening Comprehension exercise, the 4,300 English SEC
paper B candidates did particularly badly: "The majority not only failed to
answer in correct English, but also provided answers bordering on the
absurd," examiners noticed. "However, they fared much better in passage 2,
where the response required multiple choice.
"It is desirable that candidates sitting for the SEC exam in English be
trained to write essays which present relevant ideas in a logical order, as
well as ensuring that ideas/arguments are expressed in clear grammatically
correct English," the examiners concluded.
A similar lack of coherence was also noted by Maltese SEC examiners who
remarked that in the literature essay, "a substantial number of candidates
wrote answers which were short and nonsensical (bla sens)."
"The essays were reduced to a series of paragraphs dictated in lesson notes
on extracts of prose and poetry which, sometimes, had nothing to do with the
exam questions."
In their SEC Maltese letter-writing exercise, students wrote letters which
were "really pitiful and ridiculous," examiners added. They also warned
that students' punctuation was getting progressively worse.
On the other hand, students' lack of communication skills could be related
to weak reading habits, examiners suggest. In the Maltese SEC exam, for
instance, a number of students chose to write an essay about the last book
they read, without actually referring to any real book.
"Some seemed to have made up a story for the occasion, giving it an invented
title," the examiners noted. "This shows a serious lack of reading: They
could not even remember one single book they might have read in the past."
Malapropisms were also noticeable. Maltese SEC examiners quoted three
"gawhar" (masterpieces) including: "Lil Kristu gabulu l-incent, birra u
morr" (They brought Christ incense, beer and bitter), "jiggieldu fuq min
ghandu jiehu leak" (quarrelling over who should win the football league) and
"Missieru kien fl-armatura" (His father was in the show-case).
Yet, contacted by The Malta Independent on Sunday for a comment on the
developing trends, Matsec Office Principal Subject Area Officer (Languages)
Charles Briffa explained that a fax had to be sent to the university
communications principal officer before he could comment. He was therefore
unable to reply in time for publication.
The Matsec examiners are teachers whose students are at a different level from
those tested by the exams in question. They grade exam scripts using a mark
scheme approved by the Matsec Paper Setters' Panel.
The person chairing the panel acts as moderator, ensuring that all markers
adhere to the same standards. A report on the examiners' findings is then
published each year.
The actual exam papers are set by a different panel of educationalists,
university staff and teachers who make up the Paper Setters' Boards.
