Standardized Testing
Maren, Alyssa, Madison, Aaron
Thesis
Standardized testing needs reform because of its inaccurate measurement techniques of intelligence. These tests evaluate memorization, encourage teaching to the test, and fail to address cultural differences in our society.
Inaccurate Measure of Intelligence
Cultural Gap
Many cultural aspects exist that contribute to the ineffectiveness and unfairness of standardized testing. Differing ethnicities and languages make excelling in these tests very difficult due to literacy and comprehension barriers. For students that do not have complete comprehension of English, understanding the linguistic structure within test questions proves to be extremely difficult, especially under time constraints (Phillips). Though ethnic culture is a main issue regarding standardized tests, the culture of a person’s environment proves to be an instrumental factor of increasing the numerical gap as well. Attitudes about testing and prior experience with test exposure can affect test scores just as much as linguistic barriers can (Phillips).
Negative Effects
Reform and Possible Solutions
Works Cited
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