Terrible First Language Test Results

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
#1

Yeah, I didn’t want to post this one in the “Teaching” forum or just the “open” forum as I think it is a general living in Taiwan thing. However, if the mods disagree, feel free to move it.

I don’t want to ruin the surprise, so read the article for yourself, but briefly it has to do with some shocking results in the recent Senior High School exams that kids on the island need to take before applying for University.

chinapost.com.tw/news/archiv … 103351.htm

There are some real dumbasses out there… :noway:

#2

:note: “Ain’t That A Shame,…”

Give over. It’s not like English Scores in Canada, Engerland, or the US have not their fare share of rejects. And the tests in the west are probably much easier.
And forget not the local handicaps of overexposure to the internet, TV, computer games. Not enuff swinging from trees, and a dearth of spearing catfish leads to blockage of the neuronical activity, esp. in regard to commonn sense and a mature level of social interaction.

Have pity on the blighters! :grandpa:

#3

:note: “Ain’t That A Shame,…”

Give over. It’s not like English Scores in Canada, Engerland, or the US have not their fare share of rejects. And the tests in the west are probably much easier.
And forget not the local handicaps of overexposure to the internet, TV, computer games. Not enuff swinging from trees, and a dearth of spearing catfish leads to blockage of the neuronical activity, esp. in regard to commonn sense and a mature level of social interaction.

Have pity on the blighters! :grandpa:[/quote]

But have you seen the kinds of things that are considered “acceptable” when marking those tests? It’s ridiculous! A person would really have to try to get zero. And apparently some of these students are trying really hard…

#4

:note: “Ain’t That A Shame,…”

Give over. It’s not like English Scores in Canada, Engerland, or the US have not their fare share of rejects. And the tests in the west are probably much easier.
And forget not the local handicaps of overexposure to the internet, TV, computer games. Not enuff swinging from trees, and a dearth of spearing catfish leads to blockage of the neuronical activity, esp. in regard to commonn sense and a mature level of social interaction.

Have pity on the blighters! :grandpa:[/quote]

Sure, but to get get ZERO in a 27 point composition test in your Mother tongue?

#5

I have to say that I have not seen the questions. However, given my experience in marking tests, I would guess that there were numerous students who simply did not mark any of the English test. However, in the Chinese test, I would have to assume that the most major problem lays with the examiner. I have seen all to often that “perfection of grammar” plays an all important role. After all, the students were taught grammar by by some Taiwanese teacher who learned this shit by rote and expects to pass it on by rote. Never mind that the examiner can’t have a diologue with me. They simply don’t have the ability. I empathize with many of these students. Their ability to communicate their thoughts may have been clearly lucid, but because of some idiot, they score “0”. Until, the educational system here understands that learning ANY foreign language is being able to actually communicate (defined as I understand you and you understand me) the system is doomed for more failure. Come on, giving a zero for somebody that even tried will certainly not help their desire to keep trying. I feel so bad for these students who tried but scored a naught that I could just go have a drink.

#6

A zero for English is perfectly feasible, when it’s a composition.

The Raven has been asked to grade compositions by adults taking the TOEFL test which comprise one blank page with no words. The student froze, didn’t know where to start. Limited time and a difficult topic is all it takes to get a zero, so the result may be indicative of poor test-taking skills rather than language ability.

And for all we know, the English composition may have been the last task of fifty in a test that wasn’t broken up into sections.

To be unable to write a composition in your own language is unforgivable. But if the student made any effort at all then they should have got some kind of grade. Presumably these students just didn’t make any effort? Perhaps they sat there waiting for the bell to ring so they could go back o selling heroine on street corners or something?

Or perhaps, again, the composition was the last task of many and they ran out of time. Some slightly more informative reporting would be nice, especially from people who are lamenting others’ inability to communicate.

#7

Why is there a period at the end of the thread title? :wink:

#8

i’d grade that article a zero. gibberish indeed

#9

Not surprisingly, the paper didn’t suggest intercultural relationships as a great way to improve english scores.

#10

To echo other posters, poor English test design is the issue here, not stupidity on the part of the children. 13000 of children failing in English composition is not a huge number out of 150000. Many students, particularly out of the cities, simply don’t have access to teachers who are able to write compositions in English. Teaching those skills and designing valid examinations which include compositions is a whole different ballgame from what has gone before. It’s not fair for students who got low scores this year, though.

Only one child got full marks in English composition. Somebody is wasting these kids’ time.

2100 out of 150000 in Chinese is not that significant. It’s less that 2%. There will always be x kids who can’t be arsed, don’t have the skills, were ill, etc.

#11

Honestly, I have to say that if only one student got perfect marks there is something wrong with the tests.
I have a least 5 high school aged students in my memory with almost flawless English.

#12

[quote=“SuchAFob”]Honestly, I have to say that if only one student got perfect marks there is something wrong with the tests.
I have a least 5 high school aged students in my memory with almost flawless English.[/quote]

None with flawless?

#13

None were seniors either.