On January 2, 2009, I challenged readers to consider what happens to our students when you test them in a language that is not their native language, and then pass judgment on them and on their teachers based on the predictable results! I invited readers to take a quiz and to not be discouraged by the fact that the quiz is in a foreign language.
This issue is huge. It has less to do with test scores and more to do with how we are preparing our children to compete globally. Or not. (Check out who is about to become the largest English speaking country on the planet.) Of course our students need to speak English, but why aren’t they speaking other languages, too?
Anyway, if you took the quiz you experienced what many of our students experience. They may know the material and have the skills in math or reading or writing– but their academic proficiency (and intellect, motivation, potential, etc.) will be determined primarily by their ability to master a second language and the confidence they have in themselves as second language learners.
Here were the 3 questions:
Question Number 1:
Если ваша профессиональная репутация, ваша школа рейтинга, и будущее ваших учеников были все зависит от детей, каким образом осуществляется на стандартизированных испытаний, которые приведены в иностранном языке, вы должны: А. выступаем за то, чтобы дети предоставили оценки на их родном языке , B. энтузиазмом участвовать в вашей государства осуществлять в учебных злоупотреблений; C. вид, что исход отметив делать с языком, или D. привести ненасильственного протеста
Question Number 2:
كاليفورنيا يطالب بأن تتخذ جميع الأطفال أنصبتها المقررة باللغة الانكليزية للأسباب التالية : أ. انها حقا جيدة للأطفال ب. لأنها أكثر موثوقية وسيلة لتحديد ما تعلمه الأطفال C. لأنها ستوفر معلومات قيمة والمعلمين حول ما يعرف الطلاب د. وسوف نتأكد من الطلاب لا يملكون غير عادلة رئيس جامعة كاليفورنيا تبدأ اللغة الأجنبية
Question Number 3
Λαμβάνοντας αυτό το παιχνίδι δεν είναι ένα έγκυρο κριτήριο της τη νοημοσύνη μου, διότι: Α. Δεν μιλούν καμία από αυτές τις γλώσσες Β. Είναι απλά μια προσομοίωση C. Είμαι πραγματικά πολύ έξυπνη και μόλις πήρε suckered σε αυτό το κουίζ D. Αν όλοι μιλούσαν αγγλικά δεν θα είναι απαραίτητα αυτό το κουίζ
Did you pass? You don’t know? Well here is the translation:
Question 1, which was written in Russian, asks:
If your professional reputation, your school’s ranking, and the future of your students were all dependent on how children performed on a standardized test which is given in a foreign language, you should: A. Advocate that children be provided the assessment in their native language B. Enthusiastically participate even if you consider it educational malpractice C. Pretend that the outcomes have nothing to do with language; or D. Lead a non-violent protest to end the demoralizing practice
Question 2, written in Arabic (thanks to Google Translate), asks:
California demands that children take all of their assessments in English because: A. It is really good for kids B. Because it is a more reliable way to determine what children have learned C. Because it is consistent with the “English Only” agenda D. It will make sure no student has an unfair head start on the UC foreign language requirement
Question 3, which I am sure was all Greek to you, asks:
Taking this quiz is not a valid test of my intelligence because: A. I don’t speak any of these languages B. It is just a simulation C. I am really very smart and just got suckered into this quiz D. If everybody spoke English this quiz wouldn’t be necessary
Your score on this quiz doesn’t matter very much. Your answers, however, are critical!!!
Kevin Riley