How does one measure something as intangible as learning? But schools are commissioned to deliver on such a product, anyway, which means we have to figure out a way to measure it. In an age of age-based promotions, automatic pass till 8th standard, how can one figure out what exactly a student has learned? An 8th standard pass student could have passed with 90% marks, or with 30% marks. So this kind of information is essentially useless. There is another tool that is always bandied about by successful students- rank. I got 1st rank in my class, or 5th rank, etc. Again, what information does this give students, parents, potential employers, about the student’s actual capabilities?
This kind of scoring is useful neither to the high achiever, nor to the struggling student. High achieving students still have to prove their actual learning and abilities by taking a rigorous entrance exam to enter college or employment. School-based evaluations are apparently not worth much in the real world.
As a special educator, I’m more concerned with what students with special needs get from school. Is school merely a substitute for a crèche, or is it contributing to true and useful learning? What is true and useful learning for such students? Has it been defined? What do parents expect that schools will do for their children with special needs at the end of about 8 years of schooling?
Is it really useful for a student with a lower IQ or mild to moderate disability to learn how to divide a 3 digit number by a 2 digit number? Is it really useful to make them memorize the capital of every European country? What about the symbol for every element in the periodic table? Is such specialized knowledge useful for some students? Absolutely! But what if such knowledge comes at the expense of truly important learning, such as basic literacy and math, balancing a check book, resolving a problem, or a vocational skill? Many people reading this went to school, maybe even to college. Yet, how many of you remember the capital of Tuvalu? Is it knowledge itself, or the skills to access knowledge when needed, that is more useful?
What, then, is the minimum that every child should know at the end of 8+ years of schooling? Targets have to be tightly defined. Standards-based report cards reflect exactly what the student has learned. Some minimum academics are necessary- basic literacy and arithmetic. These contribute toward enabling them to live independently.
What is basic literacy? It could be what some official definition, national or international standard, says it should be. Or it could be a school’s adaptation- a consensual definition. As long as it’s achievable, measurable and tightly defined, it will suffice.
Basic literacy is the minimum level of literacy required for independent living. The ability to tell a bottle of poison from a bottle of medicine. The ability to read road signs and billboards. The ability to write a two line note to your child’s teacher.
· Read any language at 20 words per minute, of 3 syllables or less, with 5 errors or less, with comprehension of material read- such might be a tightly defined measurable target.
· Write at least a 40 word paragraph in any language, with fewer than 10 errors each in spelling, mechanics (punctuation, capitalization) and grammar. Stay on topic, be legible and convey meaning.
Basic arithmetic would be the ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide rational numbers- whole numbers, decimals and fractions. More importantly, this knowledge would only be useful if students could apply it in real life.
Apart from this, real life skills like problem solving, shopping, reading train schedules, making change, paying rent, managing due dates, ability to find answers, and so much more- these are the main lessons needed for independent living. Students with disabilities need direct instruction to learn these.
And some vocational skills. After all, how independent can anyone be without a source of income?
(By the way, the capital of Tuvalu is Funafuti- I Googled it…)
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