This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Toplak, M. Articles by Wiener, J. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

A Critical Analysis of Grade 3 Testing in Ontario

Judith Wiener

Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto

The recent re-introduction of province-wide group achievement testing in Ontario has placed new demands, challenges, and some stresses on students, parents, and teachers. As consultants, school psychologists are in a position to meet these challenges because of their advanced knowledge about standardized testing and their knowledge of what can be reasonably expected from students based on the students' cognitive development. This paper uses multiple perspectives to evaluate the Grade 3 Assessment, with the main focus on the degree to which the items reflect current curriculum guidelines. We also examine whether the demands placed on the children are consistent with what we know about the cognitive development of 8-9 year-old-children. Although the Grade 3 Assessment is based on the Ontario Curriculum (1997), many items exceed what should be expected from a typical Grade 3 student when children's cognition is considered. Given the political implications of province-wide testing, tests need to be impeccably constructed. This analysis is intended to provide school psychologists with a framework for disseminating information about the value and limitations of the Grade 3 Assessment.

Canadian Journal of School Psychology, Vol. 16, No. 1, 65-85 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/082957350001600105


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?