Post by Moses on Mar 30, 2005 10:00:02 GMT -5
Provincial Literacy Tests Set to Face Court Challenge
Provincial Grade 10 literacy testing is being challenged in court this year following allegations that the format discriminates against some students.
English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students are being asked to join the lawsuit, already under way, with disabled students and African-Canadian students challenging the test.
The Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) held a press conference last week to bring attention to the number of students failing the standardized literacy test.
"We decided to sue the government because the high school literacy test is discriminatory against Chinese students," said the CCNC's Helen thingy. "Their English is low because of their background. Many of them are in ESL classes."
Former school board trustee Tam Goosen chastised the system for "drastically cutting ESL classes" despite growing demand.
"We have a paradox in the education system," Goosen said. "With the literacy test, it's adding insult to injury. It doesn't matter when you came to Canada, you do the same test."
According to Goosen, the failure rate for ESL students in 2002 was 62 per cent.
She said that can force students to drop out because they don't feel they can succeed after failing the literacy test.
She added that parents of children new to the country need someone to advocate for them since they don't know how to access the system.
While the lawsuit focuses on rescinding standardized testing due to the high stakes, Goosen said she feels more needs to be done.
"You can't withdraw support from these kids," she said. "Somebody has to step in and say this is not fair."
Student Max Chen said he found the test difficult when he took it in Grade 10. He failed.
"It is so hard, because it has a lot of new vocabulary," he said. "The use of punctuation, point of view and figurative language is hard."
He said children raised in Canada have an unfair advantage. Katherine Scott, a lawyer with the African Canadian Legal Clinic, said that the current system is an affront to student dignity.
"Despite doing well in other courses, this test is a very high stakes test,"
she said. "Our concern is a higher rate of dropouts."
The lawsuit, launched in 2003, should be in court by the end of this year, Scott said.
— Carrie Brunet
Etobicoke Guardian
2005-03-23
Provincial Grade 10 literacy testing is being challenged in court this year following allegations that the format discriminates against some students.
English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students are being asked to join the lawsuit, already under way, with disabled students and African-Canadian students challenging the test.
The Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) held a press conference last week to bring attention to the number of students failing the standardized literacy test.
"We decided to sue the government because the high school literacy test is discriminatory against Chinese students," said the CCNC's Helen thingy. "Their English is low because of their background. Many of them are in ESL classes."
Former school board trustee Tam Goosen chastised the system for "drastically cutting ESL classes" despite growing demand.
"We have a paradox in the education system," Goosen said. "With the literacy test, it's adding insult to injury. It doesn't matter when you came to Canada, you do the same test."
According to Goosen, the failure rate for ESL students in 2002 was 62 per cent.
She said that can force students to drop out because they don't feel they can succeed after failing the literacy test.
She added that parents of children new to the country need someone to advocate for them since they don't know how to access the system.
While the lawsuit focuses on rescinding standardized testing due to the high stakes, Goosen said she feels more needs to be done.
"You can't withdraw support from these kids," she said. "Somebody has to step in and say this is not fair."
Student Max Chen said he found the test difficult when he took it in Grade 10. He failed.
"It is so hard, because it has a lot of new vocabulary," he said. "The use of punctuation, point of view and figurative language is hard."
He said children raised in Canada have an unfair advantage. Katherine Scott, a lawyer with the African Canadian Legal Clinic, said that the current system is an affront to student dignity.
"Despite doing well in other courses, this test is a very high stakes test,"
she said. "Our concern is a higher rate of dropouts."
The lawsuit, launched in 2003, should be in court by the end of this year, Scott said.
— Carrie Brunet
Etobicoke Guardian
2005-03-23