This study assessed effects of response climate by examining effects of an additional testing experience on the conservation of number performance of 4- and 5-year-old lower socioeconomic status children (N=98). Results indicated significantly higher conservation of number performance scores for both males and females. (Author)

Contends that young children have little experience in answering test questions and misunderstandings easily arise when they are subjected to tests. Reports on a study of the impact of testing expectations on 110 Dutch primary school students. Finds that clear explanations about the testing situation leads to better performance. (CFR)

The quality of mathematics multiple choice items and their susceptibility to test wiseness were examined. Test wiseness was defined as "a subject's capacity to utilize the characteristics and formats of the test and/or test taking situation to receive a high score." The study used results of the Graduate Record Examinations Aptitude Test (GRE) and…

This program of research has three general thrusts. First, the relations between motivation and achievement performance were studied across children of various sociocultural backgrounds including lower- and middle- class white, black, and hispanic children. Motivational test bias was found to be strong for students of all sociocultural…

For the most part, standardized tests are verbal and presuppose that the test takers know the language, culture, and values of the test makers, who usually represent white, middle class language and values. The communication problems that minority groups face when taking standardized tests include phonological biases (especially when the tests are…

Different viewpoints regarding educational testing are described. While some people advocate continuing reliance upon standardized tests, others favor the discontinuation of such achievement and intelligence tests. The author recommends a moderate view somewhere between these two extremes. Problems associated with standardized testing in the…

Indicates that certain items in reading comprehension tests are not measuring for hearing impaired students the particular reading skill they are intended to measure. Argues for a word/idea association strategy as the explanation for this and briefly discusses its relevance for testing and educating the hearing impaired. (FL)

This document consists of 14 articles which appeared in the electronic news bulletin, "EducationNews.org," and which were part of a series on "Test Bashing," a discussion of the use of standardized tests that focuses on controversies surrounding the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills and test score improvements in Texas. The…

This book is intended to provide a systematic approach to improving the test performances of students with disabilities in the context of the increased inclusion of these students in state and district educational assessments. Chapters include guides for decisions and forms to document them and to track student progress. Each chapter also provides…

Reviews a 20-year program of research on motivation and test performance, concluding that test anxiety and test-taking skill deficits are distorting factors in efforts to test student aptitude, achievement, and competency. (FL)

While some forms of test bias (for example, bias in selection and prediction) appear amenable to definitional consensus, a definition of cultural bias will remain problematic so long as it is confused with the nature/nurture issue. (Author/BW)

It is suggested that little attention is given to understanding student concerns about testing: what will be tested, and in what depth. Reexamination is indicated for the purposes of testing, test quality and frequency, and instructor autonomy. Tests are seen as powerful determinants of learning that are often not used appropriately. (MSE)

Observes that the improvement of reading scores is not a legitimate educational goal, notes that reading abilities are inseparable from other modes of linguistic expression, and proposes many types of activities for teaching language in a context involving increasing knowledge of the uses of language in different subjects. (GT)

This paper responds to an article that criticizes S. A. Cohen's position on the application of instructional alignment to teaching test wiseness. The value and ethics of using certain types of norm-referenced tests are criticized, based on data for the Missouri Mastery Achievement Test. (TJH)

To investigate whether there are 2 types of test-anxious students, those with poor study skills and those with difficulties in retrieving material, study skills training or anxiety desensitization were provided to 84 high test-anxious university students in Israel. Results support the theory of two types of test-anxious students. (SLD)