The final exams for literature at some schools really "shocked" 10th and 11th graders according to the 2018 General Education Program.
For example, as Thanh Nien Newspaper reported, in December 2022, 10th grade students at some schools had to take a 3-4 page long first semester literature test. This made parents worried because students spent a lot of time reading the questions, affecting the test results.
Recently, the 11th grade literature test of a school in Ho Chi Minh City had 2 parts: reading comprehension and writing. Notably, the selected material was 70 verses of poetry extracted from the poem "Vau Bien" of the Tay-Nung ethnic group.
The literature test gave 70 verses.
As a literature teacher, I would like to give some notes on the issue of preparing semester tests as follows:
First, the material should not be too long . The fact that some schools use material that is too long makes students read the entire content, taking up a lot of time. For example, the 10th grade literature test at my child's school (now in 11th grade) is a prose text, up to 3 A4 pages long. I teach literature, but reading the test is... overwhelming, let alone the students. Reading the test takes 5-10 minutes, or even more, so it affects the time to do the test. Therefore, the material should not exceed one A4 page, whether prose or poetry. If it is poetry, using two columns is too long on one page.
Second, the material is not too difficult . Long material means it is difficult for students. Difficult, academic material makes it even more difficult for students. It is necessary to use material similar to the text that has been taught so that students can easily access it. The questions are also close and appropriate - closely following the requirements of the new program. If the questions are broad, the teacher has taught the students before, during the process of doing the test, students do not have to "struggle" with this type of question. Creativity in the essay, not necessarily mechanical as in accordance with the program, the essay will be more attractive, current and full of life. However, with creative questions, teachers spend a lot of time collecting and asking questions that are suitable for the matrix and specifications.
Third, the multiple choice part is not too easy . Many schools and localities still choose the reading comprehension part in the form of multiple choice. Actually, the multiple choice form is not new. Previously, multiple choice was still used in testing. Using multiple choice is also important when the essay topic ensures 3 requirements: multiple choice, writing paragraphs, and writing essays.
For example, in the reading comprehension section, in addition to multiple choice, the test also has some questions in short answer format such as topics, messages, situation handling, etc. The important thing to achieve maximum score in this section is to be a truly good student.
Fourth, avoid "solving the test" first . Because they "pity" students with the new way of learning, testing, and evaluating according to the new program, some teachers choose the materials and solve the test first. By doing so, the test is new but still "the old way we return", the literature score is still high (especially the multiple choice part that easily "reproduces knowledge" that has been done).
These are some notes for teaching and learning, testing, and evaluating to limit knowledge reproduction, avoid rote learning, high scores but not mastering knowledge, especially practical application. To have good essay topics that interest students, it is necessary to take materials from many sources, including newspapers - which breathe life, breathe the times, are very practical and have many beautiful and meaningful stories. In the process of doing the exercises and reading those materials, students have more information and meaningful messages.
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