Re: Conceptual Tests

[Bernard Cleyet <anngeorg@PACBELL.NET>]

The question I have is:   do you intend to test for Physics understanding or
English comprehension.  The evidence is overwhelming that teaching subjects in
the primary language (and the secondary language in another class) is
considerable more efficient than teaching the second language and the subjects
in that language.  e.g. http://www.mcoe.org/instruct/ccnr/05.Vargas.pdf

Despite the passage of prop. 226 many majority minority districts teach the
subject matter in the minority language, because the parents demand it.  Doing
otherwise would result in perpetual chaos.

bc  who thinks Calif. prop. 226 is another example of Anglo racism and their
failure to assiduously teach English to the minorities.
http://www.mcoe.org/instruct/ccnr/06.Bedwell.pdf

P.s. RT is a bit slow to notice demographic change:

     "Many observers predict that the sharpest US debates over immigration and
integration will shift in the 1990s from Western states such as California and
southern states such as Florida to midwestern states such
     as Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota. There are an increasing number of
conflicts between immigrants and natives in midwestern towns and cities, some
of which have seen their Hispanic populations rise by 200 to
     500 percent since 1990."
http://migration.ucdavis.edu/rmn/Archive_RMN/jul_1996-01rmn.html

and:
http://www.themilitant.com/2001/6502/index.shtml

Rick Tarara wrote:

> I will be Politically Incorrect here (not for the first time).  I assume
> these students intend to work in an English speaking society.  The school is
> in IOWA!   Surprise, surprise, the language of instruction is English!  To
> NOT use conceptual testing because not all the students are fluent in
> English is a disservice to ALL the students.
>
> The accommodation here is to allow ESL (English as second language) students
> to use a dictionary during tests.
>
> Rick
>
> (Who is fed up the all the PC BS!)
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brian Whatcott" <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>
> To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 12:05 PM
> Subject: Re: Conceptual Tests
>
> > At 16:18 2/18/02 -0600, you wrote:
> > > Hello
> > > My boss wants me to give a presentation on the assesment of students =
> > > I have done.  I have used the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation.=
> > >   She has seen this and has told me it is invalid for my student popu=
> > > lation.  THe reason:  the questions are too long and wordy since my p=
> > > opulation is half non-native students.=20
> > >
> > > SO the question is Has there been any research into how non-native sp=
> > > eakers of english do on these conceptual evaluation.
> > >
> > > Also, she doenst want conceptual evaluations.  She wants them to work=
> > >  problems.  I tell her that is not where the research is pointing but=
> > >  she says that conceptual is unfair.
> > >
> > > I dunno, I ask you
> > >
> > > Tina
> > >
> > > Tina Fanetti
> >
> >
> > This is an exceptionally cogent criticism - if it is true that tests
> > of the F & MCE are more wordy than other tests.
> >   If there are conceptual tests which are LESS wordy than comparable tests
> > then you can be properly remorseful in respect of unconscious
> > discrimination and express a wish to move to the more graphical or brief
> ones.