[senco-forum] 21st century Science -Reading Issues

This may already have been discussed on the forum -many apologies if it has.

  Y10s are to do their first modular paper for the new science course in January. I have just seen the sample paper and in my view it is a test of reading comprehension not science.Furthermore the amount of reading students have to do before they even get to the question is excessive. Some of the reading is not necessary in order to answer the question but you don't realise that until you get to the question sometimes half -way down a page.

  We are struggling to provide enough individual readers but feel for the 40 minute paper access to a reader will not be sufficient. The students wil need the whole question read probably more than once. 

  One question involved very close reading  and reminded me of the sort of question there might be on an English Language paper.Having ploughed through half a page of test the studentsthen have to decide which phrases provide data and which explanation. ( a bit like a fact and opinion questio - a nightmare for studentswithsemantic problems)

  I'm quite happy to folow the issues up with the exam board but wondered if anyone has got i first?

  Sue

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