ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATION SYSTEM IN GENERAL SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE IN QATAR: AN EVALUATIVE STUDY.

Abstract

This study attempts to evaluate the English language examination system in General Secondary Education Certificate in Qatar and to what extent it goes in line with the textbooks. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of marking as a crucial part of good teaching. Furthermore, the aim of this study, is to increase the motivation of pupils and teachers to strive to do well, to influence programs of work (the curriculum) in schools, with a view to develop students’ experiences, and to provide a common yardstick for selecting purposes in higher education and employment.The following questions were investigated: 1.To what extent are examinations for third year secondary (both Science and Arts Sections) based on modern criteria that include features of a good test ? 2.To what extent do exam setters follow specifications prescribed by the English inspectorate ? 3.To what extent does the content of the language test cover all the skills of the language ? 4.To what extent are the items of questions and the marks allotted to them based on reasonable principles, as content analysis ? 5.To what extent do textbooks help pupils, teachers and exam- setters to fulfill their own educational tasks ? To achieve the purpose of this study, the researcher devised his own questionnaire for the teachers, based on Likert (1983) five scale degree and interview questions for supervisors and for students ( in English and a translated version in Arabic ). The data collected has been analyzed statistically and discussed. The population of the sample of the study consisted of 176 pupils (males and females), 33 supervisors (females and males) and 166 teachers (males and females) randomly selected from urban and rural schools during the first semester of the scholastic year 2003/2004. Regarding data analysis, the following statistical procedures were implemented: basic descriptive statistical, means, standard deviations, test analysis of variance (ANOVA), frequency and percentage all of which are computed: The results of the study revealed: 1. The study has revealed that exams for third year secondary (both science and arts sections) are not fully based on modern criteria that include features of a good test and this is shown in the results as for the responses to the questionnaire of teachers’ questions No (1, 5, 6 and 8) and in supervisors’ interview questions No (1, 2 ,3 ,4 , 5 ,6 , 13 , 17 and 18) 2. . The study has revealed that there are no specifications allocated for third exams of English and these exams are set according to the exam_ setters’ own experience and vision . This is shown in the supervisors’ interview questions and responses No : (3 , 7 , 8 and 9) and in the teachers ‘ questionnaire and responses No : (2 , 3 , 4 and 33) in addition to the pupils ‘ interview questions and responses No : (1 , 2 , 3 and 4) . 3. The study has revealed that the content of the language test does not cover all the skills of the language as it appears in the teachers ‘ questionnaire and responses No: ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 28 , 32 , and 38) and in supervisors‘ interview questions and responses No (10 , 11 , 12 , 14 , 26 , 32 and 33). 4. The study has revealed that the items of questions and the marks allotted to them are partially based on reasonable principles , as content analysis as it appears in the pupils ‘ interview questions and responses No (23 and 24) in the teachers' questionnaires and responses No (11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 and 30) and in the supervisors ‘ interview questions and responses No (34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 and 40) . 5. The study has revealed that the textbooks do not provide sufficient help to pupils , teachers and exam setters as it appears in the pupils ‘ interview questions and responses No (5 , 16 , 17 , 26 and 30) . and in the teachers ' questionnaire and responses No (9 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 26 , 27 , 29 , 31 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 39 and 40) . and in the supervisors ‘ interview questions and responses No (15 , 16 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 27 , 28 , 29 and 30) 6. The study has revealed that there is a gap in the EFL examination for third year secondary certificate in Qatar as the exams seem to be subjective rather than objective . 7. The study has revealed also that there is absence of a clear cut grid while marking the General Secondary School Certificate Examinations of English in the end of each semester . 8. The study has revealed that there is absence of some points of exam specifications and this leads to a dilemma among EFL teachers , pupils , supervisors and exam – setters . 9. The study has revealed that there are statistically significant differences among teachers in the marking scheme . 10. The study has revealed that there is a statistically significant difference between the prescribed books and the specifications of exams of English for third year secondary science and Arts sections in Qatar. 11.The study has revealed that the prescribed textbooks do not provide enough practice in different types that cope with the specifications of testing. 12.Teachers, to some extent use a reasonable marking code as well as marking scale (scoring parameters ) for assessing and evaluating pupils' examinations According to the above results ,the study recommends the necessity of the following : 1.The Textbooks should include sample questions following the same specifications the pupils come across in the end of each semester exam in order to abridge the gap between what the pupils study and trained on and what they actually examine in . 2.Developing the textbooks and providing them with updated topics that cope with the world's latest changes. 3.Paying great attention to the oral skills(listening and speaking) and giving them the necessary due care. 4.Establishing a bank for testing to provide the Ministry with suitable tests that are based on appropriate features . 5.Building the questions of testing according to balanced and comprehensive tables of specifications . Finally, since this study was limited to academic schools in Qatar, it was suggested that further studies should be conducted on testing for obtaining better generalizable results .