It has been established by previous researchers that changes in the wording of multiple-choice examination questions can significantly affect pupil performance. In this study recent 'home' General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and 'overseas' General Certificate of Education (GCE) papers were examined for questions in which the language could be simplified, and modified questions were prepared. When performance on the original and modified forms of the questions was compared for a sample of British school pupils, no statistically significant difference emerged. When performance on the same questions was examined for a sample of pupils for whom English was the second (or third) language, there were significant differences in their performance on modified and unmodified versions of the questions.

This paper reports on a study which examined the secondary physical sciences curriculum in Ethiopia with a particular focus on practical work. It describes the intention and realization of the science curriculum in terms of that which is intended by policy makers and curriculum developers and that which is implemented by classroom science teachers. Ethiopia's new Education and Training Policy and Sector Strategy (EMPDA, 1994a and b) advocates Ð as did its predecessors Ð that science be taught emphasizing a problem-solving, practical approach in the classroom. The main methods used by the study to gather data were: analysis of documents Ð policy statements, textbooks, examination papers; classroom observation; and analysis of 80 science lessons in four sample schools, enriched through interviews with a range of those involved Ð from policy makers to students in schools. The study revealed that the link between policy and practice in secondary science with regard to practical work was always tenuous. Broad and speci® c curriculum objectives as well as the teaching and learning activities prescribed in the textbooks were neither internally coherent nor congruent with the stated policy objectives. Furthermore, assessment practice and school practice did not match intentions. As a consequence, Ethiopian secondary students do not receive the practical experiences speci® ed in the of® cial science curriculum.

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