SATurated models of pupildom: Assessment and inclusion/exclusion

Abstract

Adopting a sociocultural theoretical framework and based on ethnographic data from two primary schools, this article seeks to answer the question: what meanings about inclusion and exclusion are encoded in school and classroom practices? It documents the (inclusionary and) exclusionary pedagogic processes that influence learning and children's participation in the learning opportunities on offer to them. From their analysis of observational, interview and documentary data, externally‐imposed and monitored regimes of assessment are what really matters in the school lives of the year six children in the authors' fieldwork schools. Assessment, narrowed to testing, defines the school day, the curriculum, the teacher's responsibilities, the pupil's worth, the ideal parent, and what counts as ability; it pushes towards a particular type of learning at the expense of other types. The article begins with a brief theoretical and methodological account of the study and a note on each participating school. It then suggests and discusses models of ‘SATurated pupildom' that are supported by the data. Versions of learning and ability as well as teacher subject positions that variously fit with the demands of summative assessments for accountability purposes, but that do not square with valuing diversity, are also discussed. The conclusion briefly considers the findings in the context of a macro‐culture that circumscribes what schools and teachers must value most and in relation to tensions within New Labour's push for standardisation on the one hand and inclusion and social justice on the other.

The examined life: perspectives of lower primary school students in Hong Kong

“…A pertinent finding from the balance of evidence in the current study was that lower primary school students already had quite a lot of negative perceptions and experiences of assessment. The early years' reporting of test pressure marks a difference between our research and literature reviewed earlier, for example, studies at the end of primary schooling (Reay and Wiliam 1999;Hall et al 2004). A niche for our work is in this reporting of student perceptions of test pressure in the lower primary school; few studies have documented this phenomenon with this age group, although in their analysis of self-esteem Davies and Brember (1998) discussed analogous issues.…”

“…The main negative messages from the data were that a number of students experienced pressure or anxiety in relation to assessment reinforcing similar messages from research in England (e.g. Hall et al 2004). It seemed that in comparison with research in Anglophone contexts, our data highlighted more prominently the active involvement of parents in exhorting their offspring to study hard.…”

“…Drawing on classroom observations, individual and focus group interviews with year 6 students, they develop a picture of strong currents of fear and anxiety related to testing, with students expressing a perception that a test can make a single definitive statement about the sort of person they are (Reay and Wiliam 1999). Based on ethnographic data from two English primary schools, Hall et al (2004) depict a similar story of students being constructed by testing, fearing failure and being afraid of disappointing their parents. Testing regimes, according to Hall et al (2004), lead to the construction of an image of 'ideal' parents who check that homework is done, understand external high-stakes tests and share a school's emphasis on achievement as defined by tests.…”

“…Based on ethnographic data from two English primary schools, Hall et al (2004) depict a similar story of students being constructed by testing, fearing failure and being afraid of disappointing their parents. Testing regimes, according to Hall et al (2004), lead to the construction of an image of 'ideal' parents who check that homework is done, understand external high-stakes tests and share a school's emphasis on achievement as defined by tests.…”

Mired in the shadows: quiet students in secondary schools

“…This may be explained by the prevalence of measurement/assessment strategies schools deploy which can result in significant withdrawal by various students (Hall, Collins, Benjamin, Nind, & Sheehy, 2004). This strategy of withdrawal may also be caused by fear of assessment, fear of failure, feelings of insecurity and teacher expectations that the student might find threatening (Collins, 1998).…”