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Academic achievement across public schools

The annual External Measurement of Student Achievement (EMSA) program, conducted by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) for 2012, demonstrates overall improvement and higher academic achievements among public school students.

The assessment program conducted in March 2012 assessed the achievement of students in Grades 3 to 12 in Arabic, English and Mathematics. Grades 3 to 9 are also assessed in Science. All assessments are developed, scored and analyzed by an independent 3rd party.

“Following collection of EMSA test results, periodical meetings are held by the Curriculum Division to develop the appropriate teaching plans for the upcoming years. This year, a focus on improving the teaching of writing skills for cycle 1 students and in particular G4 students who have not been taught in accordance with ADEC NSM criteria and standards, was made. In general, student performance level can be measured in all subject areas based on “EMSA” test results being one of the indicators used by ADEC to ensure provision of quality teaching and learning.” Added Dr. Karima Al Mazroui, ADEC’s Curriculum Division Manager.

Grades 3 to 12 school students demonstrated improvement in Arabic language literacy in comparison to previous years, with noticeable improvement in reading literacy among Grades 3 to 8.

Cycle One results demonstrate that the level of achievement for Grades 3, 4 and 5 in Arabic reading and writing are significantly stronger than the level of achievement in Grades 4, 5 and 6 in 2009. All three grades showed a significant improvement in Arabic reading in comparison with 2011, however the general achievement in writing of Grade 4 2012 was lower than Grade 4 in 2011. The reading assessments showed a developmental progression from Grades 3 to 5, where Grade 3 students were able to deal with simple ideas in text while students in Grade 4 and Grade 5 are able to provide evidence from texts to support ideas.

Cycle One results demonstrate that the level of achievement for Grades 3, 4 and 5 in Arabic reading and writing are significantly stronger than the level of achievement in Grades 4, 5 and 6 in 2009. All three grades showed a significant improvement in Arabic reading in comparison with 2011, however the general achievement in writing of Grade 4 2012 was lower than Grade 4 in 2011. The reading assessments showed a developmental progression from Grades 3 to 5, where Grade 3 students were able to deal with simple ideas in text while students in Grade 4 and Grade 5 are able to provide evidence from texts to support ideas.

Cycle Two Arabic Language reading literacy results demonstrated a significant improvement from Grades 6 to 8, both Grades 6 and 7 showed a level of achievement in 2012 that matched the level of achievement in Grades 7 and 8 in 2011. The overall levels of improvement in reading and writing have been significant in the previous three years.

A strong progression existed between Grades 6 to 8 in a student’s capability to deal with inferred information from texts. Grade 9 students were capable of dealing with inferred information and also able to introduce new related ideas.

All Cycle Three grade levels demonstrated positive results in Arabic reading, with significant improvement achieved by Grade 10. The EMSA 2012 Arabic writing results showed that Cycle Three students are more capable than Cycle Three students in 2009 and 2010. The Grade 10 students were able to suggest ideas to further develop an idea reported in the text; these skills progressed in Grade 11, with Grade 12 students able to predict new thinking according to information given in the text and to suggest solutions for problems presented in texts.

The 2012 administration of EMSA indicated a system wide improvement in English language literacy. A highlight of the program was a particular improvement in English writing scores across all grades and significant score increases in reading literacy across Grades 3 to 7.

Cycle One students improved in both English reading and writing in comparison to 2011. In reading, Grade 3 results were significantly better than the standard set by Grade 4 in 2011, likewise Grade 4 2012 was comparable to Grade 5 in 2011 and Grade 5 2012 are comparable to Grade 6 in 2011.

Both New School Model grade levels showed significant improvement in English writing in comparison to Grades 3 and 4 in previous administrations. This year’s Grade 5 cohort surpassed the standard of achievement set in writing by Grade 6 in 2011.

Grade 3 students demonstrated a good ability to read and respond to visual literary texts with basic vocabulary. Grade 4 and 5 students were more capable in the use of basic nouns, verbs and adjectives. Similarly, Cycle Two students have demonstrated significant improvement in English Reading and Writing, particularly in Grades 6 and 7. Grade 6 and 7 students in general were competent at comprehending and using explicit information in texts. Students in Grades 8 and 9 demonstrated an increasing ability to comprehend and use inferred information. Cycle Three students have shown improvement in English Writing. Grade 10 surpassed the achievement standard set by Grade 11 in 2011, with Grade 11 in 2012 surpassing the Grade 12 cohort in 2011. Grade 12 had a slight decrease in the average achievement in English reading but achieved a significant improvement in English writing.

Considerable improvement is also evident this year in Mathematics among the majority of Cycle Two and Cycle Three grade levels. Cycle One grades demonstrated an overall consistent level of achievement in comparison with previous years. In general Grade 3 students demonstrated capability in counting, simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, recognition of number patterns and correct use of measurement units.

Grade 4 students could competently carry out simple subtraction, recognize shapes, and interpret simple bar charts, where-as Grade 5 students in general were competent at more complicated arithmetic, using tables of values for a geometric pattern and at reading coordinates. Cycle Two demonstrated improvements at all grade levels with significant improvements achieved in Grades 7 to 9.

Grade 6 and 7 students were skilled at responding to questions related to number and geometric patterns, interpreting graphs and tables, calculating averages, finding square roots and performing simple calculations with percentages. Students in grades 8 and 9 demonstrated abilities in solving probability problems, expanding algebraic expressions, graphing linear relationships from equations and solving simple quadratic equations. Cycle Three demonstrated improvement in Mathematics, particularly in the Grade 10 Academic Mathematics, Grade 11 Academic Mathematics and Grade 11 Applied Mathematics. The Grade 12 Academic Mathematics assessment demonstrated a fall in achievement when compared with the 2011 administration.

The EMSA Science assessment is administered to students in Grades 3 to 9. The standard of achievement in Science has consistently improved since the baseline administration in 2009. In 2012 significant improvements in achievement were observed in Grades 5 and 6. Cycle One students had the highest level of achievement with questions related to the ‘Life Systems’ strand of the curriculum and performed well with questions related to ‘Earth and Space’.

Similarly in Cycle Two, students in Grade 6 and Grade 7 demonstrated most ability when responding to ‘Earth and Space’ and ‘Living World’ questions however in Grades 8 and 9, students demonstrated greater abilities in ‘Earth and Space’ and ‘Matter’.

ADEC is preparing for its 5th full administration of the EMSA program for March 2013. Results from the previous four administrations are providing educators and policy-makers at ADEC with reliable and independent evidence of improvement in student achievement.