Activity 3.9

Tagalog Math Problem

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Purpose:

To experience the effect of one potential source of bias in testing—not knowing the language in which the assessment occurs.

Uses:

This is an awareness level activity that can be used in Chapter 1 to illustrate potential sources of bias and distortion, or in Chapter 3 as an opener for a much deeper examination of the interaction of culture, language, and assessment.

Rationale:

Bias in assessment occurs when a skill not being assessed interferes with the student's ability to show what he or she can do on the skill actually being assessed. In this case the math skill being assessed is averaging. But, the typical American student would not be able to demonstrate his or her ability to average because he or she would not know what the question asks. Thus, not knowing the language (a skill not being assessed in this case) inhibits the student's ability to show what he or she can do in math (the skill actually being assessed).

Materials:

• Overhead projector, screen, blank transparencies, transparency pens

• Overheads A3.9O1—Tagalog Purposes; A3.9,O2—Tuusin…; A3.9,O3—Add…; A3.9,O4—Discussion Questions

Time Required:

20-30 minutes

Facilitator's Notes:

1. (2 minutes) Use Overhead A3.9,O1—Tagalog Purposes, as needed to explain the purpose of the activity.
2. (5 minutes) Show the task in Tagalog (Overhead A3.9,O2) and ask participants to solve the math problem. If they ask for a translation tell them, "I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to give you any help on the test. Just do the best you can."

After a minute or two ask participants what their solution is and why they approached the problem the way they did.

3. (5 minutes) Show the English translation (Overhead A3.9,O3) and ask participants to compare what they guessed they were supposed to do to what they were actually supposed to do.
4. (10-20 minutes) Discuss (use Overhead A3.9,O4):

1. Was it fair to assess math in this way?
2. Has a similar thing ever happened to themselves or a student they know? Share examples.
3. What other things might bias the results of an assessment? (You might need to remind participants that bias in assessment occurs when something that you are not trying to assess interferes with something you are trying to assess. Such as, too high a reading level on a math test; too much writing on a reading test; ability to play a role when you're really assessing critical thinking skills; etc.
4. Under what assessment circumstances might language be a biasing factor, and under what assessment circumstances would language not be a biasing factor? (Hint: If ability to use English is the skill being assessed, then language is not a biasing factor. If you are not assessing ability to use English, then language might be a biasing factor. The essential part is to be really clear on what it is you are trying to assess. If you aren't really clear on what skills are being assessed, it is impossible to tell what other skills required by the task might bias the results.)

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