Understanding is major hurdle

MANY matric pupils cannot write in paragraphs, do not understand exam questions and are unfamiliar with key terminology used in each subject.

In short, many pupils can’t read and write well enough in English to do well in matric.

This is a finding in the Third National Diagnostic Report that summarises the difficulties pupils faced when writing the 2013 matric exams.

Senior markers analysed 100 question papers per subject for the report. It is given to teachers to help them prepare the matric class of 2014 for exams. The report found: ý Pupils seem to perform well in questions requiring short answers;

ý They perform poorly in questions requiring extended responses, using paragraphs;

ý Pupils struggle to argue points and substantiate their ideas;

ý Questions based on parts of the curriculum taught near the end of the year are poorly answered, meaning teachers have not finished the year’s content;

ý Pupils do not understand vocabulary commonly used in questions such as “quote”, “explain” and “analyse”.

In the mathematics exam, poor literacy led to “responses that were far removed from the required answer”. Graphs and maps also posed a challenge, with many pupils unable to read them.

Markers came to the conclusion that many history pupils did not have access to textbooks, as they had very poor knowledge of the curriculum topics, the report said.

Suggestions for teachers included introducing an “assessment vocabulary” so that pupils could understand words such as “identify” or “quote” and answer questions appropriately.

Teachers’ union Naptosa chairman Basil Manuel said he was not surprised to hear pupils struggled with basic English reading skills.

“We must remember more than 70% of matric pupils are writing in a second language.”