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THE FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT OF UWEZO LITERACY AND NUMERACY ASSESSMENT TOOLS.
LUGANDA
PREAMBLE
This framework has been crafted to guide the development of tests that are used for the Uwezo annual learning assessment in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. The essence of the framework is threefold: First, Uwezo conducts annual assessments and it is vital that the standard, quality and difficulty of the tests remain constant across the samples and the years. Secondly, four samples are availed for use to allow variation especially when testing many children within the same household. Again it is vital that a mechanism is put in place to allow same quality of the different samples of tests. Finally, the framework allows agreement of approach and focus across the three East African countries, and this eases comparison of learning levels across the region.
The framework has been informed by testing approaches used by ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) in India. An extensive literature review of varied testing approaches (EGRA, EGMA, NASMLA, SACMEQ and NAPE) was also made to inform this document. A distinctive feature of the Uwezo test is that each level is distinct and has local independence. Every level stands on its own. The level of difficulty also increases in each subsequent level.
Uwezo tests are pegged on the national curriculum content of the Standard 2 level in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. The following are the guidelines for the development of the tests in Literacy (English, Kiswahili and Local Languages) and Numeracy.
OBJECTIVES OF THE FRAMEWORK.
The overall objective of the framework is to offer guidelines to the item writers for the development of Uwezo test items.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEST ITEMS
Test item development will be guided by the following principles;
The Uwezo approach is to develop and use assessment tools that are low cost, simple and easy to use to ensure that the sampled households will be at ease with the assessment.
There will be three different panels per country that will be constituted to develop the three areas of assessment namely: literacy in English, Kiswahili/local languages and numeracy.
All items should be constructed to the level found in the national curriculum and recommended text books with the highest level being grade 2 in Tanzania/Kenya/Uganda.
Every level should address a specific competence.
Every level shall stand alone and not depend on an understanding of a previous level.
The test items shall be original and direct lifting of items from the textbooks shall not be allowed.
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The items shall take into consideration concerns on gender, environmental, cultural, political and religious biases.
Instructions for administering the test should be simple and clear.
For each subject, six test sets will be developed to assess the same level of competencies. They must therefore be at the same level of difficulty.
GENERAL DESIGN
All aspects of literacy and numeracy skills to be assessed should be basic and within the grade Two level.
However, Uwezo will not assess all competencies of literacy and numeracy as stipulated in the Syllabus and recommended textbooks. Uwezo’s interest is therefore to measure whether a child between the age of 6-16 has acquired the basic skills in literacy and numeracy.; In the literacy assessments Uwezo focuses on reading and comprehension only which is administered orally. The assessment is designed in such a way that it places the child at appropriate level of competence.
3 LITERACY TESTS
GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING LITERACY TESTS
Uwezo tests literacy in: Kiswahili, English and local languages.
The literacy tests are designed to assess both reading and comprehension literacy skills. Literacy tests measure different levels of competencies ranging from identification of letters/sounds/syllables to reading of short stories. Comprehension is measured based on ability to answer simple questions, once the child has read the highest level (story level).
Levels of assessment
Level 1. Syllable level.
For local languages this shall be the most basic assessment of a child’s reading preparedness. Syllable knowledge is a basic predictor of reading development. Children will be assessed on their ability to sound the syllables.
Level 2. Word level
The second stage of literacy competence is when the child can turn syllables into words. This is the level of familiar word identification. The choice of words should be derived from familiar objects meaning that all of them should be nouns. They should also be found in the state recommended textbooks.
Level 3. Paragraph level
At this level the child should be able to read short sentences fluently as whole words and without breaking the flow of the sentence. If they are unable to, then they should be taken to the word level.
Level 4. Story level.
At this level the child is expected to read a short story fluently, without breaking the flow of the sentences
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Guidelines for developing assessment tools for local languages
Tools for
assessment
Skills/competences involved
Comments Grading
A: Syllable
recognition
Syllable sound knowledge
Each test to have a total of 10 simple syllables
Only small letters to be included
The syllables can be anywhere in the word, at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the word.
The following levels of syllables shall be included: Six (6) from two letter syllables of cv structure e.g wa, bo, te;
two (2) from 3 letter syllables that include blends e.g nko, ndi, mpo, and two (2) 3 letter syllables that include semi vowel e.g kya, bwi, gyo, lwe.
Leave out syllables which stand as words to word level e.g ngo, nte, nsi, mpa, mba, nge, nta etc
Avoid difficult syllables that have rare words in the language e.g cwa
If the child can read 4 out 5 syllables, that child is graded at syllable level.
If the child can recognize three letters or less, they are to be graded as non- readers.
B. Word level (Reading simple words)
Phonemic
awareness where the learner connects letters or sounds to form words
Use words/vocabulary familiar to the children
Use nouns and verbs only
Each test to have Ten (10) simple words of not more than 3 syllables each e.g yaka, ente
Avoid three letter syllables coming close together towards the end of a word e.g ebinyeebwa, obwongo
All words must originate from the 8 themes at P2 level (Terms 1 and 2)
Use lower case letters e.g. m, g, z.
Avoid proper nouns.
Syllables to have one (1) to three (3) letters e.g ekiti (e-ki-ti), amata (a- ma-ta , enkoko (e-nko-ko)
7 words to have 2 syllables of two letter syllables
2 words to use syllables with double vowels which indicate long vowel
The child should read 5 words out of 10.
If a child can read at least 4 out of 5 words then this learner is graded at word level.
If he/she can only read three or less words then the child is graded at syllable level.
At this level the child is allowed to break the word into sound segments as they read the word.
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sounds e.g kasooli,
1 word to have syllables with the blend mp, mb, nd, nt e.g embuzi, ndeka, ente, enkoko
Avoid borrowed words e.g. lipoota, ladiyo.
Avoid ambiguous words which can have multiple meanings e.g nta, mba etc
Tools for
assessment
Skills/competences involved
Comments Grading
C:
Sentence/paragraph level
To assess the child’s ability to read fluently.
The tool to have two paragraphs and the child is to choose to read one.
Each paragraph should have 4 to 5 sentences of four to five words
The sentences must connect to each other to form a paragraph
Words to have 4 syllables of up to 4 letters. Syllables of 4 letters e.g. nswa- swa, mpwa-nga-li to be used sparingly.
Words in the sentences must be short and familiar to the children
Each paragraph to have an average of 20 to 25 words
Try to use sentences with Subject, Verb, Object (SVO) structure e.g.
Maama agula amata.
Avoid suffixes (use words in their natural form) e.g. somerera, kuumira
Use lower case letters except for starting sentences or proper nouns .e.g m,g,d as opposed to M, G, D
Avoid use of direct speech eg Mutebi agambye nti, “Ndi mulwadde”
There should be minimal use of words previously used at word level to generate sentences
When using names, they should be short and simple local names in those particular ethnic groups e.g Kato/ as
An allowance of two errors only are allowed i.e. skipping words or failure to read correctly or read as a string of words rather than as a sentence
If the child can read fluently as whole sentences not as a string of words and without stopping often then the child is at the paragraph level.
NB: Differentiate between children who stammer and those who are merely hesitant.
If they are hesitant in the reading of the paragraph then they are graded at word level
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opposed to Ndikiryajjo, ssegantebuka.
Avoid ambiguous sentences e.g Mugimu alina ettaka eggimu
Avoid unresolved negativity in the sentences/stories e.g. Nakato talina magezi as opposed to Nakato mugezi.
Words that form complete sentences should be avoided at all levels, e.g, mujama, nakulabirawo
Tools for
assessment
Skills/competences involved
Comments Grading
D. Story level Ability to read and understand a story
Each story is to have two simple paragraphs of 5 to 7 sentences each of 5 to 6 familiar words of up to 5 syllables per word
Average number of words per story to be between 70-80 words.
Complex syllables in words such as sso, dde, mpya, nywa, mbwa can be used.
Use root words which do not include affixes.
Present or simple past tense should be used e.g. Nalule anaaba, / Nalule yanaaba or as opposed to Nalule yamaze okunaaba
Use lower case letter except for starting sentences or proper nouns
Use simple punctuations (full stop and question mark).
Avoid passive voice eg Musisi yaliibwa ensolo
The vocabulary should be familiar to the learner.
Avoid ambiguous words and sentences
Avoid negativity in the sentences that is not resolved in the story like Nalule si mwana mulungi as opposed to Nalule mwana mulungi.
An allowance of four errors only are allowed (e.g. skipping words or reading wrongly)
If a child can read with ease, does not stop frequently or does not read a sentence as a string of words, then the child is at the story level.
If the child is hesitant in the reading then the child is graded to try the paragraph level.
E. Comprehension A child that is able to read the story Each child is asked
7 Comprehension
level
is asked 2 questions
Question 1 will be a direct question, while question 2 will be indirect, requiring inference
The first question should not come from the first sentence.
The second question may come from any part of the story
Expected answers may be in one word or several words.
both questions, and each scored
independently - A child who gets
one of the questions correctly is at this level