Teachers are reporting anxiety among some pupils in primary schools as a result of standardised tests.
All schools are now required to administer standardised reading and maths tests in second, fourth and sixth classes, and to report the findings to parents and the Department of Education.
According to the study published in the Irish Times, the findings show the tests are a valuable tool for assessment, but it also finds some teachers reported anxiety among students.
This report by the Institute of Education at DCU and the primary teachers union the INTO got the opinions of 15 hundred primary school teachers about standardised tests such as the Drumcondra test.
The research was undertaken by Prof Michael O’Leary from DCU’s Institute of Education.
A number of teachers reported pupils feeling anxious about the tests, which retired principal Frank Shortt says it might be because some parents are taking them too seriously.
It also recommends changing the timing of the tests from the Summer to Autumn as a way of alleviating pressure.
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