PIRLS 2006 Encyclopedia

Teacher In-service EducationPolish teachers have ample opportunities for professional development. In every province,there is a public in-service training center. Shorter or longer courses are offered bycommercial education firms. Universities offer postgraduate courses for teachers wantingto qualify to teach additional subjects.Examinations and AssessmentsNational or Regional ExaminationsMost students take a national examination at the end of each of the first three levels ofeducation: after primary school (age 13), after lower-secondary school (age 16), and afterupper-secondary school (age 19 or 20).The first examination requires a student to complete a single standardized paper-andpencil-test within 60 minutes. The second examination is comprised of two standardizedknowledge tests, one in the humanities and the other in mathematics and science.Each test is 120 minutes. The third examination consists of an oral presentation andstandardized knowledge tests in at least three subjects areas: Polish language, a modernforeign language, and a subject chosen by the student.The first two examinations report a graduate’s knowledge (facts, skills, and strategies).However, graduation is not contingent upon the examination score. The importance ofthe examinations grows, however, if in the next level school, the number of applicantsexceeds the number of places. A typical admission policy then selects applicantsaccording to their examination scores.The third examination also preselects candidates for higher education. Only thosegraduates who have at least 30% of the maximum number of points in every examinationsubject may apply to a higher-education institution. An institution uses the examinationscores to select applicants if the number of applicants exceeds the places that are availableat the institution.Standardized TestsStudents in grades 0–3 do not take national examinations. Commercial achievement testscompete for teachers’ attention. Such achievement tests usually consist of a few tasks thatassess students’ understanding of short, informative texts.PIRLS 2006 EncyclopediaMonitoring Individual Student ProgressAn elementary-grade teacher is required by law to assess every student’s achievementtwice a year. The assessment, provided to the student and his or her parents, is alengthy description specifying the student’s academic and social achievement andhis or her strengths and weaknesses. By law, the use of marks is not permitted for thebi-annual assessments.During the academic year, a teacher collects information on their students’achievement, such as conventional marks or other symbols devised by the teacher thatinclude short comments or students’ portfolios.PolandTIMSS & PIRLSInternational Study CenterLynch School of Education, Boston College 307