Evaluation and Comparative Analysis of SSC and O Level English Language Syllabuses and Texts
5.5 The Presentation of the Skills in the Syllabuses, Textbooks and Recommended Books Recommended Books
The Syllabuses of SSC and O Levels have the scope to evaluate two skills only:
reading and writing. Nevertheless, distribution of marks, according to skills, varies from one stream to another, indicating where the syllabus intends to stress. It becomes clear from the figures of the following table, and from the analyses of the four skills as presented in the respective syllabuses and books.
Table 5.1
Distribution of Marks, according to Skills, in the Syllabuses
Skills SSC EDEXCEL Cambridge
Writing 50% 70% 50%
Reading 20% 30% 50%
Speaking – – –
Listening – – –
Vocabulary and grammar 30% – –
Total 100% 100% 100%
Source: Compiled, based on SSC, EDEXCEL and Cambridge syllabuses
5.5.1 Writing
Fifty percent (50%) marks have been allotted for writing test at SSC level, while the percentage is 50% in Cambridge and 70% in EDEXCEL GCE O Level. SSC textbook provides quite a good scope for writing skills practice. In every lesson the students are asked to do some writing tasks—on the basis of the reading passage that is given in that lesson—pertaining to different aspects. These tasks include writing both formal and informal letters, writing paragraphs according to instructions, writing job applications, writing essays on specific topics etc. The students are also asked to describe people or things and argue for or against a topic. Writing tasks enable students to connect the sentences and make smooth transitions between words. They also come to know about the skills of organisations and cohesive devices.
In Chapter 4 of GCE English Language, the students are asked to do some writing tasks—on the basis of the reading passage. This chapter basically stresses the directed writing practice. It focuses on selecting the main facts and related ideas from texts. There are plenty of tasks in this chapter. The title of chapter 5 is 'Writing in Different Ways for Different Audiences'. It presents writing in both formal and casual styles, organising work in a suitable way, and presenting work appropriately. The tasks in this chapter are designed targeting different kinds of audience. Chapter 6 deals with creative writing, and the students are asked to practise 'Describing Places', 'Describing People', 'Writing Narrative', ‘Writing Personally', and 'Writing Discursively'. Along with instructions on how to write these aspects as well as examples, there is at least one task in each lesson to be fulfilled by the learners. There are guidelines on how to solve the task.
General Certificate English is divided into 6 parts; Part 2 deals with directed writing apart from comprehension and summary, and Part 3 deals with 'Comprehension, in Writing: Composition'. There is discussion on general and specific skills in part 3;
length of composition, handwriting, topic selection, how to make a plan before writing a composition, ways of starting composition, linking of paragraphs, developing ideas, and finishing a composition. Then there are instructions on different types of compositions:
descriptive, argumentative, narrative, situational, writing about pictures etc. There are instructions on formal and informal letters along with specimens. There are some scopes for practising directed writing and reading comprehension in Part 2.
Most of the chapters of Morel’s Secondary Certificate English deal with writing skills. The first four are fully focused on writing: writing purposes, plain writing for everyday, Imagination in writing, Essays and magazine articles. ‘Writing purposes’ gives ideas about words, sentences and the essential features of the paragraphs. Along with guidelines and specimens, there is scope for exercises also. ‘Plain writing for everyday’
includes telegrams, advertisements, postcards, reports, business letters, applying for a job etc. Apart from definitions of the components, there are examples of each type, which is then followed by exercises. Chapter 3 deals with imagination in writing items, while the prime focus of Chapter 4 is to develop essays and magazine articles. All the chapters are developed almost in the same way; guidelines, examples followed by exercises.
5.5.2 Reading
Twenty percent (20%) marks have been allotted for reading skills test in the SSC syllabus, while the percentage is 30 in EDEXCEL GCE O Level and 50 in Cambridge. At the SSC level reading skill is tested through a passage chosen from the 1st paper text (with little or no changes from the original). In EDEXCEL GCE O Level usually two unseen passages are extracted from the sources mentioned in the syllabus, while in Cambridge it is one, and of course unseen.
In the SSC 1st paper textbook—in almost all the lessons—the students are given a reading task. They are given passages on different familiar topics. Before reading the passage there is an effort to activate the students’ schemata. The book covers a good number of micro-skills of reading, for example skimming, scanning, reading for details etc. Reading passages are usually followed by warm-up activities. The topic of the reading passages is related to the personal life of the learners.
The second chapter of GCE English Language, focuses on 'Reading a variety of texts for explicit meaning' that includes 'instruction texts for precise meaning,' 'instruction texts for comparing,' 'argument texts for summarizing,' and 'literary texts for comprehension'. Each lesson is followed by at least one task. Chapter two deals with 'Reading variety of texts for implied meaning' that includes 'reading report texts,' 'reading persuasive texts,' 'reading literary texts,' 'sample exam questions and answers'. This book, like the one in SSC, covers micro-skills of reading also: skimming and scanning. Here, the students are asked to answer the questions that follow every text.
Etherton's General Certificate English has 6 parts. Part two basically deals with reading comprehension. Unlike SSC textbook, this text moves forward focusing on individual skills separately. The contents of this book are based on the syllabuses and past papers of the University of Cambridge and the University of London. The second part of the book shows students the techniques required while giving accurate answers to comprehension questions. Students are taken step by step through a wide variety of questions from past papers, and are then required to answer questions on other past papers or on passages of a similar standard. The importance of understanding the question is stressed. Students may at first find some of the work challenging but past results show that the examiners are looking for something more than superficial understanding of the facts.
There are 12 Chapters in Morel's Secondary certificate English, where Chapter 5 (Understanding) and Chapter 10 (To Help You in Reading) deal with reading skill.
Practice passages are compiled in chapter 5, which in each case are followed by some questions. Before moving onto the exercises, there are some sub-chapters where some instructions are given for understanding a reading text as well as how to summarise texts.
Chapter 10 reflects on the issues like 'what to look for in literature,' 'how to judge quality' and 'how to write about what we read' etc.
Comparison of reading skill practice shows that SSC textbook is more systematic than the textbooks of O level.
5.5.3 Speaking
The syllabuses suggest that the language of the classroom should be English, and the teachers are expected to impart their instructions in English. No mark has been allotted for speaking skill test at the SSC level, not in EDEXCEL GCE O Level and Cambridge either.
There is a significant difference between the textbook of SSC and O levels in terms of speaking skill practice, as the O level books do not provide tasks on speaking skills. Though no provision of speaking test is there at the SSC level, the learners are provided with ample opportunities for developing speaking skills. In most of the chapters students are asked to discuss a particular topic based on the passage they have just read and that relates to their personal experience. Activities are designed to help develop
fluency in the learner. There are a lot variety of practice opportunities in the shape of describing, simplifying, generalising etc. The activities are communication based. The tasks in the SSC first paper book are designed to be used in pairs or in small groups. The teacher is supposed to engage students in activities; monitor the activities and provide feedback.
5.5.4 Listening
Listening is one of the four major skills. Significantly, there is no provision for testing this skill in either of the streams. The absence of a test has left a negative impact on the practice of this skill. In some lessons of SSC textbook, listening tasks are provided, but they are not enough. In fact, none of the textbooks and recommended books provides enough practice for listening skills.
It is significant that the teachers of both the mediums hold the opinion that the absence of test is the main barrier to listening skill practice. Another important factor is the absence of necessary equipments in the institutions.
5.5.5 Integration of Skills
The lessons of SSC first paper textbook engage students in at least three skills:
writing, reading and speaking. In most of the cases the skills are treated in an integrated way. Most of the lessons are based on the principle of pair and group work. It creates an obvious link between the classroom and the real world outside the classroom. In most of the lessons students are asked to read a passage first, and then they are asked to discuss some points of the passage in groups or pairs. Next, they are asked to perform some tasks based on the reading passage, but these are extended from the text to the learners’ own world. Finally, they are asked to write something focusing on the reading passage. In a number of lessons they are given a letter and asked to write replies to the letters. In Unit 1 lesson 1, students are asked to write a short article of about 100 words based on the answers for the school magazine. In lesson 2 of the same unit students are asked to write a letter to mother about their experiences and feelings after visiting friend's family. In unit 3 lesson-2, students are asked to write about their profile for school magazine. In the same unit of lesson 2, students are asked to prepare a debate speech on the motion 'More time should be spent for extra curricular activities at school.' In Unit 4, lesson 6 the students are asked to write a composition on their favourite Bangladeshi foods.
Integration of skill is presented in a better style in the SSC texts than they are in the texts of O levels. In EDEXCEL GCE O Level, integration of skills is practised when students are asked to prepare directed writing taking points from the ‘reading texts’.
Arrangements of chapters in Morel's Secondary Certificate English clearly indicates that the chapters are distributed according to individual skill; not integrating the skills together. The first four chapters have been spent for ‘writing’, chapter 5 deals with understanding i.e. reading, chapter 6 for vocabulary, chapter 7 for picturesque language, chapter 8 for punctuation, chapter 9 for common errors and chapter 10 for reading.
However, there is one chapter in GCE English Language titled 'From Reading to Writing ' that contains both ‘reading’ and ‘writing’ skills practice. Here some tasks have been suggested for directed writing by taking information from the reading comprehension.
Here, integration of writing and reading skill is present but integration of other skills is not suggested directly. ‘Writing’ and ‘reading’ skills have been integrated like that of SSC text in part 2 (Comprehension, summary and directed writing) and part 3 (Comprehension, in writing: composition) of General Certificate English, a book still very popular at the O levels.