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Agree. If a test contains questions that favor a particular race, then that is an outright problem, and schools should stop that. In this case, it's actually
by confiscate 8y ago
Agree.
If a test contains questions that favor a particular race, then that is an outright problem, and schools should stop that.
In this case, it's actually the opposite. When a test is in English, often Asians have to learn English, which is often not their primary language at home. So by default, an English-speaking race taking a test, has a HUGE advantage over an Asian test taker.
Which is why the stereotype is that "asians are good at math". Asians are NOT particularly good in math. It's just that in math tests, it's mostly numbers. The language barrier becomes less of an issue, the playing field levels out, so you suddenly notice Asians tend to get higher scores.
I suspect it would be the same for, say, geography tests, if the same test was translated to an Asian language. Suddenly "Asians are good at geography". Not really.
If anything, tests in English are culturally slanted away from Asians where English is often not their primary language.
- icelancer 8y agoThat is a good point and one I had not considered RE: math and the language barrier. Interesting.
- vixen99 8y ago"Asians not particularly good at math"? How does that square with what is well known in published surveys as for instance: "Singapore is routinely ranked at or near the top in global comparisons of mathematical ability and boasts one of the most admired education systems in the world. In a league table based on test scores from 76 countries published by the OECD in May last year, Singapore came first, followed by Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. The rankings, based on testing 15-year-olds’ abilities in maths and science, reinforced a sense that western children were slipping behind their Asian peers. The UK was in 20th place and the US 28th in the table. "