Title:

Can primary school teachers grade the literacy level of girls and boys objectively?

Creator:

Skórska, Paulina ; Świst, Karolina ; Grygiel, Paweł ; Humenny, Grzegorz ; Modzelewski, Michał ; Dolata, Roman

Publisher:

Educational Research Institute

Date:

2017

Abstract:

Research suggests that primary school teachers grade the reading and writing skills of girls higher than of boys, even when they have the same level of ability. In this article, we try to verify this hypothesis. We analysed (a) teachers’ grades (prepared particularly for the purpose of this research), and (b) achievement test results, which controlled for the differential item functioning due to gender. We used multiple indicators, the multiple causes (MIMIC) model on a representative sample of 4144 Polish third-grade students. Teachers graded girls’ ability levels higher. However, the difference disappeared when we controlled for the test-based ability level. Therefore, we conclude that teachers can grade literacy levels without gender bias.

Bibliographic citation:

Edukacja. 2017, 3 (142)

Subject and Keywords:

literacy ; multiple indicators multiple causes ; MIMIC model ; grading ; gender ; bias ; differential item functioning

Coverage:

21st century

Language:

pol

Rights:

Creative Commons BY 4.0

Resource Type:

article

ISSN:

0239-6858