For the academic year 2019/2020, the first component to be tested is the Ability Test for Grade 6 which will be administered, Tuesday, February 25, 2020. It will measure students’ ability to reason with words and quantities (Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning). It represents 30% of students’ profile. This test consists of 40 Single Select Multiple Choice Items. Students will complete the test in Test booklets (similar in layout as in the Practice papers distributed to the system), and not on a separate answer sheet.
GENERAL TIPS FOR PREPARING FOR 2020 PEP – ABILITY TEST
1. Students should gather materials needed for the examination before the day arrives. Students should gather all the tools and items they will need for their examination from the previous night to avoid searching for things on the morning of the examination. Searching may cause the child to become flustered.
2. Students should not study on the night before the examination. This may result in an overload on the brain and may cause temporary memory loss.
3. Students should be encouraged to go to bed early the night before the exam. A good night's rest is important to the students functioning at their best the next day.
4. Students should have a healthy breakfast on the morning of the exam, but should not over eat.
5. Parents/Guardians must ensure that students get to the venue at least 30 minutes before the start of the examination. They should arrive at the exam centre early on the morning of the exam. This will help them to relax and settle down and minimize nervousness. Arriving just in time to go into the exam room, or worse arriving late may cause you to get agitated and unnecessarily nervous.
6. Remind students that on entering the examination room they should remain calm and pretend they are in a regular class.
7. Students should read examination questions carefully before providing answers. Parents/Guardians should encourage students to read options given carefully before selecting their answers. Remind students that if they select an incorrect answer they are to erase clearly then make their next choice.
8. Students should be informed that the Ability Test contains 40 multiple choice questions. There is only one answer for each question. Encourage them to make sure they select ONLY ONE answer for each question.
9. Remember to check and ensure that they have answered all forty (40) questions for the test.
10. Please ensure that they shade their answers in the booklet.
11. Students are not to make stray marks on the booklets. They are to use the rough work paper provided.
12. Encourage students to use time wisely, do not hurry because persons sitting next to them have finished.
13. Remind the students to insert their rough work paper into the booklets.
TIPS FOR STUDENTS
• Check the booklet to ensure that you have received the correct booklet.
• Answer all questions in the booklet. There are 40 Multiple Choice questions in this test. There is only one answer to each question.
· Remain calm and obey the instruction given by the Presiding Examiners.
• Do not communicate with other students in the examination.
• Do not spend too much time on one question. If you are having challenges with a problem, leave it and come back to it later, if there is enough time.
• Check over your test after you are done with it. If you have time, redo the problems to see if you come up with the same answers the second time around.
• Look for careless mistakes. If you want to change your answer, make sure to erase your answers carefully and reshape your new answer.
• Ensure that you read the directions correctly; that you calculated using the correct numbers.
• Remember to insert your rough work paper into your test booklets.
• Do not leave the examination with any material. Make sure you hand in all papers,
THE PERFORMANCE TASK
The performance task is an activity or assessment that asks students to solve a problem by demonstrating their knowledge, understanding and proficiency. It is curriculum based and assesses students’ grasp of concepts, principles and procedures coming from content Language Arts and Mathematics. The scores for the Performance Tasks for Language Arts and Mathematics will be combined with the scores the students received in the respective Curriculum Based Tests to give an overall score of the students’ achievement of the NSC for the different subject. Students will sit their Grade 6 Performance Tasks in their classroom under the supervision of their class teachers.
The days for this examination for Grade 6 students for the academic year 2019
2020 are:-
· Thursday, March 19, 2020 – Language Arts Performance Tasks
· Friday, March 20, 2020 – Mathematics Performance Tasks
STRUCTURE OF THE EXAMINATION
Language Arts Performance Task – 2 hours
This test will assess students’ ability to gather information from multiple sources.
Here students will be assessed in Reading, Writing and Research. This test will have four to six questions. In Part 1, students will be given the option to choose 1 of 2 questions to answer.
PERFORMANCE TASK will cover the following areas:
Grammar & Conventions, Comprehension, Vocabulary (Term 1, Unit 1) Writing,
Research/Study Skills (Term 1, Unit 2)
MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE TASK – 2 HOURS
This test assesses students’ ability to demonstrate understanding of mathematical concepts. Students will be assessed in concept and procedure, problem solving, communication and modelling. Students will be given four to six questions; they will be given an opportunity based on a scenario to make their unique choices.
PERFORMANCE TASK will cover the following areas:
Number and Measurement (Term Units 1 and Unit 2).
In an effort to prepare our teachers to provide support for our students the following is being planned.
The Days for the Curriculum Based Tests for Grade 6 students for the academic year 2019-2020 are:-
· April 23, 2020 – Language Arts and Science
· April 24, 2020 – Mathematics and Social Studies