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Sri Lanka Teachers' Service Efficiency Bar (EB) Exam study materials
Sri Lanka Teachers' Service Efficiency Bar (EB) Exam study resources

Sri Lanka Teachers' Service Efficiency Bar (EB) Exam practice questions

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Question 1Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

According to Sri Lanka's national curriculum policy, the primary purpose of continuous assessment in the classroom is best described as which of the following?

  1. Replacing the summative term examination entirely
  2. Providing marks only for the school report card
  3. Ranking students against one another at the end of each term
  4. Gathering evidence of student learning to guide teaching and improve learning Correct answer.

Explanation

Continuous assessment is formative in purpose: teachers collect evidence of learning during instruction and use it to adjust teaching and give feedback. Its main function is improvement of learning, not ranking or mere reporting. Summative examinations remain a separate function.

Question 2Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher plans a lesson on the water cycle and writes: 'By the end of the lesson, students will be able to label the four stages of the water cycle on a diagram with 80% accuracy.' This statement is best identified as which of the following?

  1. A broad aim covering the whole term
  2. An assessment instrument
  3. A teaching method chosen for the lesson
  4. A learning objective stated in observable and measurable terms Correct answer.

Explanation

A well-written learning objective names observable student behaviour (labelling), a condition (on a diagram) and a criterion (80% accuracy). This makes it measurable and checkable at the end of the lesson. Aims are broader and methods or instruments are not objectives.

Question 3Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

In Bloom's revised taxonomy, a question that asks students to 'compare the causes of two floods described in the textbook' mainly requires which cognitive process?

  1. Analyse Correct answer.
  2. Create
  3. Apply
  4. Remember

Explanation

Comparing requires students to break information into parts and detect relationships between them, which is the analyse level. Remembering and applying do not require relating separate causes. Creating would require producing a new product or plan.

Question 4Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher groups students of mixed ability and gives each member a distinct role so that the group succeeds only if all members contribute. This arrangement is the defining feature of which approach?

  1. Programmed learning
  2. Direct exposition
  3. Individualised instruction
  4. Cooperative learning Correct answer.

Explanation

Cooperative learning is defined by positive interdependence: group success depends on each member's contribution, with assigned roles and shared accountability. Individualised and programmed learning are self-paced and solitary, and direct exposition is teacher-centred.

Question 5Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

During a lesson a teacher asks a question, pauses, then calls on a student by name. Which principle of effective questioning does the pause primarily support?

  1. Reducing the number of questions asked per lesson
  2. Moving quickly through the syllabus
  3. Ensuring only confident students answer
  4. Increasing wait time so more students can think before responding Correct answer.

Explanation

A deliberate pause after asking a question, before nominating a respondent, extends wait time and lets all students process the question. This raises participation and quality of answers. It does not reduce questions or speed up coverage.

Question 6Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants students to master a practical science skill. Which assessment tool is most appropriate for judging the psychomotor performance directly?

  1. A performance checklist used while students carry out the task Correct answer.
  2. A group interview about the skill
  3. A multiple-choice test on the theory of the skill
  4. An essay on the importance of the skill

Explanation

Psychomotor skills are best assessed by observing the actual performance against explicit criteria, which a checklist provides. Written tests and interviews capture knowledge or opinions about the skill rather than the skill itself.

Question 7Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

In a criterion-referenced assessment, a student's result is interpreted by which of the following?

  1. Ranking the student within the class
  2. Comparing the performance with the class average
  3. Converting marks into a normal curve
  4. Comparing the performance with stated learning standards Correct answer.

Explanation

Criterion-referenced assessment judges performance against predetermined standards or criteria, independent of other students. Norm-referenced approaches compare students with one another or with the group average. Ranking and curve-fitting belong to norm-referenced practice.

Question 8Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher writes test items, checks them against the lesson objectives, and ensures each objective is sampled by an appropriate number of items. This process is best called which of the following?

  1. Standardising the marking scheme
  2. Constructing a table of specifications Correct answer.
  3. Calculating the item difficulty
  4. Moderating the answer script

Explanation

A table of specifications maps objectives and content areas to the number and type of items, ensuring balanced coverage. Marking schemes, moderation and item-difficulty statistics are separate later stages of test development.

Question 9Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

Which of the following best describes the role of a scheme of work in the teaching-learning process?

  1. It states the school's disciplinary rules
  2. It records the daily attendance of each student
  3. It breaks the syllabus into sequenced units across the school terms Correct answer.
  4. It lists the marks obtained in the term test

Explanation

A scheme of work translates the syllabus into a term-by-term plan, sequencing topics and allocating time. Attendance records, mark lists and discipline rules serve administrative purposes and are not schemes of work.

Question 10Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher begins a new unit by asking students what they already know about the topic and records their ideas on the board. In terms of the learning process, this mainly serves to do which of the following?

  1. Complete the school report requirement
  2. Test students for promotion
  3. Activate prior knowledge to connect with new learning Correct answer.
  4. Provide a summative grade for the unit

Explanation

Eliciting prior knowledge activates existing schemas so that new information can be linked and retained. It is a diagnostic, instructional move rather than a grading or promotion device.

Question 11Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher uses a range of activities (discussion, drawing, role play and writing) within one lesson on the same concept. The strongest pedagogical justification is which of the following?

  1. Different modes cater to varied learning preferences and reinforce the concept Correct answer.
  2. It reduces the teacher's preparation time
  3. It guarantees higher marks in the term test
  4. It removes the need for assessment

Explanation

Multiple representations of the same concept give learners varied entry points and repeated exposure, strengthening understanding. Variety is justified by learning benefits, not by saving preparation time or guaranteeing marks.

Question 12Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher notices a student consistently misreads multi-syllable words. The most appropriate first step is which of the following?

  1. Give the whole class extra homework on all subjects
  2. Diagnose the specific decoding error and plan targeted remedial practice Correct answer.
  3. Ignore the error until the term examination
  4. Refer the student immediately for promotion review

Explanation

Effective remediation begins with diagnosis of the specific skill deficit, followed by focused practice on that skill. Blanket measures or delay do not address the identified decoding problem.

Question 13Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

Which of the following is the clearest example of a formative feedback statement?

  1. You are a weak student in this subject
  2. You must repeat the whole unit next term
  3. Your introduction states the topic clearly; add one example to strengthen the second paragraph Correct answer.
  4. You obtained 45 out of 100

Explanation

Formative feedback identifies what was done well and gives a specific, actionable next step. A mark, a personal judgement or a punitive decision does not tell the learner how to improve.

Question 14Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

In a lesson plan, the section that states the materials, handouts and equipment the teacher will need is usually labelled which of the following?

  1. Introduction
  2. Evaluation
  3. Teaching-learning resources Correct answer.
  4. Development

Explanation

The resources section lists the materials and equipment needed to deliver the lesson. Evaluation records how learning will be judged, while introduction and development are stages of the lesson itself.

Question 15Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants to check whether a test consistently yields the same results when repeated with similar students. The teacher is concerned with which test quality?

  1. Reliability Correct answer.
  2. Objectivity of the marker
  3. Usability
  4. Validity

Explanation

Reliability refers to the consistency and stability of measurement across repeated administrations. Validity concerns whether the test measures what it intends to measure, which is a different property.

Question 16Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher asks students to keep a weekly journal in which they record what they learned, what confused them and what they will do next. This practice mainly develops which of the following?

  1. Metacognitive self-regulation Correct answer.
  2. Competitive ranking
  3. Handwriting speed
  4. Rote memorisation

Explanation

Recording confusion and planning next steps requires students to monitor and regulate their own learning, which is metacognition. Rote memorisation and handwriting speed are unrelated to such reflection.

Question 17Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

Which of the following classroom practices best reflects the principle of inclusive education?

  1. Adapting tasks and support so that students with diverse needs learn together in the same class Correct answer.
  2. Teaching only to the average student in the class
  3. Reducing the curriculum for students with disabilities without assessment
  4. Separating low-achieving students into a permanent remedial class

Explanation

Inclusive education means accommodating learner diversity within the common classroom through adapted tasks, materials and support. Permanent segregation or teaching only to the average excludes learners rather than including them.

Question 18Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher uses a 'think-pair-share' structure. Which sequence correctly describes it?

  1. Reading aloud, copying notes, silent revision
  2. Individual thinking, discussion with a partner, then sharing with the class Correct answer.
  3. Group discussion, teacher summary, individual homework
  4. Whole-class lecture, individual test, group marking

Explanation

Think-pair-share moves from private reflection to paired discussion and then to whole-class sharing, gradually widening participation. The other sequences describe unrelated routines.

Question 19Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants to reduce the effect of guessing on a multiple-choice test. Which action is most appropriate?

  1. Use plausible distractors and include more than three options per item Correct answer.
  2. Make all distractors obviously wrong
  3. Reward students for choosing the longest option
  4. Remove the correct answer from some items

Explanation

Guessing is reduced when distractors are plausible and when more options are offered, lowering the chance of random success. Obviously wrong distractors and cueing tricks increase guessing rather than reduce it.

Question 20Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher's lesson objective is 'students will appreciate the importance of conserving water'. Which criticism of this objective is most defensible?

  1. It is too specific and measurable
  2. It states a criterion that is too strict
  3. It names too many observable behaviours
  4. Appreciation is an internal attitude that is hard to observe and measure directly Correct answer.

Explanation

Objectives should be stated in observable terms, and 'appreciate' describes an internal disposition that cannot be directly observed. A better objective would name observable behaviour such as describing or justifying conservation practices.

Question 21Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher gives a short quiz at the start of a lesson and uses the results to decide whether to reteach the previous day's concept. This use of assessment is best described as which of the following?

  1. Norm-referenced summative use
  2. Certification for promotion
  3. Public accountability reporting
  4. Diagnostic and formative use of assessment Correct answer.

Explanation

Using a quick check to identify gaps and decide on reteaching is a diagnostic, formative use of assessment. It informs immediate instructional decisions rather than certifying or ranking students.

Question 22Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

In Vygotsky's concept of the zone of proximal development, the most appropriate teacher action is which of the following?

  1. Assigning only tasks the learner can already do alone
  2. Assigning tasks far beyond the learner's reach without support
  3. Providing scaffolding that lets the learner complete a task just beyond independent ability Correct answer.
  4. Removing all adult guidance from learning

Explanation

The zone of proximal development is the gap between what a learner can do alone and what they can do with assistance. Scaffolding within that gap supports progress, whereas tasks that are too easy or too hard do not.

Question 23Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants to assess whether students can apply a mathematical rule to an unfamiliar problem. Which item type best matches this intention?

  1. A question asking students to list the steps in order
  2. A question asking for the definition of a related term
  3. A question asking students to state the rule from memory
  4. A novel word problem requiring the rule to be selected and used Correct answer.

Explanation

Application is demonstrated when a learner uses a rule in a new context and must choose it appropriately. Recalling the rule, its definition or its steps tests memory rather than application.

Question 24Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher marks a set of answer scripts alone and then asks a colleague to mark a sample of the same scripts. The main purpose of this step is which of the following?

  1. Increasing the difficulty of the test
  2. Reducing the number of items
  3. Selecting students for promotion
  4. Checking the consistency of scoring between markers Correct answer.

Explanation

Having a second marker score a sample is a moderation procedure that checks inter-marker consistency and fairness. It does not alter test difficulty, item count or promotion decisions.

Question 25Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher plans a practical activity but the school lacks the required apparatus. Which response best reflects resourcefulness in instructional planning?

  1. Show a picture and skip student participation
  2. Wait until apparatus arrives before teaching the topic
  3. Improvise with locally available low-cost materials that achieve the same learning outcome Correct answer.
  4. Cancel the activity and lecture instead

Explanation

Effective planning adapts available resources to preserve the intended learning experience, often through low-cost improvisation. Cancelling, waiting or substituting passive viewing loses the participatory learning the activity was designed to produce.

Question 26Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

According to Sri Lanka's national curriculum framework, the main purpose of continuous assessment in the primary grades is to do which of the following?

  1. Replace the end-of-term summative examination entirely
  2. Support learning by informing teaching decisions as it happens Correct answer.
  3. Provide data only for the school's annual report
  4. Rank pupils against one another for scholarship selection

Explanation

Continuous assessment in the primary cycle is designed primarily to guide teaching and give feedback that improves learning while it is happening. Its purpose is diagnostic and formative rather than competitive ranking or record-keeping alone.

Question 27Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher writes a lesson objective as: 'Students will be able to name the three main types of rocks and give one example of each.' Which characteristic does this objective best demonstrate?

  1. It leaves the expected standard entirely to the learner
  2. It is broad enough to cover a whole term of work
  3. It is stated in observable and measurable behavioural terms Correct answer.
  4. It integrates affective and psychomotor domains

Explanation

The objective names a specific observable action (naming) and a measurable product (one example of each), so achievement can be checked directly. Behavioural wording of this kind is a hallmark of a well-written instructional objective.

Question 28Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

In the Sri Lankan school timetable, the period allocated for 'Class Teacher Period' is best used for which of the following?

  1. Completing the subject syllabus ahead of schedule
  2. Conducting the term's summative examination
  3. Covering practical work missed in science lessons
  4. Attending to pupils' personal, social and welfare needs Correct answer.

Explanation

The class teacher period is intended for guidance, welfare and personal-social development of the pupils in the class teacher's charge. It is not a spare slot for catching up on subject content or examinations.

Question 29Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher plans a lesson around the steps: engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate. This sequence is most closely associated with which approach?

  1. The 5E constructivist instructional model Correct answer.
  2. Direct expository teaching
  3. The lecture-demonstration method
  4. Programmed instruction

Explanation

The five phases engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate constitute the 5E model, a constructivist cycle in which pupils build understanding from experience. The other approaches are teacher-centred transmission models.

Question 30Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

Which of the following is the clearest example of a higher-order question in Bloom's revised taxonomy?

  1. Name the capital city of Sri Lanka.
  2. State the boiling point of water at sea level.
  3. List three functions of the leaf.
  4. Judge whether a proposed drainage plan would reduce flooding in a village. Correct answer.

Explanation

Judging a proposal against criteria calls on evaluating, which sits at the higher end of Bloom's revised taxonomy. Naming, stating and listing are recall-level tasks.

Question 31Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

In a multi-grade classroom, the most effective organisational strategy for a teacher is to do which of the following?

  1. Ask the higher grade pupils to teach themselves without guidance
  2. Use peer tutoring and self-directed learning cards while teaching another group Correct answer.
  3. Give the lower grades only drawing work for the whole day
  4. Teach the whole class one grade's content and let others copy

Explanation

Multi-grade teaching succeeds when the teacher manages groups through peer tutoring, learning cards and independent tasks while directly teaching one group. This keeps all pupils purposefully engaged without abandoning any group.

Question 32Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants to record evidence of a pupil's progress in practical cooking skills over a term. Which tool is most suitable?

  1. A multiple-choice test on recipes
  2. A class ranking list
  3. A single end-of-term written paper
  4. An anecdotal record combined with a skills checklist Correct answer.

Explanation

Practical skills are best documented through ongoing observation recorded in a checklist and anecdotal notes, which show progress over time. Written papers and ranking lists cannot capture the actual performance of a skill.

Question 33Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

Under the Sri Lankan Teachers' Service, participation in continuing professional development is best understood as which of the following?

  1. A task limited to the first year of service
  2. A replacement for the annual performance appraisal
  3. A duty that supports professional growth and service efficiency Correct answer.
  4. An optional activity only for teachers seeking promotion

Explanation

Continuing professional development is a recognised professional responsibility that sustains teaching quality and contributes to service efficiency. It is neither optional nor confined to early service.

Question 34Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants pupils to internalise the value of respecting others' opinions during a classroom debate. Which method is most appropriate?

  1. Awarding marks only for the loudest speaker
  2. Modelling respectful responses and using structured turn-taking during the debate Correct answer.
  3. Reading the school rules aloud to the class
  4. Reminding pupils of the rule once at the end of the term

Explanation

Values are internalised through direct experience and modelling rather than verbal instruction. Structured turn-taking lets pupils practise respectful listening and responding in a real interaction.

Question 35Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher uses a 'KWL' chart at the start and end of a unit. Which purpose does the 'L' column serve?

  1. Recording the teacher's lesson objectives
  2. Recording what pupils have learned after the unit Correct answer.
  3. Recording what pupils already know before the unit
  4. Recording what pupils want to know before the unit

Explanation

In a KWL chart, K records prior knowledge, W records what pupils want to learn, and L records what they have learned at the end. The L column therefore serves as a reflection and consolidation device.

Question 36Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants to differentiate instruction for a class with widely varying reading levels. Which action best reflects differentiation by task?

  1. Assigning slower readers only to copying tasks
  2. Teaching only the middle-ability group
  3. Giving every pupil the same text and the same questions
  4. Providing the same content through texts at different readability levels Correct answer.

Explanation

Differentiation by task keeps the learning goal constant while varying the difficulty of the material or activity so each pupil works at an appropriate challenge. Offering the same content at different readability levels is a standard example.

Question 37Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher asks pupils to work in small groups to build a model of a water filter from locally available materials. Which learning domain is most strongly developed by this task?

  1. Psychomotor skills and applied problem-solving Correct answer.
  2. Passive listening comprehension
  3. Rote verbal recall only
  4. Purely affective attitudes only

Explanation

Constructing a working model demands manipulative skill and the application of knowledge to a real problem. It therefore develops the psychomotor domain together with applied cognitive reasoning.

Question 38Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher finds that many pupils fail a test item that requires interpreting a table of rainfall data. Which follow-up action best reflects assessment for learning?

  1. Removing the item from future tests
  2. Blaming the pupils for not studying
  3. Recording the marks and moving to the next unit
  4. Analysing the errors and reteaching table-interpretation skills Correct answer.

Explanation

Assessment for learning uses evidence of difficulty to adjust teaching. Analysing why pupils misread the table and reteaching the specific skill addresses the learning gap directly.

Question 39Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

In a lesson on the water cycle, a teacher asks pupils to explain in their own words why rain falls on one side of a mountain and not the other. Which cognitive demand does this question primarily make?

  1. Routine calculation
  2. Simple recall of the term 'relief rainfall'
  3. Understanding and causal explanation Correct answer.
  4. Psychomotor coordination

Explanation

Asking pupils to explain a cause in their own words requires them to understand the mechanism and express a causal relationship, which is comprehension-level reasoning. Naming the term alone would be mere recall.

Question 40Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants to use project work as a teaching method in a Grade 8 class. Which feature is essential for project work to be educationally sound?

  1. Allowing pupils to choose any topic without teacher guidance
  2. Assigning the project as homework without any class time
  3. Assessing only the final appearance of the product
  4. Selecting a theme linked to the syllabus with clear pupil planning and a product Correct answer.

Explanation

Effective project work links to curriculum objectives, involves pupils in planning and investigation, and culminates in a product or presentation. Assessment should consider process as well as product.

Question 41Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher notices that pupils in a rural school have strong knowledge of local crops. Which instructional approach best uses this as a resource?

  1. Discouraging pupils from discussing home experiences
  2. Integrating local examples into science and social studies lessons Correct answer.
  3. Ignoring local knowledge to follow the textbook strictly
  4. Testing pupils only on unfamiliar urban examples

Explanation

Building on pupils' existing community knowledge makes learning relevant and connects school content to real experience, which supports understanding. Ignoring it wastes a valuable resource.

Question 42Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

Which classroom management strategy best supports a positive learning environment in a large class?

  1. Establishing clear routines and rules with pupils at the start of the year Correct answer.
  2. Changing seating arrangements randomly every day
  3. Punishing the whole class for individual misbehaviour
  4. Keeping pupils silent throughout every lesson

Explanation

Clear, co-established routines and rules give pupils predictable expectations and reduce disruption, which is especially important in large classes. Consistent structure supports a positive climate.

Question 43Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher is preparing a test blueprint (table of specifications). Which information should it primarily contain?

  1. The teacher's personal notes on each pupil
  2. Content areas matched with cognitive levels and item counts Correct answer.
  3. The names of pupils likely to score highest
  4. The marks of the previous term's examination

Explanation

A table of specifications maps content topics against cognitive levels and specifies how many items or marks each cell receives. This ensures balanced coverage and appropriate weighting of thinking skills.

Question 44Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants to assess group work fairly. Which approach best addresses individual accountability within the group?

  1. Allowing pupils to choose their own marks
  2. Combining a group product score with individual contributions recorded by the teacher Correct answer.
  3. Assessing only the group leader's work
  4. Awarding the whole group a single mark with no individual record

Explanation

Fair assessment of group work combines the shared product with evidence of each pupil's individual contribution. This preserves collaboration while ensuring each learner is accountable.

Question 45Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher uses verbal praise frequently but only for easy tasks. Which principle of effective reinforcement does this violate?

  1. Reinforcement should be identical for every pupil regardless of behaviour
  2. Reinforcement should be given only at the end of term
  3. Reinforcement should be avoided entirely in classrooms
  4. Reinforcement should be contingent on meaningful effort or achievement Correct answer.

Explanation

Effective reinforcement is contingent on genuine effort or achievement, so praising only trivial tasks weakens its value. Praise tied to meaningful accomplishment encourages persistence and higher standards.

Question 46Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher is planning a lesson for pupils with hearing impairment in an inclusive class. Which adaptation best supports their participation?

  1. Using visual aids, written instructions and facing pupils when speaking Correct answer.
  2. Speaking with the back turned while writing on the board
  3. Reducing the lesson to written copying only
  4. Seating the pupil at the back of the room

Explanation

Pupils with hearing impairment benefit from visual support and from seeing the speaker's face and lips. Facing the class and supplementing speech with written and visual aids improves access to the lesson.

Question 47Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher wants to reduce test anxiety among pupils before a term examination. Which action is most likely to be effective?

  1. Announcing the test only on the morning it is held
  2. Increasing the number of surprise tests each week
  3. Warning pupils repeatedly that failure is unacceptable
  4. Sharing the format, content areas and marking criteria in advance Correct answer.

Explanation

Familiarity with the test format, content areas and criteria reduces uncertainty, which is a major source of anxiety. Transparent preparation supports realistic confidence.

Question 48Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher compares two classes taught by different methods and finds the experimental class scored higher, but the classes differ greatly in prior attainment. Which threat to validity is most evident?

  1. Test-retest effect
  2. Instrumentation decay
  3. Selection bias Correct answer.
  4. Ceiling effect

Explanation

When groups differ systematically before the intervention, differences in outcomes cannot be attributed to the treatment. This is selection bias, which undermines the internal validity of the comparison.

Question 49Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher claims a new method improved learning because the average mark rose from 55 to 72 after its introduction. Which additional information is most necessary to judge this claim?

  1. The colour of the examination paper
  2. The number of pupils who disliked the method
  3. The teacher's years of experience
  4. A comparison with comparable pupils taught by the previous method Correct answer.

Explanation

A rise in average marks does not by itself show the method caused the improvement, because other factors may have changed. A comparison group taught by the previous method provides the counterfactual needed to attribute the gain.

Question 50Professional Knowledge and Teaching Methodology

A teacher designs a rubric for a geography map-drawing task. Which feature distinguishes an analytic rubric from a holistic one?

  1. It scores separate criteria such as accuracy, labelling and neatness individually Correct answer.
  2. It is used only for summative grading
  3. It requires no descriptors of performance levels
  4. It gives a single overall judgement of the whole product

Explanation

An analytic rubric breaks performance into separate criteria and scores each one, giving detailed diagnostic information. A holistic rubric instead gives one overall judgement of the whole product.