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

Czy nauczyciele edukacji wczesnoszkolnej potrafią bezstronnie ocenić osiągnięcia dziewcząt i chłopców z języka polskiego?
Can primary school teachers grade the literacy level of girls and boys objectively?

Author(s): Paulina Skórska, Karolina Świst, Paweł Grygiel, Grzegorz Humenny, Michał Modzelewski, Roman Dolata
Subject(s): Education
Published by: Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych
Keywords: literacy; multiple indicators multiple causes; MIMIC model; grading; gender; bias; differential item functioning

Summary/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.

  • Issue Year: 142/2017
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 52-69
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Polish