Employing Science Formative and Summative Assessments with Filipino Translation for Grade 10

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Science learning has always been a struggle for most Filipino students. To aid learning, Science teachers are sent to seminars, trainings, and workshops where they learn different strategies and interventions but these did not improve learning as shown in the Mean Percentage Score of students. According to a survey we conducted as to how teachers and students can improve learning in Science, student responses include providing more hands-on activities, use of video, repetition of the lesson until they learn the competencies, translate the concepts in Filipino during discussion and they even suggested that questions in examinations should have Filipino translation. This study attempts to determine how the use of the national language, Filipino, can help in understanding Science concepts.

METHODS

During Science classes, instructions and concepts were translated to Filipino after reading or stating the concepts in English. After every discussion, daily quizzes were given in English with translation in Filipino and was applied also for summative assessments and quarterly examinations. The respondents of this study are 173 Grade 10 students (G10-RAZ, G10-JGV, G10-MFA, and G10-NTO). One hundred percent (100%) of the population took part in the experiment because the class MPS will be computed at the end of the 3rd and 4th Grading Quarters. The students were also surveyed after examinations with regards to their perception on the assessment taken with Filipino Translation.

RESULTS

Ninety-five percent (95%) of the students expressed their opinions that they understand the questions and choices in Science examinations much better with Filipino translations. The Mean Percentage Score of all classes under study increased except the Science-Oriented Class with the same MPS with or without Filipino translation

DISCUSSIONS

Majority of Grade 10 students under study were able to understand and express themselves better in Filipino than in English. The use of Filipino language in assessments help students understand the Science concepts and thereby can better comprehend the questions in examinations. With Filipino translation, they give time to analyze the questions before answering rather than to guess the correct answer. From the findings, it can be concluded that students can understand Science concepts better when translated in Filipino.