[LP 245 ,B4 114 | Copy 1 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Bureau of Research in Education Study No. 1 MEASURING CLASSROOM PRODUCTS IN BERKELEY Sections 1 and 2 Directed by CYRUS D. MEAD Associate Professor of Elementary Education MAY 1, 1921 PRICE SO CENTS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MEASURING CLASSROOM PRODUCTS IN BERKELEY Study Number 1 of the Bureau of Research in Education In two Sections — Section I Ttu^Ji DECEMBER 1, 1920 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS BERKELEY y&* LIBRARY OF CONGRESS \ RECEIVED S^P 261922 j DOCUMENTS D!V .£< r { MEASURING CLASSROOM PRODUCTS IN BERKELEY Cyrus D. Mead Associate Professor of Elementary Education University of California Assisted by Educational Measurements Seminar : Jeanette Barrows, Alex. S. Boulware, Bert B. Davis, William F. Ewing, Harry H. Glessner, A. J. Hamilton, Geo. C. Kyte, Norma E. LeVeque, Louis P. Linn, Anna O'Bannon, Mary B. O'Bannon, Clara M. Partridge. Foreword and Introduction by H. B. Wilson Superintendent of Schools CONTENTS Foreword and Introduction by Superintendent Wilson 5 Request for the Survey 5 Letter of Transmittal 7 Section I Chapter 1. — Report of the Seminar Committee on Writing 10 Directions for Giving the Handwriting Tests 10 Oral Instructions Concerning 11 Scoring the Papers 11 Uniformity of Judgments as to Quality 12 Tabulation of Results 13 Interpretation of Data 17 Comparison of Schools 23 Bibliography 33 Chapter 2. — Report of the Seminar Committee on Spelling 34 Material for the Test and Plan of Giving 34 Instructions for Giving 34 Oral Instructions 35 Tabulation of Results 35 Factors to be Considered in Interpretation of Results 37 Interpretation of Results 40 Recommendations for Teaching Spelling 42 FOREWORD AND INTRODUCTION Any program of administration or management which is concerned with securing efficient results with justifiable economy must be based upon reliable facts. This is quite as true in the fields of finance and industry as in educational institutions. Every up to date, progressive business institution has its Department of Efficiency, to which it looks for scientific evaluation of its efforts. Upon the basis of these findings it modifies its programs of operation and procedure from time to time. Realizing the need of definite information as to what was being ac- complished in the public schools of Berkeley, and being without a Department of Research at that time, I sought the cooperation of the Department of Education at the University of California. I found Dean Alexis F. Lange and his associates in the department immediately interested to render service and to avail themselves of the laboratory opportunity thus provided. Accordingly, following two or three con- ferences, I was able to report to the Board of Education at the regular meeting of October 1, 1918, that tentative arrangements had been made with the faculty of the Education Department of the University of California for the direction by Dr. Cyrus D. Mead, Associate Professor of Elementary Education, of available graduate students in such research work in the public schools of Berkeley as would enable the determinati'on of the results which were being secured in the public schools in the various grades and in the various subjects which might be investigated. The board readily approved the arrangements made by the superintendent, and empowered him to act fully in the matter and to print the results of the study for distribution when they were com- pleted. The results -of this cooperative arrangement have been very satis- factory, indeed, as the published results in the following pages show. Scientific studies were conducted to determine the results which were being secured in Writing, Spelling, Reading, the Fundamentals of Arithmetic, and Reasoning Ability in Arithmetic. Before the second section is ready for publication, it is hoped that it may be possible to add an appendix dealing briefly with the results which are being secured in Composition and Geography. The value to a school system of such an investigation as this is perhaps three-fold. It is an immediate help to the teacher in diagnosing the difficulties and problems which are confronting her and in enabling her to find ways and means of solving the same. Second, it provides certain valuable training facilities for these teachers who wish to famil- iarize themselves with the technique of scientific investigation. Third, it provides accurate, reliable data gathered by scientific methods for the use of the administrative and supervisor force in enabling them to study conditions throughout the system and to make comparisons with other systems. It constitutes the necessary basis for readjusting the emphasis that should be given to different topics and subjects, and for modifying and improving the teaching technique in the interest of better results. For the service rendered the public schools through this cooperative effort, we are genuinely thankful to the Department of Education of the University of California. It is believed that the publication of these results is desirable not only because of their value to the public schools of Berkeley, but because the methods used and the results in- dicated will be of interest and service to others. H. B. Wilson, Superintendent of Schools, Berkeley, California. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION University of California Berkeley, California Letter of Transmittal Dr. H. B. Wilson, Superintendent of Schools, M 28 lqlq Berkeley, California. My Dear Dr. Wilson: In pursuance with your request in September 1918, the members of my Seminar in The Measurement of Elementary School Work under- took as a project a survey of the Berkeley Schools, such survey on their part to include the application of standard tests to the subject matter of the elementary field. The class of men and women in Education gladly accepted this work with the resolution that the teachers of the system as a whole should become an integral part and assist in such survey and that, whatever the findings, there should be included in the report constructive helps and suggestions for the further improvement of teaching in our city schools. We were extremely fortunate in having, as well as graduate students in Education, a number of your progressive principals and teachers. It has given me much pleasure, with no little pride, to watch the growing interest and enthusiasm of this seminar group. They have applied themselves to the work with a zeal and pro- fessional spirit which I wish to commend to you. The extension of the class period from two to three hours weekly was but a trifle to the ad- ditional hours of work put in throughout the school year. They have done a most careful and thorough piece of work. It was decided to measure the school products from the second or third grades to the eighth or ninth inclusive in handwriting, spelling, reading, the fundamentals of arithmetic and arithmetical reasoning. 1 The following standard tests were applied or made use of: Handwriting — Ayres: Gettysburg Scale. Spelling — Ayres : Measuring Scale for Ability in Spelling. Reading — Monroe : Standardized Silent Reading Tests. Arithmetic — Courtis: Series B Standard Research Tests (Fundamentals). Starch: Arithmetical Scale A (Reasoning). 1 The studies in English Composition and Geography, which are to appear in the Appendix of Section II of the report were made by the 1920-21 Educational Measure- ments Seminar. The method of procedure was to study the scales and tests, their derivation, use and applications that had been made. Accompanying this the technique of the statistical method was studied and practiced. A preliminary meeting was held the week or two preceding the giving of each test in which the plan was outlined and the directions carefully formulated. These directions were mimeographed by your office force and mailed to each principal and teacher. Within the day or two fol- lowing, each seminar student appeared at his group of schools, usually two, in order to meet the teachers in group and explain in detail the giving of the tests. Each test was administered under the direction of the seminar representative but was given by the class teacher. In most instances the marking of the papers was by the teacher. In all cases, however, these gradings were checked and verified by seminar groups. This was tedious work but for uniformity and purposes of comparison it was found necessary. The teachers were most conscient- ious in their markings but in some instances it was found that there were variations in judgment even when the form of the answer seemed to be explicit. Practically every pupil in the system participated. All classes were included, there was no selection. This is unusual in that most surveys have made random selections of pupils. In all, we measured from five to six thousand children in each of the tests. This involved the handling of about twenty-five thousand papers. We wish to commend your office force for the efficient assistance they rendered and for the excel- lent mimeographed forms they supplied for recording our data. The entire seminar took part in scoring the handwriting samples and in checking and verifying the scores on the various test sheets. Particular subjects however were assigned committees to assemble the data in tabular and graphic form and to make constructive suggestions. The following is a list of committees : Handwriting — Alex S. Botjlware, Supervisor of Penmanship, San Francisco State Normal School, San Francisco. William F. Ewing, Vice Principal, Oakland Technical High School, Oakland. A. J. Hamilton, Principal, Washington School, Berkeley. George C. Kyte, Principal, Emerson School, Berkeley. Spelling — Mrs. Clara M. Partridge, Principal, Oxford School, Berkeley. Jeannette Barrows, Principal, Hillside School, Berkeley. Norma E. Le Veqtje, Graduate Student, Boulder, Colorado. Reading — Harry H. Glessner, Principal Edison (Junior High) School, Berkeley. Bert B. Davis, Normal Director, Walla Walla College, College Place, Washington. (Mrs. Partridge and Miss Barrows assisting). A rithmetic (Fundamentals) — Louis P. Linn, Instructor in Educational Extension, University of California. Mary B. O'Bannon 1 . Principal of Jefferson School, Berkeley. Anna O'Bannon, Teacher of Mathematics, McTunley School, Berkeley. Arithmetic (Reasoning) — (Misses Anna and Mary O'Bannon and Miss Barrows). The Seminar also wishes to express its appreciation of the help rendered by the principals and teachers of the system. It was felt that -the professional improvement resulting from the teaching force taking a direct hand would more than offset any possible variations in the giving of the tests. Very truly yours, Cyrus D. Mead, Associate Professor of Elementary Education, University of California. CHAPTER I REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HANDWRITING The first test to be given the children of the Berkeley Schools in the present survey was the test in handwriting. In order to determine the speed and quality of the handwriting of the children it was necessary to obtain samples of a uniform nature produced under conditions as nearly uniform as possible. Since the Gettysburg Edition of the Ayres Handwriting Scale was to be used as a basis for judging the quality of the samples of handwriting, it was deemed wise to use the opening sentences of the Gettysburg Speech as the material for the test. The following instructions in regard to the test were sent out from the Superintendent's office: THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Berkeley, California Bulletin No. 24, December 10, 1918. Directions for Giving Handwriting Tests To Principals and Teachers: On Thursday, December 12th, or Friday the 13th, it is desired to secure samples of handwriting from all the pupils in grades two to nine inclusive. A representative of Dr. Mead's Seminar will come to your school on Thursday to assist you in any way. The samples of hand- writing should be secured in the following manner : Each teacher should write on the board in the front of the room, (and the sides also, if desirable), the first three sentences of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. As a preliminary preparation, the pupils should read and copy this until they are thoroughly familiar with it and practi- cally know it by heart. For the final test, preparations should be made so that all the pupils can begin to copy, and stop, at a given signal. They should be allowed to write for precisely two minutes. Care should be taken with these conditions. It is not likely that any pupil will be able to copy the entire three sentences in the two minutes allowed. See that the papers for each grade are fastened together. They will be scored for both speed and quality. 11 The writing should be in ink and on ruled paper. Second or third grade pupils may use pencil if not accustomed to ink. Before the test begins, have each pupil write his name, grade, name of school and date on the reverse side of the paper. The teacher should mark in the upper right-hand corner of each the number of letters written by the pupil in the two minutes. The following count of letters will aid in scoring the papers : Fourscore 9 and 12 seven 17 years 22 ago 25 our 28 fathers 35 brought 42 forth 47 upon 51 this 55 continent 64 a 65 new 68 nation 74 conceived 83 in 85 liberty 92 and 95 dedicated 104 to 106 the 109 proposition 120 that 124 all 127 men 130 are 133 created 140 equal 145. Now 148 we 150 are 153 engaged 160 in 162 a 163 great 168 civil 173 war 176 testing 183 whether 190 that 194 nation 200 or 202 any 205 nation 211 so 213 conceived 222 and 225 so 227 dedicated 236 can 239 long 243 endure 249. We 251 are 254 met 257 on 259 a 260 great 265 battlefield 276 of 278 that 282 war 285. Kindly follow the above directions slavishly and absolutely, that there may be no factor entering into the securing of these writing speci- mens which would render the results impossible to use. These will reach you Wednesday, the day before the representative from Dr. Mead's Seminar expects to visit you. Any question of any character or any detail of procedure should be taken up with this representative at the time of the visit. Tr , ■ ' Very truly, H. B. Wilson, Superintendent of Schools. Oral Instructions Concerning the Test Before the test was given members of the Seminar conducting the survey met the teachers of the several schools and explained in detail the technique of giving the test and handling the papers. Especial attention was called to the necessity of measuring accurately the two- minute period which was allowed for the test. So far as can be seen from the pupils' papers, the test was carried out in every way as planned. In many cases children stopped in the middle of a word and often the final letters were left unfinished. Scoring the Papers By far the greatest task in connection with this survey of the Ber- keley Schools was the problem of training the members of the Seminar in the use of the handwriting scale. Before any of the samples of hand- writing written by the Berkeley children could be evaluated for quality 12 it was necessary to develop a consistency in the use of the scale which would be trustworthy. From the very beginning it was apparent that the judgments of the members of the Seminar in regard to quality values must be standardized before the actual problem of rating the test samples could be undertaken. It was desired that all members of the Seminar participate in this activity so that the final judgments of quality should be a composite judgment rather than a personal judgment as has been the case in most of the surveys of handwriting so far conducted. Only a few of the members had previously had any experience with work of this character and the results of the first round of practice showed a wide range of values assigned to individual papers. This was found to be true especially with regard to papers which were in any way strikingly different from the samples on the scale. A period of practice was, therefore, entered into which extended over some fifteen weeks, although but eight actual rounds of practice were found to be necessary. A brief statement of the outcome of this period of practice is here given since it is believed the findings of the survey in regard to quality of handwriting will be better appreciated when it is understood with what care these findings were determined. Uniformity of Judgments as to Quality After the members of the Seminar had practiced rating papers for several weeks it became apparent that certain members tended to rate high and others low. By careful selection of the rating groups these tendencies were so balanced that the composite judgment of the groups was consistent and uniform with that of the other rating groups. (There were twelve members divided into three groups of four each). The results of the last round of practice before the rating of the test papers was begun is summarized here to show how near to actual uniformity the judgments had become as a result of practice and discussion. A set of twenty-five papers ranging in quality from very poor to very good was selected for practice. All members of the Seminar rated the papers. Composite judgments were determined for the three groups into which the Seminar had been divided as previously explained. The following table gives the comparison of these composite judgments with the true values: Group Group Group I II III Absolute agreement with the true values 12 14 15 Variation of | step from the true values 11 11 7 Variation of 1 step from the true values ; 2 3 25 25 25 13 When it is understood that a variation of one-half step from the actual value on the scale is considered by competent judges the country over to be of little consequence, it can be seen to what degree the practice work had been effectual in standardizing the evaluation of quality. Out of the seventy-five composite judgments only five were as much as one step away from the true value and no values were as- signed showing a greater variation than one step. (The "true" value for each sample was determined by averaging the judgments of the twelve members independently of the rating groups. It is felt that these so-called "true values" would not have been changed so much as a quarter step had the papers been rated by a much larger group of competent judges, hence, there is no hesitancy in accepting them as real or true values.) When the ability to determine quality of handwriting had been brought to a satisfactory standard the rating of the test papers of the Berkeley children was undertaken. The papers for each class in each school were so divided that a third of them were rated by each of the rating groups. The value assigned to each paper was the composite judgment of one rating group, but the average rating for the class was, after all, a composite of the judgments of the whole seminar. Tabulation of Results The following tables give the results of the handwriting test with regard to both speed and quality. A perusal of these tables, and especial- ly of the graphs which accompany them, should prove interesting and helpful to all who are concerned with the educational progress of the children in the Berkeley schools. For the sake of comparison, certain standards of attainment have been placed beside the figures for Ber- keley.* The figures for two other school systems have been included as a means of comparison — Richmond, California, and St. Louis, Mis- souri. * The achievement in Berkeley Schools has been made under a prescribed weekly minimum time allotment as follows : Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade I II III IV V VI VII VIII Min. per week 95 75 80 80 80 60 14 a< ►J o K CJ H H H u H ■/.• «! Q ryj M w W H u y t < W a H fc «! < H !« a K < < K H o X s o H < h3 H w 5 *H >-i H r/7 J -1 H P Ph pq s Cm NMNH^HOOWHHOOOOi'O^OOON HOOiOOONIN^HMMitiONtOOOOO o o b o T— 1 ■* N 00 © O i— I WON (O M IN H T— 1 1— 1 T-H T— 1 7— 1 "3 o H ffliO^NmoOCONnHONfflOMrlfOH ■*00'*i , H00(ONNINCOCO00'* o 03 ©OOO©T-Hi0C0-'*i0cOC0©i000Tii'©T— 1 T-H >-l" CM- TH -C* rH T-H co T-H n 03 ©©©o©©t-hi>ooco».ococo©co H CO iO lO M N IM «2 CM 00 OOOOHWHOOHKCOMOl^tO - i-h oo io co i— i I-H C5 OS co CO O(N'-HOl>'>O<-H00^rH co a: OS io co © T-H co pq CO oco"*i>i>cooocooo^h t-t 00 O ■* CM H H CO © N CO m n co T— 1 T— 1 CO © CO T3 a ?ooooooooooooooooo oHNco^iotoNoooiOHMn^iotoN 15 CO kJ O 4*1 (J £) w C? u GO a H u H <) ■'-Hi-i i-H CM CO CM i-H 1—1 co n OHMNffiMOrtO)000>0 H Tt< tD TP CO H H CD 4 oo ONN'OKJKJIMHOcS'* (N ^ N iO C<3 M CM CD CM n oo CO lO N CD ■* CO H OCM©(M'-HiOOOCM^(NCN (N CD O) N "O (N h co PlHOlOHTlt^CDlilHH i-H TjH O i— 1 C35 CO i—l OS co < CO HTf(NCOiO(NN'*DN H ■* N CD O CO H OS I-H co B CO ^COHN00>OcDOl(NM HCO'cfCDCDCOHH oo Oi CM CM »Ci-H00C0»O l 0C0»O(MOO'-H H H «3 (D S H H I-H CD CM a CN (MifcD^NNOiOH H N O) tD N N CD O co 1-& | or" * -) — OOtOO»OOiOO»r5©iOOiO HD(NCOCO^'ct ,1 0^®®NN £ o aJ Ci ,fi TfJ Cjj CM G O .~G •+J o T* a G 03 o -G O CD >. ■^3 rl od 3 rr cr 02 cd += g> cy 16 Table III Measures of Central Tendency for the Berkeley Schools 1 Speed Lower Upper Quartile Grade Average Median Quartile Quartile Range 2b 21.47 20.7 15.07 27.00 11.93 2a 25.46 24.7 17.9 32.07 14.17 3b 36.54 34.3 26.13 44.15 18.02 3a 45.12 43.7 35 . 20 53.50 18.30 4b 51.21 49.2 40.42 60.77 20.35 4a 55.95 54.8 44.41 67.19 22.78 5b 59.06 58.4 46.07 70.72 24.65 5a 69.67 68.9 58.48 79.87 21.39 6b 71.10 71.1 58.72 82.32 23.60 6a 77.54 77.2 66.80 87.78 20.98 7b 87.84 85.5 73.33 101.40 28.07 7a 90.86 88.7 76.90 103.33 26.43 8b 96.78 96.6 81.27 110.66 29.39 8a 103.21 103.3 87.26 118.49 31.23 9b 104.15 102.5 91.04 116.21 25.17 9a 110.65 109.4 94.50 127.62 33.12 1 Derived from Table I. Table IV Measures of Central Tendency for the Berkeley Schools 1 Quality Grade Average Median Lower Quartile Upper Quartile Quartile Range 2b 36.27 38.8 31.83 41.72 9.89 2a 37.98 38.3 32.94 42.91 9.97 3b 39.06 39.0 32.82 44.65 11.83 3a 37.83 37.3 31.55 43.57 12.02 4b 37.16 37.3 32.46 42.14 9.68 4a 40.22 39.3 34.69 48.75 14.06 5b 40.33 39.4 34.64 44.78 10.14 5a 41.13 40.6 34.56 46.85 12.29 6b 41.89 41.2 35.67 47.14 11.47 6a 42.18 41.2 35.88 48.56 12.68 7b 43.09 42.7 37.01 48.23 11.21 7a 45.31 44.7 40.02 50.72 10.70 8b 45.41 44.6 38.89 51.31 12.42 8a 44.58 43.8 39.05 49.56 10.51 9b 49.91 49.1 43.66 56.35 12.69 9a 47.69 47.2 41.30 53.81 12.51 1 Derived from Table II. 17 Table V Average Scores in Speed by Grades Comparative Tables Grade Berkeley *St. Louis tRichmond JAyres Standard 2 25.5 36.7 31 3 45.1 56.8 39.2 44 4 56.0 64.0 48.4 55 5 69.7 65.6 67.2 64 6 77.6 69.3 80.1 71 7 90.9 74.7 82.8 76 8 103.2 72.8 94.6 79 9 110.6 * See No. 8 in Selected Bibliography on Handwriting which is appended to this report. f Data from an unpublished study made by A. S. Boulware, Geo. C Kvte and A. J. Hamilton (1919). J See No. 3 in Selected Bibliography. Table VI Average Scores in Quality by Grades Comparative Tables* Grade Berkeley St. Louis Richmond Ayres Standard 2 38.0 29.9 38 3 37.8 31.8 38.4 42 4 40.2 36.7 44.5 46 5 41.1 49.4 56.8 50 6 42.2 57.0 54.3 54 7 45.3 63.4 65.9 58 8 44.6 74.3 67.0 62 9 47.7 * See sources of data given in footnotes to Table V. Interpretation of Data Tables I and II are tables of distribution for speed and for quality Tables III and IV are derived tables showing the central tendencies for the several grades. It will be seen from a study of the figures in Tables III and V, and the graph in Diagram I, that the children of Berkeley excell to a marked degree in speed from the fifth grade on. In the Intermediate schools this superiority in speed is very marked; even the median of the lower half of the children is superior to the standard as set up by Ayres. (Note the position of the lower quartile in relation to the standard curve in Diagram I.) The Ayres Standard, moreover, is approximately the average of the ability of a great many thousand children; it is widely recognized as a satisfactory working standard. 18 Diagram I. Speed in Handwriting EB Zf\ 3B 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A <3B 6A ?B 7A G I o 5 5 e s Exactly the opposite condition is found to exist in regard to quality of handwriting. The median attainment for Berkeley children is decidedly below the Ayres Standard after the low third grade (Tables IV and VI). A more striking feature of the situation, however, is revealed by a study of Diagram II, which is based upon the figures of Tables IV and VI. The median attainment in the Berkeley low second grade is 39 (on the Ayres Scale) and in the low ninth it is only 49— an improvement of ten points. According to standards widely accepted throughout the country the attainment for the eighth grade and beyond 19 Diagram II. Quality in Handwriting. 26 ZPi 3B J5A 4B 4A JB 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A 6'B 5 "A 13 W Classes ought to be at least 63 or 64. Diagram III, which is based upon the figures of Tables V and VI, shows the facts of the situation by the two-co- ordinate method. Whereas the Standard attainment in quality pro- gresses regularly from 38 to 62, and whereas the curves for St. Louis and for Richmond approximate this curve, Berkeley fails to get beyond the 50 mark at any point. On the other hand, the superiority in speed stands out very clearly. Apparently the children of Berkeley write faster than other children — and with greater illegibility. For the teaching force the problem facing them would seem to be very clear: emphasis needs to be placed upon formation and excessive speed should not be allowed to destroy legibility. It has often been stated that a happy medium must be found between the two, and the recom- mendation seems to strike home in Berkeley with particular force. 20 ffi $ & 21 Speed 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 Diagram IV. Washington School 6 ^ 6 4 5 * * * 5 / / * /4 \3 / 2 / ■ 25 30 Quality Median . 35 40 Standard 45 50 55 It may be noted in passing that the lack of drill in letter formation — and the process of producing writing — is also apparent in the lack of any pronounced similarity in the handwriting of the Berkeley children. This factor cannot be shown in any tables, but was noted again and again by members of the Seminar. Whereas in many systems where writing is extensively taught and supervised, — in short, where there is a strong central direction in the subject of penmanship,— there is naturally a very considerable degree of uniformity of style and size of letters, in Berkeley there is a lack of any uniformity, unless the tendency to a very small writing may be deemed a type of uniformity. 24 PQ £ 5 25 >>* 2 > c3 O tf CO Q W o Pi w ■o -e yres ndai Gra <1 J-a ^3o DO 93 bO (H 0> > 05 o bd to i3 o3 CO t-h O 05 C^ H H to to o id ■^COOlN^aiNtN o rHCOC0rH00©l>»Or- 1 C i-H — I CO i— 1 .^t^co OS co — o tOCOHOOiOffiOlffiOOUJ oo 00 CO ■OWHOtOINOOtON H (N rH rH CO 00 o CO ■^CNco^HNoito rH i— 1 i— 1 i-H to HCOHtOcOHHtf co O rH iq rH 1> O - rH >> "3 3 pqi-ICOCOiOOiOO -^ o lOOO^NNCiOOHO i-Hi-HrHrHlMrHCO CO rH N N lO rH o CO iO rt ^ lO (O iO CO CO o in CO 00 CO "3 iO tJH 1> oo CO o i-H CO C N O ^* O T? i-H i— 1 <* o CO tJI ^ CD >C >0 00 O co o IN iO 00 Oi to H 00 CO o OlOH CO i— i ■a a a w C^OlMCO'^'^'OlOtO© o H u e3 3 & 0)N(N(ONHHNOfl) necio^m^ioicMin CI ■3 H^OcDiOMNNMiO NOliOHNcOiOCOlTll cococoTfHcocococococo "3 o "JOO^NNffliOOH© rHrHrHrHCOrHCOCOCOCO CO CO o CD c e e O CO CO i-l tH tH o a u e o H rH rH CO CO CO CO CO rH CO § US NNONN CO CO -# CO O CO o HCCHOOiOiON^OOCO co co !DWMH0Oi(HCOHN i— 1 i— 1 CM CD o CO rH CN rH H N « tO H N N CO CO O CM i-H CO rH to O tH - >> "3 3 NMfCCOTti^iOiOtOtO 'a +: C 28 Diagram IX. Speed and Quality of Handwriting of pupils, grades 2 to 6, a j in one elementary school, compared with the Ayres standards. 90 80 70 60 50 — 40 30 20 6 4' \ \ i 6 5 4 y'' 3 \, )' /' 4 y / 3 / a/ ■ \z F SANKLIN 25 30 Quality 35 40 45 50 55 average person is to use in after life. The need of the specialist may- well be considered a vocational problem, but the need of the masses is the creed of the school. Comparison of Typical Schools Tables VII and VIILare tables of distribution for speed and quality in two typical schools, the Washington and McKinley. The Washington represents the type approaching more nearly the standard curve for both speed and quality, and the McKinley, the type with the greatest deviation from the standard curve. It will be seen from a study of the figures in these tables that the pupils in both schools in speed and also quality approximate closely in their distribution, a normal probability curve. However, the range in speed of the McKinley pupils is much greater than that of the 29 Diagram X. Speed and Quality of Handwriting of pupils, grades 2 to 6, in four elementary schools, compared with the Ayres standards. Speed 80 / 5 J 5 6 ao \ if ..-'6 's ,■ 5 w ,' ,' 90 s s , /4 '4 A/ 40 30 ,/3 4-= 3 "^/3 ,1 \ '2 '2 #»/ JOI H MUIR LONC retLow 80 6 4 70 60 50 > /6 6 6 r • ,■ 5 ,• 5 i /4 sv '4l' A --,3 /& 30 20 '2 3S^ >3 /z w 1ITTIER z-—~ TH0USA1 D OAKS 25 30 35 40 45 50 Quality (Berkeley Medians 30 35 40 45 50 55 Ayres Averages . ) Washington pupils, but the range in quality is considerably less. Also it will be seen that only 7% of the pupils in the McKinley school score (on the Ayres scale) 50 or above, a standard shown by Koos in a recent study to be high enough to meet the needs of the world at large. While in the Washington school 15% of the pupils have attained that standard. Diagrams IV and V show in a graphical form the medians of grades 2b to 6a inclusive in both schools- compared with the Ayres standard curve. Similar data for all remaining schools are pictured in Diagrams IX, X, XI, XII, XIII. In an elementary school comprising the first six grades it seems fair to assume that the attainment of the high sixth class is typical of the school, therefore Diagram VI is included in this survey for the purpose of making a comparative study of the various schools in the city. Diagram VIII pictures the same data for the Junior High Schools. 28 Diageam IX. Speed and Quality of Handwriting of pupils, grades 2 to 6, in one elementary school, compared with the Ayres standards. Speed 25 30 Quality average person is to use in after life. The need of the specialist may- well be considered a vocational problem, but the need of the masses is the creed of the school. Comparison of Typical Schools Tables VII and VIII are tables of distribution for speed and quality in two typical schools, the Washington and McKinley. The Washington represents the type approaching more nearly the standard curve for both speed and quality, and the McKinley, the type with the greatest deviation from the standard curve. It will be seen from a study of the figures in these tables that the pupils in both schools in speed and also quality approximate closely in their distribution, a normal probability curve. However, the range in speed of the McKinley pupils is much greater than that of the 29 Diagram X. Speed and Quality of Handwriting of pupils, grades 2 to 6, in four elementary schools, compared with the Ayres standards. Speed 80 S 10 5 6 ' .-'6 ,- 60 if i .- 5 VI ,' ,'' V .'4 /4 90 s S / J 40 30 ,/3 4-= 3 -~/3 st ^ '2 'a / * JD1 N MUIR LONC FELLOW 80 6 4 70 60 SO >^ 6 6 r y ,■ 5 ; 5 i , /4 SK ■'4 / 3 ~~^,3 /3 40 30 20 '2 3^i >3 /z w uttier 2 TH0USA1 D OAKS 25 30 35 40 45 50 Quality (Berkeley Medians 30 35 40 45 50 55 ; Ayres Averages ) Washington pupils, but the range in quality is considerably less. Also it will be seen that only 7% of the pupils in the McKinley school score (on the Ayres scale) 50 or above, a standard shown by Koos in a recent study to be high enough to meet the needs of the world at large. While in the Washington school 15% of the pupils have attained that standard. Diagrams IV and V show in a graphical form the medians of grades 2b to 6a inclusive in both schools' compared with the Ayres standard curve. Similar data for all remaining schools are pictured in Diagrams IX, X, XI, XII, XIII. In an elementary school comprising the first six grades it seems fair to assume that the attainment of the high sixth class is typical of the school, therefore Diagram VI is included in this survey for the purpose of making a comparative study of the various schools in the city. Diagram VIII pictures the same data for the Junior High Schools. 30 Diagram XI. Speed and Quality of Handwriting of pupils, grades 2 to 6, in four elementary schools, compared with the Ayres standards. Speed 6~~ \ 6 ) _, 5 A ,,'fe / / '\ // Ah p A > ^ \ HAW rHORNE \ z JEF rERSON 25 30 35 40 45 50 30 35 40 45 50 55 Quality (Berkeley Medians ; Ayres Averages ) In Berkeley where the speed in all grades above the fourth in most of the schools is much beyond the standard it would seem to be the problem of such schools to lay great stress upon the development of quality even at the expense of speed if quality has not kept pace with speed. Diagram VII shows in a marked way to what an extent speed has been developed in the Berkeley schools in all grades at the expense of quality. 31 Diagram XII. Speed and Quality of Handwriting of pupils, grades 2 to 6, in four elementary schools, compared with the Ayres standards. Speed 90 flO 6 70 S 6 s 1 ,'"' 4 / 6 60 J ,-' 5 /^ f s 5' "\ 4 { \ ' A >5 ,/»'" V ^ *A / \ /z ,/3 \ 30 " i. 2 z 3 £ i INCOLH 2/ OXFORD / //" ^* b — 6 / 5 / ,,-S u S 's 60 / / /* 4 / / / 40 K ,/s s . _-}£ 4 ,/3 V 2 / \ / \ 20 I CI LUMBUS \ i 1MERS0N Z 5 30 35 40 45 50 Quality (Berkeley Medians 30 35 . 40 45 50 SS Ayres Averages ) 32 Diagram XIII. Speed and Quality of Handwriting of pupils, grades 7 to 9, in four intermediate schools, compared with the Ayres standards. Speed 140 70 /9 V ?v- X\ LJ V / 9 • \ 7 \ '\\ 8 a / ^ 6 £--' 6 >' *' ,-' 5 EDISON 5 E URBANR 9 \8 9 y\ \ 7 8 7 8 7^- ' 7>- ,-' ,- e. 6, 5 1 ULLARD 5 C ARFIELD 40 45 60 55 Quality (Berkeley Medians 45 50 60 65 ; Ayres Averages . 33 For the sake of those who may be interested in reading for them- selves concerning the status of writing as revealed in current educational comment the following brief bibliography is appended. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON HANDWRITING 1. Ashbaugh, E. J.: Handwriting of Iowa school children, Extension division bulletin No. 15, University of Iowa 1916. 2. Ayres, L. P.: A scale ("Three Slant Edition") for measuring the quality of handwriting of school children. No. 113. Division of Education, Russell Sage Foundation. New York 1912. 3. : Handwriting scale ("Gettysburg Edition ") and standards. Russell Sage Foundation. New York 1917. 4. : The public schools of Springfield Illinois. Pages 74-77, Russell Sage Foundation. New York 1914. 5. Boston, Mass.: Public school document No. 6. 1916. 6. Freeman, F. N.: An analytical scale for judging handwriting. Elementary school journal, April 1915. 7. : Handwriting. Chapter V, Fourteenth yearbook of the national society for the study of education 1915. 8. : Handwriting, Chapter XIV, St. Louis Survey 1916. 9. : Penmanship, Chapter VII, Grand Rapids school survey. Board fo Education, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1916. 10. : Principles of method in teaching writing as derived from scientific in- vestigation. Chapter I, Part II. Eighteenth yearbook of the national society for the study of education. 11. : Teaching of handwriting. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company 1914. 12. Gray, C. T.: The training of judgment in the use of the Ayres scale for hand- writing. Journal of education psychology, 1915. 13. Judd, C. H. : Tests of handwriting. Chapter IV. Measuring the work of the , public schools, Survey committee of the Cleveland Foundation, 1916. 14. Koos, L. V.: Determining ultimate standards. Elementary school journal, February 1918. 15. Iowa State Teachers' Association: Bulletin of the, November 1916. Elimina- tion of obsolete and useless topics and materials from the common branches. 16. Mead, Cyrtjs D. : The effect of exempting pupils proficient in handwriting, Journal of educational psychology, April 1917. 17. Monroe, W. S. : Handwriting. Chapter VI, Second and third annual reports of the bureau of educational measurements and standards, 1915-'16, 1916-'17. Kansas State Printing Plant, Topeka, 1917. 18. : Measuring the results of teaching. Chapter 8. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1918. 19. Monroe, W. S., DeVoss, J. C, and Kelly. F. J.: Educational tests and mea- surements. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Co. 1917. 20. Starch, Daniel: Measurement of efficiency in handwriting. Journal of educational psychology. February 1915. 21. : Writing scale. University Cooperative Co., Madison. Wisconsin. 22. Thorndike, E. L. : Handwriting. Teachers College Record II, No. 2, March 1910. Columbia University, New York. CHAPTER II REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPELLING Material for the Test and Plan of Giving On March 13, 1919, at the same hour in a given school, the pupils from the low second to the high ninth grades inclusive were asked to spell twenty words. The words were chosen from the Ayres Measuring Scale for Ability in Spelling. It has been found that classes make, on the average, a grade of 73 per cent, when they attempt to spell these words. These lists were the same that were dictated to the children of the Cleveland Ohio Survey. Several days before the day of the test the principals and teachers received the following bulletin of instruc- tions from the office of the Superintendent : Instructions Concerning Spelling Tests Berkeley, California, To Principals and Teachers: On Thursday, March 13th, a representative of Professor Mead's Seminar will come to your school for the purpose of giving, or assisting the teachers in giving, a test in spelling from the second to the ninth grades inclusive. Lists of words will be provided by the above rep- resentative. Do no "teaching" of the words. Provide your class with such material as they regularly use in a spelling lesson. See that each pupil writes his name, date, grade (A or B), and school. Dictate the spelling list as you would ordinarily in a written spelling period. If necessary, you may use a word in a sentence in order to make clear its meaning. Have the pupils spell, however, only the word. Collect and immediately mark all papers on the percentage basis, writing the score in the upper right hand corner, deducting five per cent, for each mis- spelled word. An omitted word should be counted as an incorrect spelling. Attach the spelling list to the papers and hand the same, properly clasped, to the representative. It is important that this test be given Thursday, preferably Thursday morning. Please see that the above directions are followed implicitly. Very truly, H. B. Wilson, Superintendent of Schools. 35 Oral Instructions In addition to this, the representative was authorized to give such oral instruction to the teachers as seemed necessary for a clear under- standing of what they and the children were expected to do. The most important of these oral directions were : 1. Not to tell the children they were taking a "test." 2. Dictate at the usual writing speed of the class. 3. The teacher to number the words as they were dictated. 4. If the pupil began a word incorrectly, then changed it, it was to be counted right, if correctly done at last, if the teacher was sure the word was not copied. Tabulation of Results The papers were collected and marked by the teachers, then turned over to the waiting representative who later revised the gradings. It was interesting to discover that almost as many papers had, in the haste of marking, been marked too low as too high. Where some percen- tages had to be lowered five or ten points, others had to be raised ten or fifteen. The spelling committee advises, that in the test of next term, more time be allowed for this part of the teachers' work. The score of each grade was tallied on sheets like the accompanying form which shows the record for a typical A sixth grade, and upon these sheets was computed the correction on the guessed average to get the true average. The grade scores and averages were assembled upon two different forms. One form showed the scores and averages for each grade in a particular school ; the other form showed the scores and averages of the same grade in all the schools. Upon the totals found upon each sheet, the committee has computed the guessed and true average, the average deviation, the median, and the quartile deviation. The number of computations on each sheet was fourteen. Where there were several classes of a grade, as for example, six in the high seventh of the Willard School, the computations were increased to the number of twice the additional divisions. The thirty-five sheets necessary to formulate this report represent a total of four hundred ninety computations with- out the additional pairs made necessary by the three, four and six-fold divisions of several grades. This will explain the fact that several months passed before the results of the tests were made accessible to teachers. 36 Typical Score, Sixth A Grade Spelling 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 2 40 45 50 3 55 1 60 65 2 70 1 75 2 SO 1 85 2 90 2 95 2 100 1 N. 19 Guessed Av. 77.5 True Av. 73.3 37 Factors to be Considered in Interpretation of Results Before discussing the tabulations and graphs, attention is invited to the following facts : The test was given on March 13, four weeks and three days after the mid-year promotions which were made on February 10. The achievement of Berkeley as a whole is not, therefore, entirely compar- able with that of those cities where the test was given at the mid-year period. In other words, the B section of every grade was much nearer to the A section of the grade below, than to the A section of their own grade. The second thing that must be taken into consideration in inter- preting Berkeley's record is that there was an enforced vacation due to the influenza totaling nine weeks. For purposes of comparison, however, the results with the B, or lower, sections were not used. The average results of the A or upper, section of each grade were used in the comparison of Berkeley with other cities. As a matter of fact then, these A sections were still about four weeks short of the mid-year. A third point should be kept in mind. In the Berkeley Survey there was no sampling, but every spelling was used. 5814 children of the city spelled, or attempted to spell, twenty words each. The tabulations therefore represent 116,280 spellings. In no other survey, so far as known, has this been true. San Francisco was notably sampled even after the spelling was given in only a part of the schools of the city. In another way the Berkeley Survey is unique. The entire teach- ing staff of the Elementary and the Intermediate Departments had an important part in it. In other cities with which Berkeley has been compared, the tests were conducted in the main by persons who were strangers to the children. In Berkeley unfamiliar personalities were not a confusing element. This should have induced a better perfor- mance on the part of the children. The participation of the teachers in the work brought out re-actions impossible if classes had been visited and tested by outsiders. Those re-actions are bound to result in great good to the schools because intelligent criticism and helpful suggestions are most desirable if real growth is to be secured. 38 a a o K < r-, DD a o o a u i m a (H a a < M fc « w a S pq j M H (" a ►j m H a M « « o pq :/> 1 o ^5 j a a a a 1 7; 1 a H o i— < fc a H a. a pq K H CO Q CO fc £ o a as mNONN^MOiONOinNOOtDroNOOCOOO ^^HHHrHHrHNNCOfOCCimCOCOMCO^COlM 05tDOO'-HCDOO i-l t-H i-H rH i-H i—l i—l i—l H iO^*l>l>^ iccoiooooo 1CCONON iq to CO CO iO iO i—i i—l CO CO uJCDrH iO-* ao 03 . in O CO M <^ S3 CD <] =§■43 39 i-h a ^ >o 1— 1 t> lO (N J> X~- d c- >c LC (N iC CI CI rr c. 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[- c p s _CL p o: ,c (- c a •V c CC cci c cc bi cc > D W 73 r; br -1 ^, sd 0) s 83 bO c^ CU > cu M O P > M 03 f-l C4-, re: r> n a: OJ > rC ri -1 o r^ > > CT 40 Table III Table of Averages — A Sections (Averages of Averages) Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade II III IV V VI VII VIII Standard 73 73 73 73 73 73 73 Berkeley 60.7 73.9 65.9 65.6 75.2 72.3 74.2 Interpretation of Results Table I (Distribution of Spelling Scores for Berkeley, Regardless of Schools) shows the total number of distributions of each measure fo* the different grades throughout the Berkeley system. For illustration: out of the 371 pupils in the A second grade, 27 made a score of 100 per cent., while the entire number of second grade pupils made an average of 62.7 per cent. Table II (Average Score made by the High and Low Sections of Each Grade, according to schools) when read horizontally shows the class average of each school for each of the grades and also the average for the school. When read perpendicularly, it shows the average by grades in each school and for the system. Table III (Table of Averages) represents the averages of the class averages, by grades, in the entire system regardless of schools. Thus the average of all the second grades (A Div.) in Berkeley is 60.7 per cent. The averages pictured in Chart I (Averages of Averages) show that the Berkeley Schools, as a whole, are a little above the 73 per cent, score in the third, sixth and eighth grades, but that the second, fourth and fifth grades fall surprisingly low, while the seventh closely approximates the 73 per cent, point. The equality of the fourth and fifth grades in negative ability is significant and gives rise to several questions regard- ing the causes for the condition. The average for the entire City of Berkeley is 69.7 per cent. A comparison of Berkeley's record with that of CI velancl brings out the fact that in both cities good and poor spelling ability lies, re- latively, in the same grades. The very low attainment of the second grade is probably due to two facts: (1) spelling as a subject is not regular- ly taught in all the first grades; and (2) in nearly all the classes the second grade children were using paper and the pencil as a medium for the first time on the day of the test. We do not understand the low scores of the fourth and the fifth grades. Since the same grades in Cleveland occupy the same relative position, there is perhaps some unknown factor that influenced the achievement in both cities. This suggests further study. . 41 o w o m Wa5 H B w S W .2 ^ CO s ^ v$ 42 Not only is there a wide difference between the same grades of the different schools in Berkeley, but the range within the individual schools is in some instances very large. The variation in the averages made by the different grades in the Berkeley Schools, as shown in Table II, is from 60.7 per cent, in the second grade to 75.2 per cent, in the sixth, a variation of 14.5 per cent. In Cleveland the range is from 73 to 80 per cent., a variation of only 7 per cent. In the Elementary group, the school having the greatest range shows a spread from 16.2 per cent, in the b second to 87 per cent, in the a sixth. The one showing the least variation extends from 61.8 per cent, to 78.3 per cent. In the Inter- mediate group, (seventh and eighth grades only) the same thing is true. The greatest range is from 53.2 per cent, to 79.2; the least from 59 to 68.8 per cent. The fourth grades (a Div.) which average 65.9 per cent, have a reach from 44 per cent, to 81.1 and the fifth grades (a Div.) which average 65.6 per cent, offers 54.2 per cent, as the lowest grade average, and 74.1 as the highest. To arrive at a more definite conclusion regarding the causes of this condition, detailed studies of the causes of pupils' misspellings would have to be made. Such a study is suggested by Monroe in "Measuring the Results of Teaching," pages 192 to 202. Time has not permitted this, therefore the Committee is not willing to hazard an opinion. One thing however does seem to be indicated, and that is, that there is too much attention given to the spelling of mere lists of words which the pupil may already know, and not enough to systematic development of the ability to attack a new word. In- attentive application to what one already knows produces a mental apathy which can soon become a fixed habit. Recommendations In view of the fact that a more complete diagnosis cannot be made at this time, the Committee is limited in the kind and the number of the recommendations that it can make. The first and the most impor- tant from the Committee's point of view is that a copy of each grade and school sheet, a copy of the tables of averages, and of the graph, be furnished to every school in each group and that the schools themselves study these results and endeavor to arrive at a conclusion which may be passed on to the teaching staff in order that a better and more uniform quality of work may be done in the grades. To facilitate and illumine the study of these tabulations and graphs, we recommend that the Board of Education supply each school with one or more copies of the following books : 43 The Eighteenth Year Book, (the 1919 issue), in which there are forty-one principles of method in spelling presented as the last word from the Committee on Economy of Time in Education. This same Yearbook contains similar principles of method in reading, writing and arithmetic. Monroe: Measuring the Results of Teaching. Houghton Mifflin Company. Tidyman: The Teaching of Spelling. World Book Company Pearson and Suzzallo : Essentials of Spelling. American Book Company There is now in the hands of the Elementary teachers, and it should be in the Intermediate grades, a copy of the California Teacher's Manual of Spelling. This offers illuminating material for the teachers' guidance. An extensive bibliography is also listed in the Eighteenth Yearbook, to which attention is directed. To facilitate the movement for an improvement in spelling ability, the Committee offers the following suggestions taken from the investiga- tions previously mentioned and recommends that they be put into the hands of each teacher and acted upon immediately. The Committee sees two phases of the matter, and has arranged the recommendations under two headings. For the teacher we submit guidance in the methods of teaching spelling. For the pupil — to be taught to him by the teacher — directions for the method of studying spelling. I. Guidance in the Method of Teaching Spelling 1. The time, 15 minutes daily, devoted to spelling, should largely be spent on class instruction under the direction of the teacher; in other words, it should be devoted to teaching rather than to testing. 2. Any good plan of teaching may be followed. Suzzallo and Pearson in their recent text, "Essentials of Spelling," present the fol- lowing excellent procedure: a. Write the new word in its normal form on the blackboard. (Make use of the visual sense) . b. While writing it, pronounce it distinctly. c. Develop the meaning orally, by calling on the pupil for a sentence using the word, or by giving yourself a sentence, or by defining the word. d. Show the syllables into which the word is divided, either by drawing ver- tical lines between the syllables (or lines under), or by covering the word so that but one syllable at a time is seen. Call upon the pupils to spell orally by syllables. (It is well to have the pupil form the habit of clearly pronouncing the word before and after spelling.) Have them indicate the part of the word that presents difficulties or the part that they already know. e. Have the pupils write the word on practice paper several times, spelling it quietly as they write. 44 /. Allow the class a moment in which to look at the word again, then close the eyes and try to visualize it. g. Provide plenty of repetition for drill, oral and written. (Some teachers give their pupils four or five minutes, say, to "study" their written word lists, after teaching, then have the class turn their papers over to spell from rapid dictation, this to determine the daily spelling grade). 3. For interesting methods of drill, the group contest in spelling games is recommended. S. A. Courtis' Teaching Spelling by Plays and Games, (82 Eliot St., Detroit) contains explicit directions for a number of such. 4. Teach the pupil to correct his own errors. 5. Insist upon careful spelling in all written work. The committee wishes to emphasize the following negative matters in method: 1. Do not require a pupil "'to write a word ten, fifteen or twenty times mechanically." Repetition should be accompanied by attention, and the teacher should know that such is the case. 2. Do not permit children to correct one another's spelling. 3. Do not call attention unnecessarily to the wrong wordform. For example, never say, "Do not use two l's in until." Say rather, "Notice the one 1 in until." 4. Do not drill upon words the children already know and do not drill upon all words alike. II. Directions to be followed in Studying Spelling The California Manual for the Teachers on page 8 says: "It is much more important that the child should know how to study new words than that he should be forced arbitrarily to memorize any fixed series of words." The teacher should then see that he knows how to study spelling. Excellent directions are to be found in the Children's Preface of the new California State Series of Spellers, and the teacher should see that each pupil understands and uses that method or some one equally good. The pupil should be taught to keep in a note book an alphabetical list of the words which trouble him and his study of spelling should be directed to the mastery of his own difficulties. Pupils should be taught now to use the dictionary in the study of spelling and then required to use it. Pupils should acquire and be encouraged to use correct pronuncia- tion as an aid to correct spelling. 45 As in the process of teaching there are some things one should not do, so in the process of learning there are some "do not's." Among them the following are to be stressed : 1. Do not guess at a spelling. Use the dictionary or ask the teacher. 2. Do not waste time in studying words you already know. 3. Do not write a word over and over without thinking about it. AVrite it a fewer number of times saying it quietly to yourself as you write. 4. Do not neglect to correct every misspelling in every piece of writing that you do. The committee urges, that in the effort to raise the standard of ability, there be no increase of time allowance for spelling. It seems to be established conclusively that fifteen minutes daily is ample time if the methods followed are good. More time than that has not been shown to be more productive of power. In conclusion the committee desires to say that in its opinion the emphasis should not be laid so much upon the fact that Berkeley did not do well, but upon the fact that it could do better. The only value that the survey can have is to stimulate to new and more intelligent efforts. MEASURING CLASSROOM PRODUCTS IN BERKELEY Study Number 1 of the Bureau of Research in Education In two Sections— Section II MAY 1, 1921 SUBVEY: MEASURING CLASSROOM PRODUCTS IN BERKELEY Section II of the report, made to Superintendent H. B. Wilson, on "Measuring Classroom Products in Berkeley." This survey was undertaken as a project by the 1918-19 Seminar in Educational Mea- surements. The 1920-21 Seminar has added the results in English composition and geography. Section I of December 1, 1920, includes the communications requesting the survey and the reports on hand- writing and spelling. Section II, following, will include the work done in measuring reading, arithmetical abilities, composition and geography. Cyrus D. Mead, Associate Professor of Elementary Education, University of California. CONTENTS SECTION II PAGE Survey 49 Chapter III — Report of the Committee on Reading 53 Planning for the Tests 53 Directions for Giving 53 Oral Instructions 54 Giving the Tests 55 Tabulation of Results 55 Disclosures 65 General Relation Between Rate and Comprehension 67 Factors Influencing Rate and Comprehension 67 General Suggestions 69 Suggestions Applicable to Berkeley 70 Bibliography 72 Chapter IV — Report of the Committee on the Fundamentals of Arithmetic 74 Introduction 74 Planning and Giving Tests 75 Directions for Giving and Scoring 75 Oral Instructions 77 Collection and Assembling of Data 77 Explanation of Tables and Graphs 77 Interpretation of Results 82 Recommendations for Berkeley v 91 Chapter V — Report of the Committee on Arithmetical Reasoning 92 Giving the Tests 92 Directions for Giving and Scoring 92 Comparison of Facts from Study of Tables and Graphs 93 Recommendations 97 APPENDIX English Composition and Geography 98 Composition 98 Geography 162 CHAPTEE III REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON READING Monroe's Standardized Silent Reading Tests were used in measur- ing the reading ability of 4714 pupils in Berkeley's nineteen schools. The tests were given on the afternoon of April twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred nineteen. The grades tested were the A-third to the A-ninth inclusive. All B-third grades were omitted and in a few schools the B-sixth and B-ninth also. This was necessary because there was an insufficient number of test sheets for all. PLANNING FOE THE TESTS Before the tests were given the manner of giving them was taken up in Dr. Mead's Seminar and carefully considered. A set of instruc- tions to principals and teachers was worked out by the members of the Seminar. These instructions were incorporated by Superintendent Wilson in his official Bulletin Number 48 and sent out to each of the Berkeley principals and teachers prior to the giving of the tests. The bulletin read as follows : THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Berkeley, California Bulletin No. 48. April 21, 1919. Directions foe Giving Tests in Reading To Principals and Teachers: The tests in reading will be given to classes from the third to the ninth grades inclusive during Thursday afternoon, April 24. A rep- resentative of Professor Mead's Seminar will be at your school some time during the morning, at a time to be arranged by telephone, in order to distribute the material and assist the teachers in interpreting the directions for giving (and scoring) the tests, such directions being printed on page one of each pupil's test sheet (or on the class record sheet). It is of the utmost importance that uniformity of conditions prevail in the giving of these tests. A deviation from the regular 54 order of procedure would of necessity invalidate the result with your class. Principals will please make arrangements necessary for the representative to meet the teachers in group. Administer the reading test as if it were an ordinary written exercise. Let natural conditions prevail. Do not have the pupils "fussed." Follow rigidly the directions and pay scrupulous attention to the five-minute time limit. Have a watch with a second hand. Have the 'pupils get ready five seconds before the minute, starting on the minute. It is well to add the five minutes to the time, writing it down. Call stop at exactly five minutes. Collect all papers immediately; score before leaving the building; place the Class Record Sheet on top of the class tests ( disregard entering the scores on the Class Record Sheet) ; tie all into a compact bundle and hand to the Principal, who will send same to the Superintendent's Office by four o'clock the fol- lowing day. Very truly yours, H. B. Wilson, Superintendent of Schools. Each member of the Seminar was given the responsibility . of two schools. It was his duty to see that the teachers were provided with Individual Test Sheets, Class Record Sheets, and other materials needed in giving the tests and recording the results. The printed instructions to the teachers were supplemented and further emphasized orally by the Seminar member as follows : Oral Instructions for the Reading Test 1. The test in a given school is to be given at the same period in the afternoon, all before, or all after an intermission. 2. Go over with the teachers in a group the method of giving and of scoring the tests. Advise the use of a pencil. 3. There are four rules to be followed in giving any standard test : (a) Follow the printed directions carefully. (b) Do no more nor less than the directions specify. (c) Do not try to improve upon the directions. (d) Watch the time of five minutes. Use a watch with a second hand. Record the time limit of starting and stopping by adding the five' minutes to the time and entering the same in the upper left corner of the same sheet. 4. Be natural. Do not "fuss" the pupils. 5. Study the directions until familiar with them. 6. Return all unused copies of the tests. 55 7. Mark strictly as to marking lines under or around words. That is, take off if wrong, but use judgment in marking an exercise if the answer shows that the child understands. 8. If the value on any test sheet is blurred, refer to the clear sheet to get the value. 9. Put nothing on the Class Record Sheet except the heading and the time. Each teacher was given opportunity to ask as many questions of the Seminar member as she cared to in order that the manner of giving the tests should be thoroughly understood. That the teachers were interested and anxious to make the tests effective was manifested by the number and the character of the questions asked. Giving the Tests The teachers gave the tests to their respective groups of pupils and scored the papers. This meant extra work for the teachers, but they willingly gave of their time and strength to accomplish the task quickly. The teachers not only scored the papers but they also arranged them in order so- that the lowest comprehension score appeared at the top of the bundle of papers and the highest at the bottom. This saved the reading committee much time. The answers to some of the questions on the test sheets were absolute, i.e., one answer was right, any other answer was wrong. The answers to other questions were left to the judgment of the one who did the scoring. Since there were so many who scored the tests it was thought best for the Seminar members to check the work of the teachers. The results were very satisfactory. In a few instances it was felt that a higher score had been given than the pupil had earned, so the final score was slightly lowered. In many more instances, however, it was felt that overly conscientious teachers had rated their pupils too low and the final score was raised. Throughout the giving of the tests there was ever manifested on the part of the teachers the desire to do everything "just right," Tabulation of Results The scores earned by the pupils of the various classes in each school were entered upon a special blank form (Class Record Sheet, Form I) issued by the Bureau of Educational Measurements and Standards, Kansas State Normal School, Emporia, Kansas. After the scores for comprehension were recorded on the Class Record Sheets, it was neces- sary to rearrange the bundles of individual score sheets on the basis 56 of the pupil's rate of reading. The rate scores were entered on the same Class Record Sheets as were the comprehension scores. From these scores were computed the medians for rate and comprehension for each class. In order that the results of the tests might be easily compared, school with school and grade with grade, the committee devised two special forms of tabulation sheets, one for the rate scores and one for the comprehension scores. The accomplishments in both rate of read- ing and comprehension for the various grades in the city, regardless of school, are assembled in Tables I and II. These data are pictured in Graphs I and II. The dotted line in Graph I represents the average score in the rate of silent reading of 4714 Berkeley pupils from the third through the ninth grades. The solid line represents the standard score of the same grades for other cities of the country. The figures on the top line of the diagram indicate the grades while those on the vertical line show the rate of reading (number of words per minute). The breaks between the fifth and sixth grades and the eighth and ninth grades represent the three different tests. The dotted line in Graph II represents the average score in the quality or comprehension of silent reading of 4717 Berkeley pupils from the third through the ninth grades. The solid line represents the standard score of the same grades for other cities of the country. The figures on the top line of the diagram indicate the grades while those on the vertical line show the reading comprehension. The breaks between the fifth and sixth grades and between the eighth and ninth grades represent the three different tests. Graphs III, IV, V, and VI represent four Berkeley schools illus- trating varying conditions throughout the city. They show that in Berkeley as in other cities there is considerable variance of results in rate and comprehension of reading ability. These four graphs emphasize the fact that each school must meet and overcome problems distinctively its own. For illustration : It will be noted by Graph III that the Emerson School stands un- usually high both in* comprehension and in rate of reading. Further- more, each succeeding grade improves gradually up to and including the sixth grade. The social and economic advantages unquestionably enter into the situation and bear out many of the statements made in this report. Over and against these advantages we might cite Graph VI — the Hawthorne School. Although the fourth and fifth grades are very 57 H cci N W P? ,L H |Zi Q «! « ^ W S2 010 § 00 2SS« OH 2 OON00000 MOOHOOiOOOOOONOHOOtOOONOOOOO i- 1 r1 i— I CO CN i-H ^^ gcM ,0 g co ,0 co ,00 $ 00 g 00 2 S ^ 00< =© ££w^g^fo^cogcM^^ocNcooco,H©©o S^°2 ot 5 w S NOH H NOHHo^omooi lO CM CO CO 00 CO 1> CM rH SS5 2 c " 1 3 S! 00000 o ( doonoiooiohooh (Mi— I CM CO 00 CO lO CM i— I ■ w t— ;2roi-icoo^oooi-icM©o^oocooc»oco IC lO i— I rH ■^ONCOHiM0030i00010010iO(DOIXltDiCOOOM CO CM CM CO CO LQ ■■# Tt« CM ^ww (OOtOCOOCSOHOOOO^HtOHOOtOOiONNOHOin CNIi— ICOi— iiO»OCDiOCNt-ICNi— I ^OfflNOHO^OHOiOOTfOCOMHOHtOOOOOlM i-l i-l CM ■* CO iO *&*& CDi-HCN i-J MOMNOCOOOIONOOO^OMNhoOhooOhOCO CO CM "^ -tf CM iO CO CO CM CM S«nO^M(Ni-iHOO0)0)«)00NNCO!OiOi0^^MMNf1 ^1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1**— i 1 1 1— I 1 1 T— t O I I I I I I I I I < CD' I I I I I r " ' HH©r- ICOl— ICDl— ICOHtDr- I CO i— I CO I- 1 CO r- 1 CD 1- ICOl— I CD fe n>0'*COINr- li-HOOOi050000l>'l>COCD»0»OTtHTtiCOCOCMCNlr-H o S< 1— I 1— I 1— I i-H 1-H i-H i— I ,— I -u^um ij < pq 58 H i-l w a M a -J 7 w i S3 1-3 O < 0Q P3 HNO)HN(NOHOOO H (N (N CO CO CO >0 CO oo oo CM CO lO CO CM WiONO^NOKM^^COtOHiOOOOOOO i— 1 r- 1 r- 1 rH i— H t— 1 o rH rH CD CO lO CM oo ffl-*OTf^NNN!DW!O^NCOOOOOO H CO N CO >0 N N CO M H co co CM CM m 00 NiONOOiON^tONHiOOl^NHOOOO HNHMMCOiO^lNH oo oo CD CM iOcOrHCMCftcOCOcOOOCOCOCOOr- I O <— I CMcocMTH-H^iocococorH o 00 OS NHC0'*tDH'*0)tDOa30)00C0O'*OlN T-icq(Mco^»ci^t , co^'-( co CO co oo od 1—t CD HOlOiHiOHtDOOOO^OOHO-^OCOOH N-*INCOCO»OOOCOO)HHH C53 CM 03 CO (M05N00(NC0«3MC0tDC000O0H0HHOO CD oo CM CO oo < U3 COtD^COcONHOHOMOOCOOOOO t— ico-^r^txoio-^CMr- 1 1— i CO oo U5 HrHM^^THlOCOCOrHH CD co CO CO rH < lOOtOOiOOlHHMOOCOCOOlOl^tD (N (N CO tH CCHO iO ^ rH CO CD CM C53 rH thoooocoonmooconcomcococo HrtHNCOCOlOCQIOcDrtHrtH C53 C53 co CM o 1-t co cm 10 r- lOrHLOfrocJico-^cofNiOrH h(NM(N!Ot)<00hcOHiHim CO CO co 1 B o o 03 (> o 03O 2 C i c 2 c 3 O j o j a (TftOJc^CTic^CiCRcr^CRCRCTOCRC^dicrO CD x> s pi pi o oo c 5 C - ,: 3 c - « 5 C 3 C 3 if 5 C 3 - 3 " 3 - 3 -t 3 C h -1 CV 1 3 C 3 T^ C33>cOCOOi>-tfCMOOOcO^iO"^C0(Ni-IO CM CM (M T-t rH rH rH 59 *Q \ \ \ \ \ V s \ ^ V. \ \ 60 I S— 8 , 00 u? \ \ t \ \ \ V \ \ \ \ V i 1 * v\ A \ , \ * \ \ \ v \ \ 61 ©-. 3x Ui •a * o \ " X \ W o \ i/> \ a \ t o \ a « \ < £ \ H- * \ u) ui G5\ \ r ^\ V \ \ i * \ \ o \ \ ■° \ ? 3 Ui M a: UI i\~ Ui ar < -J V- _1 ^) z. o 1 ^ d — H ce oc o 3: Ui > 13 :c a_ 62 — ■'- ' — > 1 o Ul O Gr s v O o \ 1 \ \ * - t 1 V Q r \ * t * \ \ \ 1 \ S I ft ^ >» \ \ \ \ ^\ \ \ \ £ \\ \\ o V \ ^e \ \V §) ^ « ft + (K5) rr ct 63 • _1 O O ■x U u o o w o D \3 < - O -r " i Si @ \/$ I \ .« « ® h s 64 J • o * 5 nr -y_., O if) o <0 Ui z a cr K ^ I S ^ ^ "Q I v (3 V. 1 x \ \\ \\ \ \\ v\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ N & 3r 65 near to the standard, it will be seen that, as compared to the Emer- son School, the standing is considerably lower. In Graph IV it will be noted that the third grade stands unusually low both in rate and comprehension. The fourth and fifth grades make rapid progress, especially in rate, while the sixth grade drops below the standard of the fifth grade. What may be the cause of this situation ? In Graph V — the Washington School — we have a still different situation. The third and fourth grades stand well, as compared with the standard, but the fifth and sixth grades show practically no gain either in rate or comprehension. This calls for a different solution from the others. Table of Standards Grade III IV V VI VII VIII IX Rate 52 73 89 88 99 106 87 Comprehension 7.2 13 19 20 Medians for Berkeley. 23 26.4 25 Rate 53 80.7 96.3 98 97.5 101.3 87.7 Comprehension 7.3 14.9 18.6 19.2 19.8 22.7 26.5 Graph VII is a typical representation of the fact, generally true, not only in Berkeley but also in other cities, that a gain in rate of reading means a corresponding gain in reading comprehension. For illustration: Graph VII shows the seventh and eighth grades to be very near on a par with one another ; their rate being practically the same and their comprehension increasing almost uniformly. The ninth grade of the Willard School, however, shows a decided increase in rate of reading over the Garfield School and the comprehension value im- proves in like proportion. Disclosures A careful study of the results of the reading test in Berkeley discloses the fact that comprehension is sacrificed for rate throughout the fifth and sixth grades. This is very little, however. In the ele- mentary grades — from the third through the sixth — there is a steady increase in reading rate over the standard for other cities, the highest point being reached in the sixth grade. In the seventh and eighth grades there is a drop, while again in the ninth grade Berkeley stands 66 u . "J o ft: V Q " ^ cJ I o V 1 ° Iff U) © c t o ftr « J X « Ul CI 2 J ■ -1 Or K «/ ; I bf> i . - <*$ .M © * • 1 • ' *\ / i i l/> . • i » ^ £ / i Uj "t .' ft: / ,uj A Vc °, o " ,i / * 2 <£) -J < ^y -4 J E J c ^ © 2: o o -~ 3: H f~ a. 5 K •a: ftr o w a: ^ tf 67 a little above the standard. 1 In reading comprehension the third and fourth grades are above the standard while the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades show scarcely any improvement, being below the standard for other cities. The ninth grade, as in reading rate, stands above. General Relation Between Rate and Comprehension The prevailing opinion of the past has been that the slow, pains- taking reader was also the more accurate reader in that he could understand better and reproduce more of the selection read than the rapid reader. Recent tests of large classes of children do not bear out this supposition. Often the rapid reader is the ' ' good ' ' reader and the slow reader is the "poor" reader. This is true of the Berkeley chil- dren as shown by the present tests. More frequently than otherwise there is a marked correlation between a high rate of speed in reading and a high comprehension score. There is of course an extremely rapid rate of reading, "skimming," which is beyond the normal rate of the child. This usually results in confusion and lack of comprehension. Figure I given below is reproduced from the Report of the Cleve- land Survey and shows what Judd found to be true concerning the rate and comprehension of 1831 pupils in silent reading as measured by Gray's Silent Reading Tests. On the basis of their scores these pupils were divided into nine groups as indicated in the figure. The per cent of the pupils in each group is indicated by the number within the circle. The size of the group is represented by the size of the circle. The figure shows that a rapid reader is more frequently good in quality (comprehension) than poor. The opposite is true of the slow reader. Factors Influencing Rate and Comprehension In a preceding paragraph it was pointed out that the rate score had reached the high-water mark in the sixth grade, being decidedly above the average. The comprehension score, however, shows that the fifth and sixth grades have fallen below the standard for other cities. It would seem, as was true in the Cleveland Survey, that in these grades rate was stressed at the expense of quality. It would be de- sirable if the rate could be maintained as it has been established, but unless the quality can be likewise brought up to a correspondingly high 1 The reader must not confuse "standard" with the ideal. Standard in this case means simply what pupils "on the average" now do. 68 degree, the rate should be sacrificed. In the other grades the curves show that both rate and comprehension are emphasized equally : that as pupils read rapidly their power of comprehension is correspond- ingly high. The Berkeley schools are organized on the six-three-three plan. The Intermediate schools comprise the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades and are operated on the regular High School plan. The break or gap that formerly existed between the eighth and ninth grades, now, to some degree, exists between the elementary and intermediate grades. The committee is inclined to believe that the chief reason for the drop in rate and comprehension during the seventh and eighth grades is due largely to the change in method from that of the elementary schools. 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By this and Graphs VII and VIII it can be more clearly noted where Berkeley falls above or below the standard. Graphs IX and X, and XI and XII, show the range between the highest and lowest score reached in each grade, and also the variation from the standard. Table V Addition Standard Berkeley Subtraction Standard Berkeley Grade 4 Att. 7.4 8.6 9.8 10.9 11.6 Ace. 64 70 73 75 76 Rts. 4.7 6 7.2 8.2 8.8 Att. 7.5 8.3 9.5 9.4 9.9 Ace. 60.1 67.2 74.2 69.8 74.1 Rts. 4.5 5.6 7.1 6.6 7.3 Grade 4 Att. 7.4 9 10.3 11.6 12.9 Ace. 80 83 85 86 87 Rts. 5.9 7.5 8.8 10 11.2 Att. 7.1 8.9 11 12.3 14.3 Ace. 69.9 79.8 85.5 86.1 90.5 Rts. 5 5 5 6 7 1 6 9 5 7 7 8 10 6 8 12 9 Multiplication Division Grade 4 Att. 6.2 7.5 9.1 10.2 11.5 Ace. 67 75 78 80 81 Rts. 4.2 5.6 7.1 8.2 9.3 Att. 5 7 8.4 9.2 11.9 Ace 65.9 71.2 81 78.2 83.4 Rts. 3.4 5.1 6.8 7.2 9.9 Grade Att. Ace. Rts. Att. Ace. Rts. 5 5 6.1 8.2 9.6 10.7 77 87 90 91 4.7 7.1 8.6 9.7 5.3 7.8 8.5 11 64.8 85.4 91 95.8 3 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 7 9 8 10.7 Interpretation of Results From these tables and graphs any school or grade may be com- pared with any other school or grade. The test papers are all pre- served and any principal or teacher may secure those in which he is interested for the purpose of studying the comparative ability of indi- vidual pupils, and also using them as the basis for a study of individual and group progress. The committee hopes that the report on this series of tests may help toward making instruction in the Berkeley schools more balanced as well as more effective. It will be noted that all of the grades, with the exception of the eighth, are below the standard in rights in all processes except subtraction, while the eighth grade rises well above in all but addition. Another noticeable feature is the drop in the seventh grade in all processes except subtraction. In several instances the B division of a grade scored higher than the A division. Standard rights means simply what the pupils in general ' ' on the average" now do. Due to the shortened terms and consequent changes in the course of study, division was omitted by most fourth 83 84 1 ■£ « n -C c c >£ eu-~ I— J ^5 *3 1) 1 <0 ca. > : r J-s e *■* _3 O"* O J£ E c 00 : 5 >> i3b c 2 o O 3 c •3 O n ■3 u j: ri- w * - al -a c •» ***- T3 0) tu D. if* ■5 a & — 3. >> Js - - « O • ~* 4> 2 u •X} >> > 3 TO 3 4> Q. ^ <3 C w 4J u u E \^V "Oil < < " 2 4> \ \ T3 O n u 1 \ ■5 « o. \ \ c -o 1 OS 'ift ■ 1 \ _o O 5T \ 1 „4- C Q-> > r-- U o \ tu "O oj J3 u Q ■3 •S) E 3 c i f \ c -5 vO ** O " C C = Q ** ^ - ~"i ©-. - _ _ o to — -00 *— nl £ > .— 1- w to 3 3 O O TU Q. £ hi O u w _ 3 u < pajduiajjv sajduiExg oj )q?}>{ sajduiExg jo otje^J 2 "2 85 NO u T3 \o n 1—1 «t ON 4» u I— 1 ~ ; * ** o c I a '53 _3 1 -a 1 u c — E »<3 >> V CO < n *~ o ^ <= 2 o O 3 c ■~ O ra •S t» j: "* s « CO i N CU — 2 ^ T5 O U a I* \~\ ; 1° «3"- o _S >» o. u 4) u. o a 1 1 >. > 3 3 n c »- o U g > U tu •/ ■OB £ e a _o "3 > s z •«• •S 4» 01 O co ^ ^"T Q CO JJ \\ E 3 o ** o C C fe C CU •a n ~\ ^ u o \ \ S \ S v. *o £ * N. "o 4> 1/5 O u "«s > •a w ^ CJ CO 3 3 O ej *-«. u «7 w - -^ O o i^ £ c - o — ■5 •*= IT CO ."2P o & ."Wl '£ C W to 2 £ t3 1 •S ° ^-v w & — oo Ih 1 a M 1 - ° 4> 2 — o •a I 1 ) >» > 3 C l- O i 3 U Ih a o u T3 E s < < ' ao s \ i £ o •5 e \ 1 y a "o. •~ w i ox \ -o K \ b* 3 0) w \ U 0) a *o sA c c o ^S# •5 'S «n \ E "o. E >> v > 1/5 — .2 « 1 3 v. 3 u rf 8 e *** ■^ o ."2? u o .« •£•*= •j; £ .'S? 'C CO cs la 0) O a oo -C C "CJ) « CO o Q 1 T3 — 4> — Si O, - ^3 c .2 e co^ r o .2 "33 S rsi — Oh Ih *""' 1 . 1 „ . 1 . , I - , I . 1 . 1 1- 1 1 | 1 II 1 O S> 56 f- \& to .**• «o 3 U pd)dui9UV S3|daie sg oj m?!}j sajduiexg jo oijey S CO < 87 X - J1 N ""^ x ^ 4- V v m eJ X v. n$ X N s. X "^ +- X. N _o X N ta -"■■ x —J 1 - ....J i 1 \ N . - t^ in aj -6 - lo GJ 1 v9 1« - 1 d- M xn f> Q) -fl Pi nrt ni L (— 1 xi$ t> en ft '3 N. - _2J «> -o ^ _* £ S. N, V « \ X N ti -V^ v x CO TO 1 \ 1 \ i cf \ o V N t^ n) X s o \ \ ~ \ \ ■" a. \ s -i-> ^ l .1 ( .. x^ x 1 1 \l ^ -L W> c}- CO <*> K_ s3 - lo :h a) & 89 grade classes, so no record was made of the results where these tests were given in the fourth grade. Attention is called to the fact that the Courtis Standards are hased on tests given to both A and B divisions of the grades in May or June. This would mean that the B divisions took the tests about the seven- teenth or eighteenth week of its time in the grade, while the A divisions had practically completed the same grade, making the average time in the grade about twenty-seven weeks. The Berkeley tests were given during the twenty-fifth week in the grade for the A classes. Therefore H bo es 90 for our graphs and charts only the scores of our A divisions have been considered and the results are, for approximate purposes, comparable. Eesults differ largely in different sections of the city. This may be due partly to the fact that, because the course of study does not call for any definite amount of time to be spent in drilling upon the funda- mental processes of arithmetic, there has been no uniformity of practice in the various schools. The drop in the seventh grades probably is due to the fact that at this grade the Junior High organization for ail pupils is begun in the Berkeley schools and the change of schools necessarily causes a break in some of the work. yj -»-> * i 'Sjooc^ £? «5 <5«- 91 Several unavoidable factors entered into the Berkeley survey which should be held in mind when results are compared with standards. The two most important, probably, were : 1. Various Red Cross, loan and other war and reconstruction activ- ities which had a patriotic claim upon considerable of the pupils' time. 2. The influenza epidemic. The schools were closed for a total of nine weeks, in two periods, on account of this scourge. Besides this enforced vacation, the attendance of pupils was extremely irregular for weeks, many substitute teachers were employed and there was a noticeable impairment of health of both pupils and teachers. Recommendations for Berkeley Each principal should compare his school with other schools, with the Berkeley averages, and especially with the standards, that he may learn where help or better work is needed. Each teacher from her comparisons should be able to derive satisfaction or ambition and determination. Sufficient practice material should be provided and drill upon the fundamentals required, the required time to depend upon the varying needs as shown by repetition of the tests. Good practice material provides for time limited, motivated work, and pupils are expected to become more proficient in the formal phases of number work in less time than formerly so that a longer time might be devoted to the con- crete and applied phases of arithmetic. The Series B tests should be repeated during both terms of the coming school year, and the results again compiled and made available for all the teachers and principals for further comparisons. In conclusion, we would refer the teachers of all grades to the very constructive report on the teaching of arithmetic made by the Com- mittee on the Economy of Time in Education in the Eighteenth Year- book, Part II, of the National Society for the Study of Education, pages 78 to 92. CHAPTER V REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ARITHMETICAL REASONING Giving the Tests The Arithmetical Scale A of Starch (Arithmetical Reasoning) was given in the Berkeley Schools on the first day of May, 1919, in all of the grades from the high third to and including the high eighth. The following instructions were sent to the principals of the fifteenth ele- mentary and the four intermediate schools : THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Berkeley, California Bulletin No. 52. April 28, 1919. Directions for Giving Tests in Arithmetical Problems To Principals and Teachers: The test in Arithmetical Problems will be given to classes from the third to the eighth grades inclusive during Thursday afternoon, May 1st. A representative of Professor Mead's Seminar will be at your school some time during the morning, at a time which may be arranged by telephone, in order to distribute the material and assist the teachers in interpreting the directions for giving and scoring the test. See that the directions are followed implicitly. Principals will please make the necessary arrangements for the representative to meet the teachers in group. Directions for Administering and Scoring the Test Allow the pupils as much time as they need to do as many of the problems as they can. A pupil's score is the number of the highest step passed (not the sum of the steps), minus any steps on which he may have failed. For example, if a pupil does all steps up to and including 8 and then fails on all the rest, his score is 8. But if he fails on 9, does 10 and 11, and fails on the rest, his score is 10. That is, he receives credit for every step passed beyond the point where he first failed and is penalized for every step, on which he failed. 93 The results for a class should be tabulated to show the name of each pupil together with his score and the average for the entire class. Before beginning the test have each pupil fill in the data asked for at the bottom of the test sheet. When all have finished, tabulate the class results as by the above directions, include such tabulation in the test sheets, tie all into a compact bundle and hand to the Principal, who Avill send same to the Superintendent's office by 4 o'clock the following day. Very truly yours, H. B. "Wilson, Superintendent of Schools. On the day preceding the giving of the tests each school was visited by a member of the Seminar, who instructed the teachers in reference to givinng and scoring the tests. These following oral instructions supplemented the printed ones: 1. 20 or 30 minutes should be sufficient for the test. At the end of 30 minutes collect all papers. Allow at least a 30-minute period exclusive of the time for the data at the bottom of the sheet. Tell the children to take the time they need and that all do not need to start and stop at the same time. 2. Tell the children to use the back of the sheet for scratch paper. They are to work mentally if they wish and to use pencil. 3. The results of each test should be entered on a blank sheet of paper. Write each pupil's name and score. Add and average. Return all unused sheets. 4. Mark each problem correct with a C. Count the number of Cs. Count down that number of problems and the last number is the score. Disregard the score in parenthesis. 5. Proceed with your regular arithmetic for the morning, but do not touch on problems of this nature. 6. Give at the same period throughout the building, either all before or all after an intermission. The tests were given and scored by the teachers, whose work was verified by Seminar members. The results are shown in the accom- panying tabulations and graphs. Comparison of Facts from Study of Tables and Graphs Table I shows the grade distribution of scores assembled irrespective of schools, the total number of pupils in each grade, and the average score made. Thus, in the A3 grade of the Berkeley schools there were 353 pupils. The average score attained by this grade was 4.2. 94 Table I — Distribution of Scores According to ' ' Steps Attained ' ' by the Various Grades, 3a to 8a Inclusive Score 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A 8B 8A 8 74 146 66 42 15 2 1 49 130 98 40 34 7 2 3 30 105 128 82 57 22 5 3 2 12 53 83 107 62 36 15 6 1 6 41 75 103 83 58 37 8 6 1 2 22 47 67 87 66 51 28 9 4 1 1 6 23 49 67 85 72 58 35 17 4 1 1 16 22 38 61 45 58 39 29 18 6 1 4 15 22 33 55 74 68 79 48 33 14 1 6 11 23 24 34 46 41 60 28 6 1 4 6 1 7 2 8 10 9 26 10 32 11 65 12 60 13 64 14 56 15 39 Number 353 361 435 377 417 385 418 333 446 280 355 Average 4.2 5.0 5.8 6.7 7.3 8.1 9.3 10.1 10.7 11.1 12 1 Table II shows the class averages for all of the grades in all of the elementary and intermediate schools of Berkeley. This total class average (A divisions) is compared to the Starch standard for the same grades. Thus, the A3 grades in the Berkeley school attained a score of 4.2, while the Starch standard presumably for the A3 grade is 4.6. Table III assembles the averages of the High divisions of each grade and compares them to the Starch standards. These are used as a basis for the graph which pictures the attainment of the Berkeley schools in relation to the Starch standards. (Graph I.) A review of the table and graph showing the achievement of the Berkeley schools in the Starch test discloses the fact that the Berkeley score is consistently lower than the standard. It must be remembered that, as in the fundamentals, the standard score is given only for the end of each year ; therefore there is no means of comparison in the low divisions. In a study of the tables, one observes that the schools having a large foreign-speaking element average below the standards in the rea- soning test, while in the "fundamentals," with one exception, they average above. This may be expected, as in problem work so much depends upon the reading ability of the child. On the other hand, in those schools where the children are accustomed to home reading and have a ready understanding of the printed paragraph, the scores made 95 oo w co co co tH CM CM CM 1— 1 1— 1 1— 1 T-H 12.1 12.6 oo i-4 CO 00 OS CD O O i— i i— I »— ( 1— 1 !— 1 I— 1 i— < T-H -£3 ■* oo os co os o d i-i O T-H 1—1 T-H i-4 CO OS OS OS i—i OS OS O to H OS CM OS 00 O OON 00 CO CD CM OS CO OS OS OS OS OS 00 OS ■* 00 o oo ' co th OS OS hO CD h4 OIHIN (O (O 00 N N m 00 N t^ CM t-~ t* f-~ CM NOOOOOCOOOOONOOW T— 1 00 Oi CD OO CO t— ICO lO i— < 1ONNNNNNNNN00CO i-H CM oo t~- co oo i-4 mcciocofficoioniototOHN^H (ONiOONtDNONtOtDNNOCO CD IQIO 1> OS (N^COlOOtOOOOiiO WSNiO-^OCOtDCOiO'O'O'^iOiOiO 00 CM »C CD .d 00 O OS 00 CO U3 ■* CO M CO -tf CD O T3 1 S. I HOlHNNOOMOOM^tDCOiOMiO CO 1 W | CM CD 03 d S U d o S-. CD s (3 o3 CO d ;- O += 1 X d O — CD : i= CD P-i '3 o 1-3 as d c c U 3 r 3 d s h-3 CD "3 o ~x G C d m Z -= :- d o M a GO CO += +3 * ' CO b£ oa -. CO > < "Z St cc "Z n X rd u — X p sa B pq d O cc — <-> oa — > CO X - CO pq c * CO fax cd — CO > < ~6 — d QQ o o3 i &Q 1 96 in the reasoning test were above standard, while many fell below in the fundamentals. . The fact that the sixth grades, marking the end of the elementary schools, approach the standard in both the fundamen- tals and the reasoning tests, while the seventh grades show a drop, may be due to the change of schools at this point and consequent change of systems. Table III Berkeley Score (A. Division of grades) Grade 3— 4.2 Grade 4—5.8 Grade 5 — 7.3 Grade 6— 9.3 Grade 7—10.7 Grade 8—12.1 Starch Standard 4.6 6.2 7.8 9.4 11.0 12.6 12 11 10 Berkeley ScovA * Grades ^ ■nr O 6 7 .8 Graph I — Starch-Scale A. Eeasoning Test. Berkeley Score compared with Starch Standard. '97 Becommendations It is the sentiment of the committee that there is not enough avail- able problem work related to the child's experience, especially in the elementary grades. This has a tendency to emphasize the mechanical side of the work and does not afford opportunity for the exercise of the reasoning ability. So far as is feasible number work should be drawn from or related to real concrete situations. The child should also have access to a quantity of interesting and varied material such as would continually challenge his intellectual activity and stimulate independent thinking. To this end tha committee recommends that there be placed in the hands of the children the best of modern and up-to-date texts. The problems and exercises in these books deal with facts related to actual experience and would give the child an oppor- tunity to think and work independently. The teacher is urged to supplement the texts with real community problem material. The committee recommends that a copy of the tables and graphs be placed in each school for the purpose of study. Teachers are re- ferred to the 18th Year Book of the National Society for practical and helpful suggestions. APPENDIX ENGLISH COMPOSITION AND GEOGRAPHY The tests in English composition and geography were organized, given, scored and tabled by the 1920-21 Educational Measurements Seminar. 2 The Nassau County Supplement to the Hillegas Scale was used in composition. Typical schools representative of the city were chosen with a sum total of nearly 1200 pupils. The tests were given about February 18, 1921. The midyear promotions had taken place and the B or low classes were some five weeks "over the grade," i.e., they were beginning the work of new grades. For purposes of com- parison, however, they were considered as finishing the grade previous. The B or low sections only were tested. The results were compared with the end of the year standards for the grade preceding. This meant that the Berkeley pupils had some five weeks the advantage. Tables I and II give the distribution of scores in composition for the classes tested in each school. Table III assembles the totals for the city. These data are pictured in the chart. The following was the procedure in giving the composition tests : INSTRUCTION'S TO BE FOLLOWED IN GlVING THE COMPOSITION TEST Provide each pupil with a sheet of the paper usually employed for composition work. Have them use pen and ink, unless they are accus- tomed to writing compositions with pencils. Direct the children to write at the top of the page their names, ages, grade, school, city and date, with a statement of about the number of weeks each one has been in the grade. Then make the following explanation: "I want to find out how interesting a story you can write when you try your very best. You may write on both sides of the paper if you wish. I want you to write this story in your best handwriting, to use the best English you can write, and above all to make the story as interesting as possible. I want you to tell me what you would like to do next Saturday. ' What I Should Like to Do Next Saturday' is the topic on which you are to write. You may now go to work. Let us see how well you can write." 2 Florence L. Andruss, Edna L. Dessery, William V. Emery, Buth S. Genung, Frances Giddings, Ebse E. Hollstein, Thurston P. Knudson, Zing Yang Kuo, Charles B. Leonard, Eugenie Andruss Leonard, Florence E. Luke, Beverly M. Nevison, Loretta Munro Parkinson. Credit is due also to Miss Marion C. Smith, Assistant in Research in Berkeley, for cooperation and assistance. 99 Table I — Distribution of Scores in English Composition — Nassau County Scale o S 1 5B Grade (means 4A) T3 u o O <3 O a § o a o M a Scale Values Nassau County Supplement a; a o -03 ."2 o 1-5 is a o ►h "S 3 Dh "5 o Eh .0 (0 0.53) 3 27 1 5 20 6 7 3 1 1 20 14 1 8 4 2 1 3 4 4 5 16 1 12 1 1 7 29 2 8 1 5 75 115 4 1 1.1 (0.54-1.49) 1.9 (1.50-2.36) 2.8 (2.37-3.32) 3.8 (3.33-4.40) 5.0 (4.41-5.48) 6.0 (5.49-6.61) !7.2 (6.62-7.61) 8.0 (7.62-8.50) 9.0 (8.5-up) Total in Class Median counted Median calculated.. Average 31 3.7 3.85 3.74 3.5 68 14 18 2 1 31 2.8 2.89 ',.51 3.5 19 10 10 10 3.2 3.05 3.1 3.5 20 6B 2 6 2 36 2.8 3.15 3.08 3.5 39 Grade 4 7 7 13 3.2 3.08 3.04 3.5 31 (mean 2 13 14 2.8 2.7 2.3 3.5 27 s5A) 10 6 1 21 3.4 3.73 3.56 3.5 47 1 3 14 15 3.8 3.915 3.9 3.5 86 1 2 2 14 4 38 3.7 3.716 3.678 3.5 76 7 23 17 6 209 3.26 3.34 3 21 Standard 3 5 Percent of class at or above standard .0 (.0 -0.53) 1.1 (0.54-1.49) 1.9 (1.50-2.36) 2.8 (2.37-3.32) 3.8 (3.33-4.40) 5.0 (4.41-5.48) 6.0 (5.49-6.61) 7.2 (6.62-7.61) 8.0 (7.62-8.50) 9.0 (8.5-up) 46 1 2 42 104 52 S Total in Class Median counted Median calculated.. Average 35 3.45 3.57 3.53 4.0 22 20 3.15 3.33 3.0 4.0 10 3.85 3.87 3.84 4.0 40 18 4.15 4.10 4.04 4.0 55 15 3.65 3.82 3.66 4.0 6 17 4.40 4.20 4.30 4.0 64 18 4.7 4.83 4.68 4.0 89 23 3.8 3.86 3.59 4.0 16 53 4.1 4.24 4.10 4.0 50 209 3.91 3.98 3.94 4.0 38.8 Standard Percent of class at or above standard 100 Q < OS PQ o CO Ol O H (O H lO (O ^ lO OS ION O Tt< io io lO oo I-H o CO oo "3 < oo CO a PQ OS snanj iviox lO OOfllOH ^ CO CO o to * lO N 00 lO CO K3 lO U3 »o 1—1 CM CO P-reftlM (M lO CO ■>* . i-H ■* CM O ^ H O tH t-i lO l> CO CO CO HO oo OS 1> uosipg; 00 CO CO CO H CO CM o oo oo o co >o io CO lO lO lO lO CO «6 CO s OS CD T3 oS !h o PQ oo siidnj ivioj, N lO CO CO 1— 1 ICTJ T— 1 i-H CM NNtOO 00 lO lO lO lO 00 1—1 oo d OS jPJBniAl S80UBJj[ t— I CO Cft i— I CM lO i-H OS OS 00 o N lO lO lO 1C CO CM OS .paB[|i^ saouBj^ rH CD O CM i-i o OS O OS O Ol lO CO lO IC OS x nosipa lO CO rH i— 1 ■■* CO oo t- lO i— 1 i— 1 c CM lO lO IC iC OS CO CO oo CO CO Pi o3 CD g e3 St o PQ siianj iviox O H lO CO O Ciffl i-l CM i-H tO i-H 00 CM C oo oo oo ic ^ co co co ^ i-H CM CM o co V^IUJA (N H lO (5 00 O >C -* co N COC 00 O OHO O co -* co -* o 1—1 co 3 uosipa 00 O CO 00 i-H CO CM 00 C 00 1> CM iC os co co co •<* i— i T uostpa -*t OS i— 1 i— 1 CM CM (M C 00 CM CM IC lO CO ■* "HH tJ- 00 i-H Scale Values Nassau Co. Supplement CC ir. C i c c OlCINOOOHHO ^Hcq'coTii>offiNai p., i i i i i i i i 3 lOiOCOCO^cHTtHcqcOiO OHdco^idtoNtxi HOIOOCCOONOO i-I i-i cm' co ic co j> oo os Total in Class Median counted Median(calculated) Averaee K P o3 o3 co 'O co p| _^ o3 •s £ 11 Pm 101 Table III — Distribution of Scores in English Composition — Nassau County Scale Berkeley Elementary and Intermediate Schools Scale Values — Nassau Co. Supplement 5B' 6B 1 7B ( 8B' 9B ! 10B ! Total Pet. .0 (0, 1.1 (0. 1.9 (1. 2.8 (2, 3.8 (3 5.0 (4 6.0 (5 7.2 (6. 8.0 (7, 9.0 (8 -0.53). 54-1.49). 50-2.36). 37-3.32). 33-4.40). 41-5.48). 49-6.61). 62-7.61). 62-8.50). 5-up) 1 5 75 115 4 1 2 42 104 52 10 1 5 23 110 59 6 17 55 113 3 5 48 69 30 1 3 19 55 61 46 19 2 12 143 370 273 258 79 1 1.64 .17 1.04 12.36 31.98 23.59 22.30 6.83 .09 .00 Total 209 209 214 188 153 184 1157 100.00 Note. — 5b is considered as 4a since the test was given five weeks after promo- tion, therefore work of 5b is compared with standard of 4th grade. $\artd&Y 102 With young children the topic should be written on the hoard after the above oral explantaion has been made. For the ninth and tenth year classes the topic should be, "What I Should Like to Do After I Leave High School." The directions are to be the same in other re- spects. At the end of 18 minutes have the pupils hand in their papers, with the assurance that each one has at least written enough to enable us to determine whether or not he is going to have a good time on Saturday, etc. GEOGRAPHY Questons of 73 per cent end-of-the-year difficulty were selected from the Halm-Lackey Scale for Measuring Ability of Children in Geography. An effort was made to divide the questions equally be- tween the factual and the more thought provoking. These questions were mimeographed, space being allowed for answers, and the forms distributed to the pupils. An illustration of the Grade Low 5 test is given. Attention is again called to the fact, for reasons previously noted, that, while this particular test was given to a Low 5 grade, the questions were from the fourth grade end-of-the-year 73 per cent column. The class average, in other words, should approximate 73 per cent with pupils finishing the grade. Tables I and II give the distribution of scores in geography for the classes tested in each school. Table III assembles the totals for the city. These data are pictured in the chart. 103 Name Age (last birthday) Grade School City Date State about how many weeks you have been in this grade. About weeks A Test in Geography for Grade Low 5 1. What country is north of the United States and to whom does it belong" 2. What two oceans border on the United States? 3. Name five wild animals. 4. Name two other countries in North America besides the United States. 5. Name two kinds of work that men do in getting materials for building houses. 6. Name two kinds of work that men do in getting food for us. 7. How can you tell from what direction the wind is blowing? 8. To whom do the streets or roads belong? 104 Instructions to be Read to Pupils Taking the Geography Test I am going to pass some questions in geography which I shall ask each of you to try to answer. You will be given enough time for this. Write the best answer you can in the fewest words just under the proper question. Complete sentences are not necessary ; words or phrases will do. You should use a pencil for your work. You are not expected to be able to answer all the exercises. Some of them were made difficult on purpose ; but if you can answer the difficult ones, the credit due you will be that much greater. At any rate, try hard to answer every exercise. You are to ask no questions about any of the exercises in the test. If I should permit you to ask questions and then answer them for you, it would defeat the purpose of the test and your answers could not be used. After the papers are passed to you, I shall read each question clearly so that you may understand the wording. You are then to begin. "When you have finished bring your paper to the desk. (Have papers passed. Have pupils fill blanks at top of form, then read clearly once with all attending. Start pupils to work. Do not impose a time limit, but 30 minutes should be ample time. As the papers come in, enter the time taken on each, to the nearest five minutes, and any other data which might be of interest.) 105 to s § 03 J, a; T3 03 F-t O CD is o h3 -xvxox If i— i io cc CO IV i-H b- CO IO CO iHH(M(NMHrt i — CD 00O -* i-H - c IO IO CD O ■ cm r— IO uo^3uTqs'Bj^ TjH CO CO !>• CO CD J>.OO^i-l CO i-H 37 62.33 32.4 s^vq puBsnoqx Th i-H^H (N CO i—i 15 60.46 26.6 pjOfXQ CO r-H CO CO CM CM CO CM 22 59.68 40.9 MOipjSnoq; i-H COHIOHHH CM 15 58.4 26.6 uos.iagaf INHNN i— I CO T-l i—i 13 65.7 46.1 8PTSII1H i-H IO IO CO CM CO CM 24 78.46 54.1 atuoq^jwej-i I-H 1—1 "* CO i—i « OCM i—i l-H O Uip^U'BJ v J 1 — 1 1 — I COCMCOCOCOiOCMCM rt 29 65.41 34.5 Tiosiauig ~ i-HfM if if CM CO CO 25 71.44 64.0 Percent Values of Scale c i— CC 5 1 CO 1 if CD ■CO 1 CC CC if i a c*- c- -t if CD -t C c- CO If f if CD i CO ■X CD CD CD O I c o c- i— a ~ 'cD V. 1 o- a -t c D I r> a s e'- er a ? a ir - a -t a a CD C" cD D a a a c C c 1— Tl. Class Average. . Pet. of class at or above 73^ standard. 106 Ar& o Ml w o 7. fl a a S W >< o w i-i fs w o - ft! CO pq - o H CO 00 CO CO i— I CO ■* CO CO CO -* >-l I> CO CO C3 lO i— i co i— i cm i— i HHHMCOCIMH ©cc IS °I qSijj joinnf jooipg nosipg 0 CM t— I GO i— I lO CO ivj,ox poqog uostpg rt< i— I i— I CD O © 00 © © GO CO ID CD > A B =1 h-1 w « — cc cd o3 -* GO CO Dt^ KMCOCO-^iDCOCOt-^GOGO©©©© tH CO C35 ' " 107 Table III — Geography (Hahn-Lackey Scale) Average Scores of All Grades in Berkeley Percent Values of Scale Grade 4A Grade 5A Grade 6A Grade 7A Grade 8A Grade 9A Total 2 3 1 10 23 15 37 25 20 16 6 12 13 7 5 1 5 3 13 17 21 27 33 15 13 11 6 8 10 4 1 12 2 2 9 17 17 36 35 25 18 4 23 13 5 4 1 1 16 10 10 18 10 9 8 3 5 2 2 2 6 20 19 31 62 40 38 21 4 21 10 1 1 3 1 1 3 12 5 18 34 19 15 7 18 10 3 1 2 4 (3-4) 6 (5-6) 6 8 (7-9) 1 12 (10-13) 12 16 (14-18) 10 21 (19-23) 3 27 (24-30) 26 34 (31-37) 84 42 (38-45) 95 50 (46-54) 118 58 (55-62) 220 66 (63-69) 144 73 (70-76) 120 79 (77-81) 81 84 (82-86) 20 88 (87-90) 85 92 (91-93) 56 94 (94-95) 4 96 (96-97) 7 98 1 99 100 32 Total 190 205 206 97 281 146 1125 Average 63.84 57.65 66.29 56.60 65.94 65.00 108 Id 10 — 5Undctrd = 13 Per Cent- ~ i * ^ 65 c X. fc^.e^ • s / 4,5 * 60 _ ;C 5 6.(o0 55 50 4> AcTuql Grades- i i t 1 ,i ; 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A 9A O Average scores for respective grades in Berkeley for Geography. HahnvLackey Scale.