Usually, it's the student who fails an exam. In Italy, it's the exams that are getting failing grades for embarrassing errors that have already cost one education official her job.
Several mistakes were found in the English, ancient Greek and Italian exams high school students must pass before graduation.
The most error-riddled test was the English exam, given to students Thursday in vocational high schools, where foreign language courses are meant to prepare pupils for jobs in tourism.
In a text about a holiday villa in Namibia, wrong subject-verb agreements, awkward phrasing and misspellings like "budges" instead of "budgets" were found.
"I believe a waiter in Venice would use more adequate and correct English," Sergio Perosa, an Italian expert on American and English literature, wrote in the Corriere della Sera newspaper Friday.
Italy's new Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini vowed Friday that those responsible for the errors would be found and appropriate action taken against them.
And here I am giving Sarah a hard time about not studying enough, not pulling her weight....being - Approssimativo - basically not giving her best. What has she learned at Italian schools? This info doesn't make me feel good or so sure.
Why Italians may find it tricky to master the English language - Times Online
The chief examiner of Italy’s equivalent of A levels has been dismissed over “grave errors” in examination papers, including an English test taken from a Namibian website that critics described as “almost incomprehensible” in places.
Students taking English as part of the maturita exam were given questions on an unlikely text: an online interview by a Yemeni journalist with the German-born owners of a resort at Swakopmund in Namibia. The text, provided for examiners by the State Tourism Institute, was entitled Feel of Home at Villa Wiese – Swakopmund Namibia, described as a “funky guest lodge”. It omits definite and indefinite articles and inverted commas, uses have when has is needed, spells budgets as budges and has only a passing acquaintance with good style.
And, then this....
Sarah reported that during her "Quarta Prova" - the forth standardized test all Italian students need to take - her math teacher went around the room correcting the work of the students and giving out the answers! Even against Sarah's protests - she didn't accept help.
Sarah correctly pointed out, the teacher was worried the black fact that she didn't really do her job and teach would be out. AND on top of this, during the other exams, many of the Sarah's friends were openly cheating while the teachers were texting on their phones or reading the paper!
Krista
PS. Sarah graduated Middle School with distinction and now she is onto bigger an better things. High School
2 comments:
Congrats Sarah, I knew you would do well. Does this mean you get to ride the train to Genoa everyday next semester?
Why would they choose Namibia as an English subject? One would think that the US or Britian would make better locales to choose a story. Could it be their anti-American/Britain stance stood in the path of education?
No matter, I still love Italia, especially the wonderful focaccia. (however you spell it, it is still delightful).
Yup. Yesterday Sarah and I formally enrolled in High School. Yeah! Now let the fun begin.
And Sarah got an 8 out of 10 on her violin exam! Bombed piano. But hey, a pianist she is not.
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