COIMBATORE: A study conducted by Tamil Nadu Education Department officials has found that the reading skills of students from classes I to VIII was very poor in districts that produced the top 15 ranks in this year’s public examinations.
Meanwhile, an expert team set up to analyse government school question papers has suggested that more questions to test the reading and speaking skills of students be included reducing the weightage given to literature-related questions.
The State Council of Educational Research and Training Tamil Nadu has taken initiatives to change the question pattern of exams for classes I to VIII in all government schools all over the State. As part of this, a discussion forum was organised on Friday in which lecturers from training centres all over the State expressed their views.
Following this, changes to be made regarding the Tamil question papers were decided first. Experts found that there were no questions in the paper to test the reading and speaking skills of students and suggested that questions related to it be included reducing the amount of marks provided to literature-related questions.
Subsequently, it was decided to train these lecturers, who will in turn train graduate teaching assistants, post-graduate teachers in government schools and fresh teacher trainees in different batches. The Education Department officials said this effort would be extended to other subjects as well.