Persuasive Essay On Standardized Testing

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Standardized testing is a controversial topic as it has greatly affected most Americans’ educational careers for better or for worse. I myself remember taking the SAT and reminding myself that this four hour assessment will evaluate how successful I will be in my post-secondary education. In a dull white classroom, where I cannot talk to a fellow student, ask questions, use references or learning devices, and not be able to move around during a timed exam, the feeling of “pressure” loomed over my conscience (Armstrong). This is not the case only for me, but also for millions of students across America who are expected to perform at a national standard in an artificial learning/working environment. Standardized tests are supposed to be an objective projection of how a successful a student will perform in their post-secondary career. I have witnessed students who have performed well in college despite their low standardized test scores, and I have also witnessed students who have underperformed in college despite their above average standardized …show more content…

These learning styles include visual (sight), auditory (hearing), kinesthetic (multi-sensory), and tactile (movement). Beverly Hill, a sixth grade math teacher in Texas sought out to research her thought that “if every student learns differently, surely they must test differently” (Hill 28) Teachers are taught to teach to each student’s learning style, but deliver a test that only pertains to a certain type of learner. When she tested her class of 77 students on a Texas assessment, she realized that more than half of the tactile and kinesthetic learners failed the exam. By the end of her research, Hill discovered that a high percentage of visual and auditory learners scored much higher on the Texas assessment than tactile and kinesthetic learners. This proved Hill’s theory correct and it definitely applies when these various learners take the