Secondary School Assisment
Secondary School Assisment
Secondary School Assisment
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Assessment Framework
for the Secondary Entrance Assessment
2019 - 2023
February 2018
Changes in the Assessment Framework
Reduction in the number of items in Mathematics.
Adjustments to the total raw scores for Mathematics.
Explicit connection between thinking processes and the objectives that
are assessed for Mathematics.
Incorporation of Money as a component under the Number strand in
Mathematics.
Changes in the Mathematics Paper
Section No. of Items Marks
Total 45 20 50 20 90
Mathematics Framework
This is organized around two (2) dimensions:
• Content dimension, specifying the subject matter to be assessed
• Cognitive dimension, specifying the thinking processes to be assessed
Mathematical Thinking
• Real mathematical thinking lies at the heart of learning mathematics.
It involves making sense of mathematics through:
• making connections
• engagement
• reasoning
Mathematical Thinking
Processes
The SEA 2019 – 2023 will assess three types of mathematical thinking
processes within each of the four strands, these are:
• Knowing
• Applying
• Reasoning
Thinking Process - Knowing
• Students’ understanding of mathematical concepts and fluency in
mathematical skills
• enables easy recall of the language and basic facts and conventions of
number, symbolic representation, and spatial relations
• includes recall, recognize, classify/order, compute, retrieve and
measure
Thinking Process - Knowing
Recall Recall definitions, terminology, number properties, units of measurement, geometric
properties, and notation.
Recognize Recognize numbers, expressions, quantities, and shapes. Recognize entities that are
mathematically equivalent (e.g., equivalent familiar fractions, decimals, and percents;
different orientations of simple geometric figures).
Compute Carry out algorithmic procedures for +, –, ×, ÷, or a combination of these with whole
numbers, fractions, and decimals.
Retrieve Retrieve information from graphs, tables, texts, or other sources.
Measure Use measuring instruments; and choose appropriate units of measurement.
Thinking Process - Knowing
Pupils become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics through,
• varied and frequent practice
• increasingly complex problems
• over time
They solve routine problems in known contexts They show exceptional independence when
solving problems in a range of contexts
They follow the teacher’s example They think for themselves and persevere with challenges, knowing they will succeed
They avoid making mistakes They embrace the value of learning from mistakes and false starts
They use techniques/algorithms correctly They reason, generalise and make sense of solutions
How Do Students Develop Reasoning?
• What are some Always, Sometimes, Never statements that relate to a
concept?
“If the answer is cm², you are measuring area.”
“All multiples of 3 have 3, 6 or 9 as factors.”
(3 marks)
Mark Scheme – Question 34
Alignment of Objectives and Processes
Objective Processes
Linear Measure
Select and use the most appropriate standard unit for measuring Knowing
various lengths/distances.
Convert linear measure from one form to the other (millimetres, Knowing
centimetres, metres, kilometres).
Apply decimal knowledge to record measurements. e.g. 123cm = Applying
1.23m
Solve computational problems involving the metre and the Reasoning
centimetre by using the relationship between them.
Write and explain the formulae for finding the perimeter of any Reasoning
given rectangle and square.
Changes in the Mathematics Paper