'Dip, dip, sky blue, who's it? NOT YOU': Children's experiences of standardised testing: A socio-cultural analysis

The recent decision by the Department of Education and Science in the Republic of Ireland to introduce the mandatory testing of children in Irish primary schools provides the broad context for this paper. This decision has particular implications for schools designated as disadvantaged. The main focus of this study is on identifying the strategies used by these children in completing standardised tests. The sample comprises 51, mixed gender, 6^th class children from contrasting ideal type socio-economic urban communities. The findings reveal a considerable level of difficulty on the part of some children in designated disadvantaged schools, with most aspects of the test format and much of the testing process. A number of socio-linguistic and socio-cultural factors are identified that affect children's attainment levels on these tests. Failure to take account of these issues will continue to present an overly crude picture of national attainment patterns and serve only to contribute to the stigmatisation and ghettoisation of children living in marginalised and disadvantaged communities. The paper argues for a broader discussion of the use standardised testing that will take account of the well-established patterns of socio-economic inequality.