WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF WOLAITA LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Improving problem solving skills in continuous assessment in Wolaita Language education

in the case of grade 6 section "B" in Areka Ketema Dil Behiberet primary school in Areka
Town Administration

ACTION RESEARHCH

BY - KONJIT JARSA LAMAGO

ID No: -WOL/SUM/1856/08

August 2022 G.C.

Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia

 Acknowledgement

Frist of All, I would like to thank almighty lord for helping me in my entire academic journey.
Next to that I would like to thank my PGDT class instructors and others teachers for their
cooperation and support in my academics. Finally I would like to thank my classmates for
cooperating with me and friendly communications in every moments of my class.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
HYPERLINK \l "Acknowledgement.........................................................................................2

HYPERLINK \l "CHAPTER ONE............................................................................................3

HYPERLINK \l "1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................3

HYPERLINK \l "1.1 Background Of The Study...................................................................4

HYPERLINK \l "1.2 Statement Of The Problem.................................................................. 4

HYPERLINK \l "CHAPTER TWO...........................................................................................7

HYPERLINK \l "2. ACTION RESEARCH PROCEDURES...................................................7

HYPERLINK \l "2.1 POPULATION.................................................................................... 7

HYPERLINK \l "2.2 DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENTS.............................................7

HYPERLINK \l "2.3 TECHNIQUES OF ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING THE DATA

.................................................................................................................................................7

HYPERLINK \l "CHAPTER THREE.......................................................................................8

HYPERLINK \l "3. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION...................................... 9

HYPERLINK \l "3.1 METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS....9

HYPERLINK \l "CHAPTER FOUR.......................................................................................12

HYPERLINK \l "4. MAJOR FINDINGS AND RESULTS....................................................12

HYPERLINK \l "4.1 ACTION PLAN BASED ON THE FINDINGS............................... 12

HYPERLINK \l "4.2 CONCLUSIONS............................................................................... 13

HYPERLINK \l "References................................................................................................... 14
 Abstract
This action research is entitled as Improving problem solving skills in continuous assessment in
Wolaita Language education in the case of grade 6 section "B" in Areka Ketema Dil Behiberet
primary school in Woreda. By reviewing related literatures, the researcher identified various
statement of problems and specified them to research problems like; do Wolaita Language
teachers have problems in using continuous assessment techniques?, do the teachers have enough
training and knowledge in using of continuous assessment techniques? And do continuous
assessment techniques improve the academic performance of the students? Accordingly
identified problems stated to improve the academic performance of the students as a general
objective. This objective was simplified as to develop the Wolaita Language teachers to have
enough knowledge to reduce the problem by using continuous assessment techniques, to
improving the enough training and knowledge to use continuous assessment techniques and to
increase the academic performance of students by using different types of assessment techniques.
Each of these objectives was analyzed by collecting data from the concerned bodies and finally
collected data was analyzed. Findings were stated
 CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Continuous assessment provides the vital information we require in order to maximize the
outcomes of educational affairs or efforts. The assessment of learner provides objective evidence
necessary in the decision making process in education. As pointed out on by Cone and Poster
(1991), good measurement resulting in accurate data is the foundation of sound decision-making
traditional ways of testing, such as multiple choice or essay exams can only deal with a fraction
of what some body want to evaluate and it does not implies the academic performance of
students. According to Stiggim (2002), assessment for learning becomes as important as
assessment of learning. The importance of integrating assessment into teacher decision making is
emphasized in the assessment standards for Civics and Ethical Education (NCTM, 1995)."The
quality of teacher’s instructional decision depends in part, on the quality on the quality of their
assessment and their purposeful sampling of evidence instructions". Finally, assessment of
learners in the primary schools involves to a large extent scores generated by the learners from
continuous assessment. By supporting the above idea Desalegn (2004) said that an alternative to
traditional testing of pupils achievement. Continuous assessment tenders ways of assessing
students result and improving their success.

Therefore, successful implementation of the continuous assessment approach across all the
schools, teachers need to be equipped with skills of test construction, physical fitness and
administration mainly concentrates on the implementation of continuous assessment towards
improves pupil’s academic performance on the bodies. One of the most important advances in
both instruction and assessment is the emphasize on authenticity (Wiggins, 1993, 1998).
Authenticity instruction and assessment focus on knowledge, thinking’s and skills exhibited in
real life setting out-side school that produces the students best, rather than typical performance.

1.2 Statement of the problem

Improving continuous assessment is important assessing the performance of the students in their
various subjects of study in primary school level. Continuous assessment is very important in
order to solve the low-level participation of students from primary to high school level in order
to solve these problem of continuous assessment far amount not only for students but also it is
important to identify the factors that affecting continuous assessment in the class-room. Taking
all of these into account, MOE in our country introduced continuous assessment at different level
of the educational instructions. As stated (TGE 1994), the practical task of implementing of the
new curriculum at school level requires continuous assessment as part of curriculum in general
and the instructional process in particular. The teacher made assessment measures are rarely
designed to give normal distribution and class size are typically too small to expect a normal
distribution.

According to Terwmiger (1971) concludes that these defects are so serious and so common that
it is impossible to justify the practice of grading on a curve.

Thus, therefore, based on understanding the study attempted to answer the following
questions.

1. Do Wolaita Language teachers have problems in using continuous assessment techniques?

2. Do the teachers have enough training and knowledge in using of continuous assessment
techniques?

3. Does continuous assessment techniques improve the academic performance of the students?

1.3 Objectives of the study

1.3.1 The general objectives of the study is-

• To improve the academic performance of the students

1.3.2 The specific objectives of this study are-

• To develop the Wolaita Language teachers to have enough knowledge to reduce the
problem by using continuous assessment techniques

• Improving the enough training and knowledge to use a continuous assessment techniques

• To increase the academic performance of students by using different types of assessment

techniques.

1.4 Significance of the study

The outcome of this study is very important for grade 6 section "B" and for teachers of Areka
Ketema Dil Behiberet primary school. So that the significance of this study for the teacher to see
what is his or her weak side and to develop the positive side and as well as for students too. In
that, the student shows the finding from the side of the students. They should be expected to
change their behavioral change in the help of solution given by researcher and action taken.
Finally, it is important for students and parents because their child has understood what the
teachers teach been active that fulfills the parents, babies and they would be related to do
whatever thing, which is necessary for their children or students.

1.5 Delimitation of the study

The study focus on Areka Ketema Dil Behiberet primary school to improve the problems by
using continuous assessment techniques. In the study the researcher play a significant role to
minimize problem and to decrease the problems by using continuous assessment methods. The
researcher would improve the techniques by using different types of methodology in order to
assess the students in specific class based on or depending on the level of the students. In this
study, the researcher wants to get the major findings or solution for Areka Ketema Dil Behiberet
primary school to change the methods.

CHAPTER TWO

2. ACTION RESEARCH PROCEDURES

2.1 POPULATION
This study focuses on the improvement of continuous assessment in Areka Ketema Dil Behiberet
primary school grade 6 sections of “B" students to get reliable information. Therefore, the
researcher selected 12 students out of 59 students from the section during Wolaita Language
lesson. The method the researcher used to select the student was simple random sampling
techniques and distributes the questionnaire formats.

Table 1 Sex of Respondents

Gender Stratum size Sample size Total sample

Male 33 7 12

Female 26 5 31
2.2 DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENTS

In this study, the data-gathering instrument was questionnaire. Because the researcher used
relevant data, collecting tools to achieve the desired objectives regarding the topic of the study
prepared and distributed ten questionnaires for the students of Areka Ketema Dil Behiberet
primary school

2.3 TECHNIQUES OF ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING THE DATA

The researcher used quantitative techniques for the data that was gathered by questionnaires. In
overall matter, the data would be gathered regarding to continuous assessment. Our main
objective in here was to analyze and interpret the data including finding the factor which
contributing for problem identified.
 CHAPTER THREE

3. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

3.1 METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS
In the below table 2 question number 1, 7(58.3%) the respondents said yes and the rest 5 (41.7%)
of the respondents said no this means continuous assessment affects their teaching learning
process and the rest 5(41.7%) of the students are being not. This shows that, most of the time
continuous assessment affects their teaching process. For the question number 2, all students
have said yes.

That means continuous assessment completely reduces their stress in class and they encouraged
by their teachers to be assessed continuously and for question number 3, most of students
7(57.3%) of respondents said yes and the rest 5(41.7%) of the respondents said no, this shows
the majority of respondents encourage their teacher and the teacher uses his time properly. For
question number 4, 6(50%) of respondents said yes and the rest 6(50%) of the respondents
responded no, this means shows continuous assessment make them as self-competent person and
also half of the respondents have responded continuous assessment cannot make them as self-
competent person.

For question number 5, 9(75%) of the respondents said yes and the rest 3(25%) of the
respondents have responded no. This means that most students (75%) have responded continuous
assessment can develops their knowledge and a few of them (25%) are being not every
continuous assessment cannot develop their knowledge.

For question number 6, 8(66.7%) of the respondents said yes and the rest 4(33.3%) of the
respondents said no, this implies that most of the students (66.7%) have responded that their
teacher take a possible method to assess them continuously in class and a few of them (33.3%)
are being not, this shows most of the students encourage their teacher to take a possible or
methods of continuous assessment.

Every things explained above used the following table.

Table 2 Interview Questions and Students response



For question number 7, 8 (66.7%) of the respondents said yes and the remaining 4 (33.3%) of the
respondents responded that no, this mean that most of students 8(66.7%) of the students
responded that their teacher check their progress continuously and a few of them 4(33.3%) of the
respondents responded that their teacher does not check their progress continuously. This shows
that the teacher check the student is very good.

Thus, the issues of this problem should not be taken as a factor. For the question number 8,
9(75%) of the respondents responded that yes and the remaining 3(25%) of the respondents said
no, this implies that most of the students (75%) have responded that, there are a factor to assess
them and a few of them (25%) of the students are being not. This problem should take as a
major.

For question number 9, 6(50%) of the respondents responded yes and the remaining 6(50%)
responded no, this means half of the respondents said that their teacher motivates them and half
of the respondents answer that their teacher does not motivates them. Thus, this issue is a major
factor in a situation. For question number 10, 5(41.7%) of the respondents said yes and the rest
7(58.3%) of the respondents said no, this to mean that 5(41.7%) of the students said that that
their teacher does not give a brief explanation about continuous assessment and the other
remaining or rest students said that, their teacher gives a brief explanation about their continuous
assessment.

Therefore, this case should not be taken as major factors, which affects the process of continuous
assessment techniques as well as it does not implies, it is a factor, which affects their teaching
learning process and their good scoring system in the school.
 CHAPTER FOUR

4. MAJOR FINDINGS AND RESULTS

As we have discussed in the data analysis and interpretations, we identified the following major
findings.

This are:-

1. The factor, which affects the teacher to assess the students.

2. Lack of motivation during continuous assessment.

3. Continuous assessment does not make the students as self-competent person.

4. The teacher does not give a brief explanation about continuous assessment.

According to data analyzed, the above points gained as major findings for our study and by this,
we have proceeded to plan of action and it would be simplify the challenges of our study.

4.1 ACTION PLAN BASED ON THE FINDINGS

In this research finally, we were interested to indicate an action to be taken:-

• We will plan to minimize this problem, by making a group discussion to the teacher once
a month based on the issues.

• Giving the enough comments to the teacher to motivate their students during continuous
assessment and during classroom management.
 • We will plan to simplify these challenges by using the techniques or coordinators should
check methods or procedures of continuous assessment.

• We will try to overcome this problem by commenting the teacher to give a brief
explanation about the advantages and disadvantages of continuous assessment before
assessing the students.

4.2 CONCLUSIONS

Continuous assessment provides the vital information; we require in order to maximizing the
outcomes of educational affairs or efforts. Therefore, for successful implementation of the
continuous assessment approach across all the school teachers need to be equipped with skills of
test construction, evaluation/assessment methods and administration mainly concentrates on the
implementation of the continuous assessment towards improving pupil’s academic performance
on the bodies. According to, (Wiggins 1993, 1998), one of the most important advances in both
instruction and assessment is emphasizes on authenticity, because mainly it focus on knowledge,
thinking and skills exhibited in real life setting out-side school produce the students best, rather
than typical performance.

4.3 Recommendations

According to the findings of this action research, the following points are recommended and
directions are given for the interested action researchers.

• Instructors must follow the right rules and regulations prepared for conducting
continuous assessments.

• Teachers of Wolaita Language must motivate students to effectively follow the right
approach to continuous assessments.

• Students must also follow their teachers and the guidelines being given from them for
practicing continuous assessments for Wolaita Language.
 References
1. (Wiggins 1993, 1998), Practices of Continuous Assessments and its Challenges

2. Stiggim (2002), Challenges and Related Solutions of Continuous Assessment Practices

3. (NCTM, 1995)." Improvement Possibilities for Continuous Assessment Practices

4. Desalegn (2004) Language Improvements through effective Continuous Assessments

5. MOE (2004) Higher Diploma Module

6. (TGE 1994), How to Improve Contunuous Assessment practices with effective teaching
learning practices?

7. Terwmiger (1971) Sustaining Quality Education Through Effective Practices of Continuous

Assessments.