Experiencing the Junior Lyceum entrance examinations : children's narratives

Abstract

Educational research that gives pupils the space to voice their own ideas and thoughts about their educational experiences is quite rare, so that children's perspectives are generally ignored in developing educational theory and practice (Cole & Knowles, 2000). This dissertation guided by the principles that children can and should contribute to debate about education as equal partners to teachers, parents, heads, policy makers and researchers. This study explores the narratives of children who are preparing and sitting for Junior Lyceum Entrance Examinations. The dissertation will mainly focus on the narratives of four, Year 6 primary pupils, from the same exam oriented class, from one particular state school. The pupils will be led by questions, to narrate their experiences during these conversation sessions which will take place at each term throughout their Year 6. What are the pupils' perceptions of exams? How do they tackle them? How do they describe their experiences of the actual examination? How do they perceive the learning opportunities throughout the preparatory year? Would they like them to be different? Why? How? These questions will be explored within the local socio-educational contexts which consider exams as an important mode of assessment.