National Benchmark Tests

1. The Academic and Quantitative Literacy Test (3 hours)[The results of the two sections of the test will be reported separately.]

The test targets students' capacity to engage successfully with the demands of academic study in the medium of instruction, and ability to manage situations or solve problems in a real context that is relevant to higher education study, using basic quantitative information that may be presented verbally, graphically, in tabular or symbolic form.

2. The Mathematics Test (3 hours)

The test targets students' ability related to mathematical concepts formally regarded as part of the secondary school curriculum (Mathematics Papers 1 and 2).

Bench-mark

Assessment of required institutional response

Description of benchmark category

Performance in domain areas suggests that academic performance will not be adversely affected. If admitted, students may be placed into regular programmes of study.

Grade 12 students at the Proficient level should be able to:

Select and use a complex range of vocabulary; understand and interpret non-literal language; understand and critically evaluate the structure and organisation of texts and ideas within these texts; evaluate and use a complex range of different text genres; develop academic arguments; evaluate and interpret the evidence for claims.

Writers at the Proficient level should be able to:

Select and use a range of quantitative terms and phrases; apply quantitative procedures in various situations; formulate and apply complex formulae; read and interpret complex tables, graphs, charts and text and integrate information from different sources; do advanced calculations involving multiple steps accurately; identify trends/patterns in various situations; reason logically & competently interpret quantitative information.

Proficient writers should be able to demonstrate insight, and integrate knowledge and skills to solve non-routine problems . They should make competent use of logical skills (conjecture, deduction). Tasks typically require competence in multi-step procedures, represented in the framework outlined below:

Modelling, financial contexts, multiple representations of functions (including trigonometric), differential calculus, trigonometric and geometric problems (2D and 3D), measurement, representation and interpretation of statistical data, evaluate statistical models.

The challenges in domain areas identified are such that it is predicted that academic progress will be affected. If admitted, students' educational needs should be met as deemed appropriate by the institution (e.g. extended or augmented programmes, special skills provision).

Grade 12 students at the Intermediate level should be able to:

Derive word-meanings from context; recognise non-literal language; recognise the fundamental structural and organisational characteristics of texts; recognise and be able to use a specific range of text genres; understand difference between academic and everyday arguments; make conclusions on the basis of evidence given for claims

Writers performing at the Intermediate level should be able to:

Select and use many quantitative terms and phrases; apply known quantitative procedures in familiar situations; formulate and apply simple formulae; read and interpret moderately simple tables, graphs, charts and text ; do routine calculations accurately most of the time; identify trends/patterns in familiar situations; reason moderately in simple situations.

Intermediate writers should be able to perform at the Basic level, and in addition be able to integrate knowledge and skills to solve routine problems . Tasks involve multi-step procedures which require some information processing and decision-making skills, within the framework outlined below:

Estimation, calculation, pattern recognition and comparison (in numerical algebraic and financial contexts); solution of equations; use and interpretation of relevant functions represented algebraically or graphically; geometric properties of 2D- and 3D-objects; geometric and trigonometric problems in two dimensions; calculation and application of statistical measures; representation and interpretation of statistical data.

Serious learning challenges identified: it is predicted that students will not cope with degree-level study without extensive and long-term support, perhaps best provided through bridging programmes (i.e. non credit preparatory courses) or FET provision. Institutions admitting students performing at this level would need to provide such support themselves.

Grade 12 students at the Basic level should be able to :

Cope with a limited range of vocabulary; summarise key ideas related to the organisational structure of texts; recognise that texts have different purposes; understand the fundamental syntactical features of English language; interpret textually explicit information

Writers performing at the Basic level should be able to:

Select and use some basic quantitative terms and phrases; apply some known quantitative procedures partially correctly in familiar situations; formulate or apply simple formulae; interpret simple tables, graphs, charts and text ; sometimes do simple calculations correctly; identify trends/patterns in familiar situations.

Basic level writers should be able to carry out mathematical computations that require direct application of simple concepts and procedures in familiar situations. Tasks involve single-step problems requiring recall and reproduction of basic knowledge or procedures, within the framework outlined below:

The real numbers system; simple algebraic contexts; single representations of relevant functions and recognition of their graphs; identification of 2D- and 3D- objects; geometric and trigonometric calculations; identification and use of some statistical measures; simple representation of statistical information.