ERIC Number: EJ1030996
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0268-0939
EISSN: N/A
The Mathematics Skills of School Children: How Does England Compare to the High-Performing East Asian Jurisdictions?
Jerrim, John; Choi, Álvaro
Journal of Education Policy, v29 n3 p349-376 2014
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in Mathematics and Science Study are two highly respected studies of school pupils' academic achievement. English policy-makers have been disappointed with school children's performance on these tests, particularly in comparison to the strong results of young people from East Asia. In this paper, we provide new insight into the England--East Asia gap in school children's mathematics skills. We do so by considering how cross-national differences in math test scores change between ages 10 and 16. Our results suggest that, although average math test scores are higher in East Asian countries, this achievement gap does not increase between ages 10 and 16. We thus conclude that reforming the secondary school system may not be the most effective way for England to "catch up" with the East Asian nations in the PISA math rankings. Rather, earlier intervention, during pre-school and primary school, may be needed instead.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Comparative Education, Comparative Analysis, Case Studies, Mathematics Achievement, Tests, Scores, Children, Secondary Education, Achievement Gap, Equal Education, Elementary Education, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Asia; Hong Kong; Japan; Singapore; Taiwan; United Kingdom (England)
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Program for International Student Assessment; Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A