| Standardized tests such as the Pre-Professional Skills Test were instituted to screen basic skills prior to admission to teacher education programs in the three state universities in Arizona from 1981 through 1992. Low pass rates resulted for the state's large American Indian population. Demographic information on American Indians, was gathered with research designed to identify relationships with low essay scores. One hundred Navajo potential education majors were administered the essay component of the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) in a repeated measures design in Timed and Untimed conditions. Instruments measured dimensions of culture, (The Bicultural Inventory Questionnaire by Schiller, 1987), and test anxiety, (The Achievement Anxiety Test, by Alpert and Haber, 1960). Student English Composition Grades, "Language First Learned", "Language Currently Spoken at Home", and "Strongest Language", were correlated with PPST Essay scores. Student perceptions of time it takes to write essays, value placed on taking time to consider responses, and difficulty writing essays in class were correlated with essay scores, culture, test anxiety, and language. Significant Correlations were found relating Timed essay scores to "English Composition Grades", "Native Culture", "Language Spoken at Home", "Strongest Language", and student regard for "Time to Consider Responses". Higher "Debilitating Anxiety" was related to Language items, to Culture, and to lower PPST essay scores. In the Untimed condition, a higher percentage of students who "Spoke their Native Language," increased their essay scores into the Proficient range. Higher scores were attained when more time was taken to write the essays. |
