The resolution of instructions in an examination situation and its related problems. The infl uence of cognitive and socio-cultural factors and of teacher instructions

Authors

  • María Isabel Kalbermatten Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Gustavus Adolphus College. 800 West College Avenue. Saint Peter, MN 56082-1498

Abstract

The goal of the present work is to analyze the infl uence of cognitive skills, discursive strategies of teachers and socio-cultural factors in resolving problems during examination taken by fi rst year high school students. To this end, written texts were gathered in three high schools in Santa Fe, Argentina. The participants were 98 students who belonged to different socio-cultural levels (high, middle and low). The data were analyzed following the model of cognitive process proposed by van Dijk (1983). The results show that most of the students fail to answer the questions correctly, because they do not have the pertinent knowledge, nor do they modify or increase this knowledge through reasoning in order to solve the problem presented in a question. This situation is worse when students come from families whose parents did not complete their elementary education.

Keywords:

question, cognitive process, socio-cultural context, discursive strategies