In a research project undertaken in 59 Singapore schools (30 primary schools and 29 secondary schools) to examine the quality of teacher assignments and associated student work in 2004-2005, it was found that assessment practices by and large do not orientate towards students’ understanding, let alone enhance learners’ understanding (Tan, 2011). Critical metalinguistic skills of inference, evaluation and language appreciation are seldom modelled for students or tested. The
consequent student work demonstrated a high level of reproduction of factual and procedural knowledge. This certainly does not sit well with the Learning Outcomes of the Syllabus 2010 which seek to develop students’ higher order thinking and English literacy skills for real-world communication.cal metalinguistic skills of inference, evaluation
and language appreciation are seldom modelled for students or tested. The
consequent student work demonstrated a high level of reproduction of factual and
procedural knowledge. This certainly does not sit well with the Learning Outcomes
of the Syllabus 2010 which seek to develop students’ higher order thinking an