Tracking seems to contradict the oft-stated assumption that all kids

Question

Tracking seems to contradict the oft-stated assumption that ―all kids can learn.‖ If certain students are better in certain subjects, they must be allowed to excel in those areas and not be relegated to an inferior class simply because they have been tracked in another subject in which they don‘t excel. The major obstacle to eliminate tracking seems to be scheduling, and tracking has become, in many ways, a means to alleviate difficulties faced by administrators in scheduling their student body for classes. 
 
Tracking has the ability to create divergent experiences, even in identical courses that are meant to be taught at the same level and speed. Administrators who support tracking generally assume that it promotes student achievement, citing that most students seem to learn best and develop the most confidence when they are grouped amongst classmates with similar capabilities. Yet, at least for the lower level tracks, this method of class assignment can encourage ―dumbing down,‖ or teaching to the lowest common denominator of ability within a particular class, rather than accommodating differences and pushing all students equally hard. 
 
Tracking places different students in groups that are usually based on academic ability as demonstrated by their grades and as described in teacher reports. These tracks mean that a student will proceed through every school day with essentially the same group of peers, assigned to classes at a particular level of difficulty. Researcher R. Slavin notes that ―students at various track levels experience school differently,‖ depending on their track assignments. There are differences, for example, in how fast a class progresses through material, how talkative and energetic the classroom is, even how stressed or relaxed the teacher appears. 
 
One of the major problems with tracking is that the level in which students are initially placed often determines not only where they remain throughout high school, but also the kinds of courses they are allowed to take. For example, schools that offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses often require that students take the honours-level version of the introductory course before enrolling in the AP course a year or two later. A student who is tracked into the ―regular‖ introductory course, rather than the honours level, may not be able to take the AP course even after doing an exemplary job in the introductory course, simply because the honours course is offered a year earlier than the regular one—allowing honours-track students to complete enough other graduation requirements to have time for the AP course later on. And, even if the ―regular‖-track student could make it into the AP course, he or she would be at a disadvantage, because the introductory course couldn‘t cover key concepts when the teacher was compelled to slow down the class for the less able students.   1  
 1. If it were found that students who were tracked did better overall on standardized tests than those who were not tracked, this would most likely weaken the author's argument that:

A. tracking has the ability to create a diversity of student experience in the classroom. 
B. tracking encourages teaching to the lowest common denominator. 
C. tracking allows administrators to overcome scheduling difficulties. 
D. tracking allows students to learn best when grouped with similarability classmates. 
E. tracking should be banned in schools

2 
 2. According specifically to the points laid out by the author in the various paragraphs of the passage, the main idea of the passage is that:

A. tracking should not be used by schools to try and promote student achievement. 
B. tracking may be detrimental to many students‘ success in school. 
C. teachers of tracked classes are often stressed and run their classes at a slow pace. 
D. scheduling is a major problem for school administrators. 
E. tracking could prove beneficial for all students in the long run

3 
 3. According to the arguments made in the passage, students may fall into a particular track because of all of the following conditions EXCEPT:

A. high grades. 
B. learning difficulties. 
C. honours-course enrolment. 
D. how talkative and energetic they are. 
E. they are extremely skilled at a particular subject

4 
  4. In spite of what points may be made in other parts of the passage, in paragraph 2, the author is primarily concerned with:

A. contrasting administrative views of tracking with his own views. 
B. defining ―dumbing down‖ and its effect on students. 
C. describing the diverse experiences students face when tracked. 
D. conveying the importance of pushing all students equally hard. 
E. listing down the benefits of tracking

sandysilva · Answer

OEs
1..
An incorporation question. How would the author‘s argument be affected if tracked students did better than their non-tracked counterparts? The question tells you that the argument would be weakened, so you just need to find an answer choice summarizing an argument the author makes against tracking on the basis of performance. (B) is just such a choice: the author argues in ¶2 that tracking encourages ―dumbing down‖ 
 
(A): Faulty Use of Detail. The author does argue this at the beginning of ¶2, but the statement isn‘t made in order to argue directly that tracking hurts academic performance. Therefore, it wouldn‘t be weakened by evidence that indicates higher performance. 
 
(B): The correct answer 
 
(C): Faulty Use of Detail. The author makes this point in ¶1, but this is an advantage of tracking, and one of the reasons it sticks around. If evidence that tracking was also good for test scores came out, it would presumably strengthen this argument. 
 
(D): Faulty Use of Detail. As above, the author notes this in ¶1 when discussing the advantages of tracking. It doesn‘t have anything to do with academic performance, however, and so the argument wouldn‘t be directly affected by the new evidence in the question stem. 
 
(E): The author never states that tracking should be banned in schools so there is no question of strengthening or weakening anything

sandysilva · Answer

2) A main idea question. Predict using topic, scope, and purpose. The author argues that tracking in schools leads to disadvantages for the students. Clearly, he is not in favour of tracking. This knowledge allows us to focus in on the global choices (A) and (B). Of the two, (A) oversteps the scope of the passage. Only (B) accurately encompasses what the author is arguing. 
 
(A): Out of Scope. The author never actually argues that tracking should be eliminated, only that it has some negative consequences. 
 
(B): The correct answer 
 
(C): Faulty Use of Detail. Stress level is mentioned at the end of ¶3, but this is not the author‘s main point of the passage. 
 
(D): Faulty Use of Detail. Scheduling is mentioned at the end of ¶1, but this is not the author‘s main point of the passage. 
 
(E): Opposite as explained in ‗B‘ above

sandysilva · Answer

3) A scattered detail question. Either eliminate or look for a choice that seems foreign. While the first three are mentioned as criteria for tracking in the passage, (D) isn‘t mentioned as a criterion for tracking. While the author notes in ¶3 that ―there are differences…in…how talkative and energetic the classroom is‖ depending on tracking, there‘s no suggestion that students are tracked based on how talkative or energetic they are individually. 
 
(A): Opposite. The author mentions grades as a criterion in the opening lines of ¶3. 
 
(B): Opposite. The author cites ―academic ability‖ as a criterion for tracking in ¶3. 
 
(C): Opposite. The author discusses the way students get locked in to higher tracks (i.e. AP courses) with honours courses (¶4). 
 
(D): The correct answer 
 
(E): Opposite. This is stated in ¶1.

sandysilva · Answer

4) Use your map to predict the purpose of ¶2: the author first describes why administrators like tracking (it promotes achievement) and then argues that it in fact does the opposite. (A) captures this structure of administrative views and authorial response. 
 
(A): The correct answer 
 
(B): Faulty Use of Detail. While this represents the author‘s view in the paragraph, it neglects the administrative views in the first half of the paragraph. (C): Faulty Use of Detail. The author mentions ―divergent experiences‖ that occur in tracking, but only as an introduction to discussing the arguments for and against the practice. 
 
(D): Faulty Use of Detail. As in (B), while this is part of the author‘s argument against tracking, it neglects the views of the administrators. 
 
(E): No benefits are listed in this paragraph

anishghosh · Answer

Question number 3: where in the passage it is mentioned that students are classified because they're extremely skilled in one particular subject?

MBAB123 · Answer

anishghosh , see the first paragraph -

Tracking seems to contradict the oft-stated assumption that ―all kids can learn.‖  If certain students are better in certain subjects, they must be allowed to excel in those areas and not be relegated to an inferior class simply because they have been tracked in another subject in which they don‘t excel.  The major obstacle to eliminate tracking seems to be scheduling, and tracking has become, in many ways, a means to alleviate difficulties faced by administrators in scheduling their student body for classes

Remember that the question asks for "possible" reasons. It doesn't mean that if I excel in a particular subject I would necessarily be tracked. But If I excel in one, but don't do well in others then yes I'd be tracked. Being talkative and active does not have any impact on being tracked.

Though, I agree that being skilled at a subject doesn't seem the most logical reason to track a student, it makes more sense to say that I have been tracked because I am not good at 4 subjects rather than saying that I have been tracked because I excel at one.

Option D is still definitely worse than E and is hence the answer.

MPRS22 · Answer

How can we tell in Q4 that these are the author's views?

VeritasKarishma

KarishmaB · Answer

Whatever the author tells you are her views until and unless she mentions otherwise.

Tracking has the ability to create divergent experiences, even in identical courses that are meant to be taught at the same level and speed.  - Author's views

Administrators who support tracking generally assume that it promotes student achievement, citing that 
 most students seem to learn best and develop the most confidence when they are grouped amongst classmates with similar capabilities . - Views of the admins who support tracking

Yet, at least for the lower level tracks, this method of class assignment can encourage ―dumbing down,‖ or teaching to the lowest common denominator of ability within a particular class, rather than accommodating differences and pushing all students equally hard.  - Author's views

KarishmaB · Answer

4. In spite of what points may be made in other parts of the passage, in paragraph 2, the author is primarily concerned with:

A. contrasting administrative views of tracking with his own views. 
B. defining ―dumbing down‖ and its effect on students. 
C. describing the diverse experiences students face when tracked. 
D. conveying the importance of pushing all students equally hard. 
E. listing down the benefits of tracking

In paragraph 2, he talks about his views vs admin views. So (A) is correct.

B. defining ―dumbing down‖ and its effect on students.
He doesn't define dumbing down, nor gives its effects.
 
C. describing the diverse experiences students face when tracked.
Doesn't describe diverse experiences of students. Just says that they face diverse experiences. 
 
D. conveying the importance of pushing all students equally hard. 
Doesn't say why it is important to push all students equally hard.

E. listing down the benefits of tracking
Doesn't list the benefits of tracking. In fact, he seems to be against it.

mayuri1404nayak · Answer

1. If it were found that students who were tracked did better overall on standardized tests than those who were not tracked, this would most likely weaken the author's argument that:

A. tracking has the ability to create a diversity of student experience in the classroom.  It was not mentioned in the context of how it could deteriorate students grade 
B. tracking encourages teaching to the lowest common denominator.  It was mentioned to point out that tracking could lead to dumbing down of a class rather than pushing all students equally harder to study 
C. tracking allows administrators to overcome scheduling difficulties.  This was mentioned to show advantage of tracking, no indication of how it will affect scores 
D. tracking allows students to learn best when grouped with similarability classmates.  This argument was also mentioned as a advantage and have no relation with how it could affect grades 
E. tracking should be banned in schools-  This was never mentioned

mayuri1404nayak · Answer

2. According specifically to the points laid out by the author in the various paragraphs of the passage, the main idea of the passage is that:

A. tracking should not be used by schools to try and promote student achievement.
B. tracking may be detrimental to many students‘ success in school.  Correct 
C. teachers of tracked classes are often stressed and run their classes at a slow pace.
D. scheduling is a major problem for school administrators.
E. tracking could prove beneficial for all students in the long run
 
Authors talks about advantage and disadvantages of tracking and at the end summarizes how it could be detrimental to both kinds of students i.e. student who study at lower pace vs students who study at higher pace

3. According to the arguments made in the passage, students may fall into a particular track because of all of the following conditions EXCEPT:

A. high grades.  This is mentioned at beginning of para 3  
B. learning difficulties.  Also mentioned in para 3 that teacher reports describe level of difficulty 
C. honours-course enrolment.  Students are tracked into introductory vs honours course 
D. how talkative and energetic they are.  It is mentioned in context of a class not students being tracked. Correct 
E. they are extremely skilled at a particular subject  Metioned in para 1 that students are often tracked in subject in which they don't excel
 
4. In spite of what points may be made in other parts of the passage, in paragraph 2, the author is primarily concerned with:

A. contrasting administrative views of tracking with his own views.  author discusses what admins assumes regarding student's achievement and contracts why it actually leads to dumbing down of teaching, not pushing all students harder. correct 
B. defining ―dumbing down‖ and its effect on students..  It is discussed but this is not a complete picture of para 2 
C. describing the diverse experiences students face when tracked.  This is only the positive view discussed by author , not a complete view 
D. conveying the importance of pushing all students equally hard.  This is only the negative view discussed by author , but this is not a complete picture of para 2 
E. listing down the benefits of tracking-  both positive and negative views are discussed

VerbalBot · Answer

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Tracking seems to contradict the oft-stated assumption that all kids

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Tracking seems to contradict the oft-stated assumption that all kids

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