ERIC Number: EJ1474985
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0952-3383
EISSN: EISSN-1467-8578
Available Date: 2025-04-30
Decolonising Literacy Assessments in Oman: Curriculum-Based Measurements and Power Dynamics
Mahmoud Mohamed Emam1; Ehab Mohamed Naguib Omara1
British Journal of Special Education, v52 n2 p272-277 2025
This study examines the impact of curriculum-based measurements (CBMs) on literacy assessment in Omani schools, with a focus on how these tools affect Emergent and Proficient Readers. Grounded in the concepts of graphocentrism and ableism, the research highlights the systemic biases embedded within standard literacy practices that favour written language and normative learning trajectories. Through the analysis of literacy outcomes among Grade 1 students aged between six and seven years, the study reveals significant performance disparities, indicating that current assessment practices disproportionately benefit Proficient Readers while marginalising those with diverse learning needs. The findings underscore the need for a decolonising approach to literacy that incorporates multi-literacies and culturally relevant pedagogies, advocating for educational reforms that recognise and value the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of students. By shifting toward more inclusive assessment methods, Oman can better address educational inequities and foster an environment where all students have the opportunity to succeed. This research contributes to the global discourse on educational equity, suggesting that literacy assessments be restructured to ensure inclusivity and fairness in the evaluation of student competencies.
Descriptors: Decolonization, Literacy, Curriculum Based Assessment, Power Structure, Foreign Countries, Emergent Literacy, Beginning Reading, Elementary School Students, Grade 1, Bias, Multiple Literacies, Culturally Relevant Education, Advocacy, Educational Change, Cultural Background, Evaluation Methods, Inclusion, Equal Education, Student Evaluation
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Early Childhood Education; Grade 1; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Oman
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Department of Psychology, College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University, al-Seeb, Oman