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Fairness & Accessibility – Giving Every Student a Fair Chance

Why Fairness Matters

A test can only be fair if every student has a real chance to show what they know. Yet in reality, many assessments in Bangladesh measure advantage long before a student writes a single word.

Some children grow up in homes full of books and conversation in Bangla and English; others rarely read beyond classroom walls. Some travel, see cities, and hear news in multiple languages; others have limited exposure to print, screens, or even steady schooling during floods, heatwaves, or harvest seasons. These differences quietly shape vocabulary, background knowledge, and confidence — all of which influence how a child reads, interprets, and answers a test question.

When a question uses complex wording, an unfamiliar example, or a culturally distant scenario, it doesn’t just test knowledge — it tests background. The child who recognises the context or vocabulary already starts ahead; the one who does not begins with disadvantage. Fairness and accessibility mean designing assessments that respect diversity of language, ability, and context. In Bangladesh’s mixed classrooms, fairness isn’t a courtesy; it’s a condition for validity. A fair assessment doesn’t lower standards — it removes unnecessary barriers so that all students can reach the same standard through understanding, not luck.

What Fairness & Accessibility Mean

Fairness means results represent true understanding, not reading speed, English fluency, or familiarity with certain topics. Accessibility means the pathway is clear: every student can understand what the question asks and what kind of response is expected. Fairness is about equal opportunity, not equal outcome.

Why It Matters

  • Validity: If wording or context hides understanding, results stop reflecting real learning.
  • Confidence: Fair assessments build trust — students feel they’re tested on what was taught.
  • Equity: Different abilities and languages can all participate meaningfully.
  • Improvement: Accurate results allow targeted teaching and support.

Common Sources of Unfairness

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Source What Happens Example Fair Fix
Complex Language Students misunderstand the question. “Describe the mechanism by which thermal energy is transferred.” “Explain how heat moves from one object to another.”
Unfamiliar Context The story or example distracts from the idea. “A boy in London measures rainfall.” “A student in Dhaka collects rain in a jar.”
Hidden Vocabulary The term isn’t central but blocks understanding. Using “abundant” instead of “many.” Replace with simpler, taught words.
Multiple Demands Question tests reading, reasoning, and memory at once. Long, multi-part questions with unrelated steps. Split into smaller, focused parts.
Cultural Bias Assumes shared experiences not true for all. Questions about skiing or Western holidays. Use familiar local examples — rivers, seasons, festivals.

Active Ingredients of Fair & Accessible Assessment

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Active Ingredient Teacher Self-Check Classroom Example
1. Clear Objective Does this question test the concept I actually taught? If teaching photosynthesis, avoid adding unrelated lab-safety details.
2. Right Cognitive Demand Is the difficulty from thinking, not language? Replace “justify your hypothesis” with “explain your reason.”
3. Direct Focus Does each question assess one skill or idea? One question on “heat transfer,” not heat + light + sound.
4. Familiar Format Will students recognise how to answer? Use short answer or multiple choice if that’s what you practised.
5. Fair & Clear Language Can a weaker reader or bilingual student still understand? Short sentences, taught vocabulary, local examples.

These ingredients help ensure that every student’s mark reflects what they have learned — not how well they can decode the question.

From Principle to Practice

  1. Draft the question. Write it naturally first.
  2. Check for barriers. Read aloud. Would every student understand it?
  3. Simplify without lowering challenge. Keep the idea, clear the path.
  4. Pilot with a small group. Note any confusion.
  5. Revise and record. Capture improvements for next time.

Rule of thumb: If a student fails because they didn’t understand the question — not because they didn’t know the answer — the assessment is unfair.

Practical Toolkit – Using AI to Support Fairness & Accessibility

AI can help teachers reflect on their question design — not by replacing professional judgement, but by giving quick, low-cost feedback on wording, vocabulary, and fairness. EBTD’s MAP 2.0 model helps teachers use AI wisely and purposefully.

The EBTD Assessment MAP 2.0

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Letter & Meaning Purpose Teacher Prompts Example AI Prompts
M – Map Out the Goal Clarify what to assess → Precision What exactly do I want to find out? Which part of the lesson does this check? What kind of thinking am I testing — recall, apply, or reason? “Generate one question to test if students can explain how evaporation causes cooling. Keep it short, precise, and focused on one idea.”
A – Assure Accessibility Remove hidden barriers → Fairness Does the wording match what students were taught? Is the context familiar and inclusive? Could weaker readers or bilingual pupils understand the task? “Rewrite this question in simple, clear English using examples familiar to Bangladeshi students, without changing the concept.”
P – Probe for Fairness Check against the five Active Ingredients → Reliability Do the five fairness ingredients hold? Does it test one concept only? Will the question be interpreted consistently across students? “Review this question for possible fairness issues (language complexity, unfamiliar context, cultural bias) and suggest one edit to improve reliability.”
EBTD Tips for Using AI
  • Simplify, don’t dilute. Ask AI to clarify meaning, not to make it “easier.”
  • Check vocabulary. “List any words that may be too advanced for Grade 8 students in Bangladesh and suggest replacements.”
  • Localise context. “Rewrite this question so the examples fit everyday Bangladeshi life.”
  • Audit fairness. “Identify any barriers in this question (language, layout, cultural context).”
  • Cross-check translation. “Provide the Bangla equivalent beside each key term to ensure meaning is consistent.”

Worked Example – From Unfair to Fair Using MAP 2.0

Context

Mr Rahman, a lower-secondary science teacher in Rangpur, realised that many students who understood photosynthesis in class still failed the exam question. He decided to apply EBTD MAP 2.0, using AI as a thinking partner.

Step 1 – Before MAP: The Original Question

Original prompt:

“Discuss the implications of light intensity on chlorophyll efficiency.”

Half the class left it blank.

Problems observed:

  • Abstract vocabulary
  • Multiple demands (language + extended writing)
  • Unclear response style (“Discuss”)
  • Context few pupils related to
Step 2 – M → Map Out the Goal

He clarified: “I want to see if students know that light affects how green leaves are because it drives photosynthesis.”

AI prompt: “Generate one question to check if students understand how light affects plant colour. Keep it short, precise, and focused on one idea.”

AI suggested: “How does the amount of light affect how green a plant’s leaves are?”

Step 3 – A → Assure Accessibility
AI prompt: “Rewrite this question using an example familiar to Bangladeshi students.”

AI revised it to: “Why do plants near a window look greener than plants kept in a dark corner of the room?”

Now every student could picture it and understand the task.

Step 4 – P → Probe for Fairness

He checked the new version against the five Active Ingredients:

Ingredient Self-Check Result
Clear Objective Does it measure what was taught? Yes – light’s effect on photosynthesis.
Right Cognitive Demand Appropriate challenge? Yes – reasoning, not recall.
Direct Focus One concept only? Yes.
Familiar Format Recognisable response style? Yes – short explanation question.
Fair & Clear Language Accessible to all students? Yes – simple words, local image.

Teacher reflection: “AI showed me the blind spots. The question isn’t easier — it’s fairer. Now results reflect learning, not language.”

Bangladesh Connection

  • Use bilingual keywords where helpful (e.g., heat / তাপ).
  • Analyse test wording together to build assessment literacy.
  • Share sample formats before testing to reduce format shock.
  • Collect unclear past-paper items and improve them collaboratively.

Summary – Key Takeaways

  • Fairness means every learner can show what they know.
  • Accessibility removes hidden barriers in wording, context, and layout.
  • Use AI as a reflective assistant via MAP 2.0: Map the goal, Assure accessibility, Probe for fairness.
  • Pilot and revise before high-stakes use.

← Back to 4️⃣ Calibrating Difficulty – Finding the Sweet Spot   |   Next: 6️⃣ Purpose & Balance – Formative and Summative in Harmony

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