Standardized Testing & Language Dissection

A controversial argument that has increasingly gotten fame is the debate on standardized testing. The argument has gotten heated over the last decade and both sides have avidly fought for their cases. This form of fighting, however, is being brought about with words. Those for and against standardized testing use specific phrases and words to convey a certain ideal.

Those against standardized testing refer to these tests as "discriminatory" against non English speakers and students with special needs. By refering to the tests with a harsh word like disciminatory, one immediately thinks "slaves." Using a term that was regularly used to describe something as horrifically unjust as segregation and slavery, makes standardized testing seem like something horrifically unjust as well.
Groups in favor also state that standardized testing creates a burden on state education budgets. The word "burden" denotes a heavy load and connotes a negative feeling of strain. The author expects us to associate this "burden" with our already beaten down economy, and make the tests feel like a luxury we are not able to afford. Another way that those against standardized testing are employing the use of language to their benefit is by describing America's fate of a "creativity crisis" where standardized tests are solely dumbing down the students. Trying to focus on the narrowness of standardized tests, the author describes the math/english/science-driven tests as "jeopardizing the country's economic future." By using words like "crisis" and "jeopardizing" the author instills a sense of national urgency towards the removal of standardized tests.

The campaign that began the pro for standardized testing was the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) passed  in 2002. The title of the campaign alone makes anyone see it as something positive and beneficial. All students will be justly accounted for? All students will be able to perform by a given date? Nice. The title makes it seem like no one child will be seen harmed by the tests. That all students will progress and keep up with the rest of herded pack. Those in favor standardized tests regularly refer to the tests as "reliable and objective measures of student achievement." This phrase tries to connote a sense of trust and justice when accounting to the way a student is able to memorize- or achieve. By employing the word achieve rather than say, performance, the author expects the reader to associate achievement with victory and thrive. This simple word makes the phrase sound more positive and the tests as something that enhances that performance.

Orwell would describe this form of disguised wording as the decline of a language. Once educators and politicians begin to use words like "crisis" and "achievement" the whole game turns on itself. Not only do these words create diversion from the issue at hand, they are consciously used to make a reader feel something that should not be used to sway their opinion on this matter. These padded words are used to reinforce a notion that either we can't have standardized testing because creativity and America will deteriorate, or we need standardized testing to gauge how far our students are reaching. Orwell states, and I agree, that using terms that serve this purpose are solely for the expected result of a voter or parent to sway one way or another with nothing but inaccurate thoughts that are fed by these compex and unrealistic words.