Validity of assessment in mathelaical textbooks : a study of beginning of primary school level textbook assessments

International audienceThis paper proposes an analysis of how mathematical textbooks address the question of assessment and how formal assessment is prescribed to teachers, using a didactical framework. The prescribed teaching in textbooks can be considered as one step of the didactical transposition and the analysis of the mathematical content of assessments enables us to better understand teaching practices and to better interpret students' performance. The present analysis is based on didactical criteria of validity and on a methodology for studying textbooks. A comparison of ten Grade 1 (beginning of primary school) textbooks on the mathematical domain of numbers, reveals significant differences between collections in terms of the specified rhythm and administration of formal assessments, types and complexity of tasks, indications for grading and interpreting students' answers, etc. However, most share one common feature: the description they provide for teachers and the content of their assessments are not adequate to ensure their validity and teachers therefore need to take initiatives of their own to adapt these assessments if they wish to use them effectively