Rural –Urban Score Gap in Standardized Tests: A Comparative Study between 4th Year Learners in Mohammed Benhamou (Dermam/Sebdou) and Aouicha Hadj Slimane (Tlemcen) Middle Schools

Abstract

This comparative study attempted to investigate the EFL teachers awareness towards the rural –urban score gap in standardized tests and to explore the factors contributing to this score gap.Hence ,the study was conducted with fourth year Middle School learners (4 MS) from ‘Aouicha Hadj Slimane’ in Tlemcen and learners from ‘Mohammed Benhamou’ in Dermam /Sebdou.To this end, two types of instruments were used ;a questionnaire for learners and a semi structured interview with teachers . The fndings of this study revealed that EFL teachers in Algerian Middle schools are mostly aware of rural –urban score gap in standardized tests .It also found out that the learners living environment ,the family background and the teaching practices are main factors contributing in the score gap between rural and urban schools in standardized tests.