Quinsigamond Community College Adult Basic Education Program

ESOL INITIAL ASSESSMENT

Directions for Administration and Scoring of the Test of Aural/Oral Skills and Test of Grammar, Reading, and Writing

Applicant's Name _____________________________________ Date______________

General Information on Testing and Scoring

Testing:

There are three tests: The Test of Aural/Oral Skills, The Literacy Test, and the Test of Grammar, Reading, and Writing. The Aural/Oral Test should be administered first because the score from this test determines whether an applicant will take the Literacy Test(for Iow level applicants) or do the Test of Grammar, Reading, and writing (for those who are beginning to advanced level).

Aural/Oral Test ­

This test consists of three parts: an oral interview, looking at a picture and answering questions about it, and a dictation. This test is administered to ail ESOL applicants, with testing ending when it is obviously too difficult for the applicant. More detailed instructions are found in the directions for the aural/oral test.

Literacy Test ­

This test is given to any applicant who scores less than 10 points on the aural/oral test or is unable to do the aural/oral test at all. This test consists of two parts: dictating letters and numbers to the applicant and having the applicant match words and pictures. More information on the administration of the literacy test is in this direction booklet.

Test of Grammar, Reading, and Writing ­

This test is done by all applicants who were able to do all of the aural/oral test or get more than 10 points on the aural/oral test. The test booklet is given to the applicant and the applicant works on his or her own to complete the test. The applicant may not use a dictionary or be assisted by anyone with the test, other than to clarify the directions for each part of the test.

Scoring:

Scoring for the sections of each test is included in the instructions in this booklet. After all testing is finished and each section of the tests the applicant has taken is scored, a cover score sheet should be completed, listing the SPL levels for the Aural/Oral Test, the Literacy Test and/or Grammar, Reading, and Writing. Then the applicant is assigned a placement level. The two tests the applicant has taken should be clipped together with the cover sheet so that staff can see an applicant's SPL levels in various skill areas at a glance.

Aural/Oral Test

To facilitate administering of this test and to ensure that different testers administer the test in the same manner, the directions for Parts A and B are at the beginning of each part. There are directions for administering Part C, the dictation, on the sheet containing the dictation sentences.

Part A: Oral Interview

There are ten questions in the oral interview. Ask each question and score the applicant's response according to the key shown at the beginning of the oral interview. When conducting the oral interview, if an applicant has a lot of trouble comprehending the first four questions, STOP THE INTERVIEW and assume a score of 0 for the rest of the interview questions.

Do Parts B and C with applicants who score 10 or more points in the oral interview. If the applicant scores less than 10 points, don't have the applicant do Parts B and C. The interviewer will then give the literacy test to the applicant. At the end of the interview add the scores for each question and record the total in the space provided at the end of the oral interview part.

Part B: Picture and Questions

Using the picture card of the scene at a train station, show the picture to the applicant and ask the six questions about the picture. Be sure to follow the instructions to the tester that appear in parentheses for each question. Scoring is the same as for Part A. At the end of Part B, add and record the total in the space provided.

Part C: Dictation

The directions for administering the dictation are also provided on the dictation sheet. Select one of the dictation sentences from each level (for a total of three sentences) to dictate to the applicant. If it is obvious that the applicant can't do the dictation, stop after attempting the first sentence. If the applicant attempts the dictation but has great difficulty, don't have him/her try an advanced sentence.

When reading each sentence, pause after each slash mark to give the applicant time to write one phrase before going on to the next phrase. If the applicant asks, a phrase can be repeated one time.

The scoring for the dictation is at the bottom of the dictation page in the test. Circle the total for how the applicant did in doing the dictation.

ESOL Initial Assessment
Part C: Dictation

ADMINISTRATION:

Select one sentence from each level to dictate to the applicant, if it is obvious that the applicant can't do the dictation, stop at the first sentence. If the applicant attempts the dictation, but has great difficulty, don't have him/her try the advanced sentences.

DICTATION SENTENCES:

Beginning Level:

1. I go / to school.

2. Ten cats sit / in the tree.

Intermediate Level:

1. The children ran /into the house.

2. He is taking / his vacation in August.

Advanced Level:

1. My neighbor was stopped / by the police for drunk driving,

2. The leaves change color / and fall from the trees in autumn.

SCORING FOR THE AURAL/ORAL TEST

Add the scores for the three parts of the test and record the score in the Grand Total space at the bottom of the dictation page. The total numbers of points for this test are 100. Record the applicant's oral SPL level in the space provided on the front cover of the Aural/Oral Test. The breakdowns of scores by SPL level are as follows:

90-100 points = SPL 10
80-89 points = SPL 9
70-79 points = SPL 8
60-69 points = SPL 7
50-59 points = SPL 6
40-49 points = SPL 5
30-39 points = SPL 4
20-29 points = SPL 3
10-19 points = SPL 2
1-9 points = SPL 1
Couldn't do/understand anything = SPL 0

LITERACY TEST

Administration
Give the literacy test to any applicant who cannot do the oral interview or who scores less than io points on the oral interview.

Part A: Dictation

Dictate the following random order letters and numbers to the applicant and have him/her write them on the lines provided in the literacy test. See the dictation card for the letters and numbers to be dictated.

Letters: t r e s b i m g y a l d o p
Numbers: 7 3 6, 1 2, 11, 18, 20, 45, 99, 100

Part B: Reading (Matching Pictures and Words)

Have the applicant do Part B on his/her own. DO NOT READ THE WORDS TO THE APPLICANT. The applicant is to look at each word or sentence and put a circle around the picture that illustrates the word or sentence.

Scoring:

Part A: Dictation

Count the number of letters and numbers the applicant got correct and score as follows:

Part B: Reading(Matching)
Count the number of matchings the applicant got correct and score as follows:

GRAMMAR, READING, AND WRITING TEST

Administration

If the applicant was able to do all sections of the aural/oral test and did not need to do the literacy test, give the applicant the test booklet for the Grammar, Reading, and Writing Test and have him/her do the test. After the applicant has finished the test, check to be sure he/she has tried to do all sections of the test and didn't skip a page or section by accident.

Scoring
After checking each section, record the scores on the score sheet.

Part A: Grammar 22 Sentences

Count the number of items the applicant got correct and record the score as follows:

0-4 correct = SPL1-2

5-9 correct = SPL 3-4

10-14 correct = SPL 5-6

15-19 correct = SPL 7-8

20-22 correct = SPL 9-10

Part B: Reading 7 Questions

Add the number of correct responses.

Record the score as follows:

None correct =SPL 0-2
1-2 correct =SPL 3-4

3-4 correct = SPL 5-6
5-6 correct = SPL 7-8
7 correct = SPL 9-10

Part C: Writing about a Picture

Look at the applicant's writing and record the score as follows:

No writing = SPL 0-2

 

Writes isolated words & phrases, with many grammar, spelling, and

syntax errors = SPL 3-4

 

Writes short, simple sentences with some grammar, spelling, and syntax

errors = SPL 5-6

 

Writes more complex sentences with fewer grammar, spelling, and syntax

errors = SPL 7-8

 

Writes very well with very few grammar, spelling, or syntax

errors = SPL 9-10

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Originally published in Adventures in Assessment, Volume 13 (Spring 2001),
SABES/World Education, Boston, MA, Copyright 2001.

Funding support for the publication of this document on the Web provided in part by the Ohio State Literacy Resource Center as part of the LINCS Assessment Special Collection.