Return-Path: <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g9NJecX06515; Wed, 23 Oct 2002 15:40:38 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 15:40:38 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <B24038C0D3E160419E320030D92C22DEC0D7A1@hobbes.cal.org> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Carol Van Duzer" <carol@cal.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:222] BEST revision X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 2293 Lines: 22 Dear Kevin, It is true that the BEST was developed for a different purpose than for what many programs are using today. That is why the Center for Applied Linguistics is in the process of revising it. The revised version will be appropriate for use in the "high-stakes" environment in which the field finds itself, as well as provide useful information to program staff and the learners. As in the development of the original test, this revision has involved professional language test developers, ESOL practitioners, administrators, and learners from across the United States (including your state of Massachusetts). They serve as members of our Technical Working Advisory Board, item writers, field testers, and participants in the reliability and validity studies. Our language testing experts have ensured that the revisions are in line with the current standards for education and psychological testing of the AERA, APA, and NCME. Thus, we think the field will find that the revisions take into account many of things you mentioned in your posting as well as others that we felt could be improved upon. For example, the revision focuses on assessing oral English proficiency as opposed to curricular competencies. Thus, many of your concerns referring to specific test items in the original BEST are no longer applicable to the revision. Furthermore, the new items and the scoring rubric incorporate developments in language acquisition and proficiency assessment that have emerged over the past 20 years since the original BEST was developed. Again, we believe the revision to the BEST addresses your main concerns. We are working hard to make it available by the spring of next year. We sincerely hope that, once the test becomes available in both a computer-based and paper-based versions next spring, you will take a good look at it in light of these concerns. You can find additional information about the revised BEST on our website www.cal.org/BEST/compBEST.htm I'll be happy to answer any other questions that you (or others) may have about the BEST or BEST Plus. Please write to the email address below. Carol Carol H. Van Duzer National Center for ESL Literacy Education Center for Applied Linguistics 202-362-0700 carol@cal.org visit our website at www.cal.org/ncle
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