Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id PAA04394; Mon, 7 Dec 1998 15:49:49 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 15:49:49 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <19981207204757838.AAA243@[207.158.42.3]> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: ltaylor@casas.org (Linda Taylor) To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:2729] RE: CASAS -Reply X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-Ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Mailer: QuickMail Pro 1.5 I’ll try to clarify some of the CASAS questions that have emerged recently. The Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) is a non-profit organization that specializes in test development, accountability, research and evaluation for adult education programs. It is based in San Diego but is national in scope. The California Department of Education contracted with CASAS for the initial development of the CASAS assessment system. Since then, CASAS has continued to develop its assessment system with federal contracts, as well as contracts from other states and agencies. The CASAS assessment system includes a variety of measures. Most people are familiar with the multiple-choice life skills and employability tests (appraisals, survey achievement pre- and post-tests, and certification tests) for reading, listening and math. A number of performance based measures are also available, including pre-employment/work maturity checklists, CASAS functional writing assessment, and scripted oral interviews, such as the Oral Communication Applied Performance Appraisal (OCAPA). Special Education tests have also been developed. CASAS recommends that multiple measures be used–decisions should not be made based on a single test score. The CASAS reading tests were developed for both ESL and ABE learners. The competencies tested were selected based on a consensus process by a consortium of adult education providers (primarily K-12 adult schools and community colleges). These tests were originally field tested in California by these same agencies where the adult ed population is more than 80 percent ESL learners. These tests measure life skills reading and listening in context, focusing on the outcome of instruction, so although ESL and ABE learners would be taught differently, with different emphases and approaches, the outcome measures to assess their reading skills are the same. These tests now assess from Beginning Literacy level (e.g., matching upper and lower case letters, selecting the appropriate picture for a one-word prompt) to advanced reading levels. The listening test series was developed only for ESL learners, but some ABE programs use them as well. The math tests were developed for ABE learners. With increased emphasis on workforce needs, some ESL programs are also using the math tests to ensure that their learners can use the language of math adequately. A new series of Level Completion Tests is currently being developed by CASAS. The first in the series, which is available now, is a Beginning ESL Level Completion Test which measures listening, reading, and grammar. The 90-minute test is in the context of a story line about two immigrant families, one for each of the two forms at this level. The test is designed to determine if an ESL learner is ready to be promoted to intermediate level ESL; it is not intended for use as a progress test, nor as the only measure to determine promotion. Two more ESL levels in the Level Completion series are currently under development: Intermediate High ESL, which will also assess writing, and Beginning Low ESL. Results from these tests will be reported on the CASAS scale. It is expected that the Intermediate Low ESL level will be developed soon after these are completed. Beginning and Intermedate level ABE completion tests are also planned. A new oral assessment measure for ESL is also in the development process. If you would like more information about CASAS, you may call (800) 255-1036 to talk to a CASAS staff person or to request a catalog of CASAS resources. If you would like to talk to someone on the East Coast, I am a full-time CASAS staff member permanently based in northern New Jersey and can be reached at (201) 807-1965 or at ltaylor@casas.org via e-mail. Linda Taylor, CASAS Ridgefield Park, NJ Miriam Burt wrote: >Agnes Precure wrote that CASAS was originally developed for ESL >populations. > >I don't believer that this is quite accurate. Whereas the listening test was >developed for ESL learners, weren't the reading and the math tests >originally developed for native speaker (ABE) learners? Can someone >from CASAS verify this? > >Miriam Burt >National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education >Center for Applied Linguistics >4646 40th Street NW >Washington, DC 20016 >visit NCLE on the World Wide Web at www.cal.org/ncle > > >RFC822 header >----------------------------------- > >Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> >Received: from literacy.nifl.gov ([192.188.111.2]) by www1.casas.org > (Post.Office MTA v3.1 release PO203a ID# 0-35096U100L2S100) > with ESMTP id AAA235 for <ltaylor@casas.org>; > Mon, 7 Dec 1998 07:19:57 -0800 >Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) > by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id KAA29607; > Mon, 7 Dec 1998 10:14:28 -0500 (EST) >Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 10:14:28 -0500 (EST) >Message-Id: <s66bab72.003@cal.org> >Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov >Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov >Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov >Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov >Precedence: bulk >From: Miriam Burt <miriam@cal.org> >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> >Subject: [NIFL-ESL:2727] RE: CASAS -Reply >X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas >X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 4.1 >
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