NIFL-ESL 2002: [NIFL-ESL:8396] Re: Need your thoughts on ESL pr

For price, you can't beat the NYSP. I think it gives good results and it's easy to administer. For students who are illiterate , you need to have an oral assessment as they won't show results on a written test for a while.

The NYSP(New York State Placement Test) costs about $100 for everything you need. To order call (518) 462-7292 ext. 10. That includes the training video.

Barb Linek

Project MAX

Adult Education Services Coordinator

(815) 609-9935

eslmax@hotmail.com

>From: "JUDITH SINCLAIR"

>Reply-To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov

>To: Multiple recipients of list

>Subject: [NIFL-ESL:8395] Need your thoughts on ESL program assessment...

>Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 17:25:56 -0500 (EST)

>Hello, everyone:

>Hope you have a minute during this busy time to help us out?

>I am putting into place an ESL program for an urban core program with a

>large lower-level population (based on 7 levels: Intro, and levels 1-6).

>This started off some time ago as a small school treating a very small

>population. As such, there seem to have been no clear standards,

>curriculum, goals/bjectives, and so on before, and assessment has not been a

>strong focus. Now we have a wave of immigrants coming to our facility, with

>about 20% I guess illiterate in their own language, and with another 20% or

>more with less than a high school education in their own country.

>I believe we have decided on the California Adult Education "ESL--Model

>Standards for Adult Education Programs." It seems to suit our

>language-learning needs I believe, as it follows nicely the standard model

>of language acquisition, that is, speaking, listening, reading, writing.

>And while this islanguage skills based, we are considering a life skills as

>well as a job skills component, as well. Assessment is the next issue: The

>1992 version of the CAE program provides recommendations for testing

>materials, but does not specifically support any one testing tool with the

>idea that each learning population varies across the country. To review all

>of the recommended sources for assessment is months of work, which is not

>possible now.

>Question: What to do about assessment? CASAS is one way to go, but is

>pricey (the project I am working on has hardly any budget and is volunteer

>based). And, to add to the mix, time is very short--all this must be in

>place in a matter of weeks. We were informed that many learning facilities

>put together their own assessments, but I am concerned about reliability and

>validity issues.

>For this project I am leaning toward tripartite assessment measures, for

>example, (1) standard tests, (2) performance assessment (e.g., portfolios),

>and (3) teacher tests used together. But I really would appreciate any

>thoughts you would like to share about where to look for available tests to

>meet the content--hopefully--of the California curriculum model.

>Please know: I do not expect any miracles at this point. All I think we at

>the facility can hope for is some level of improvement for this next

>semester, with the idea that we will be continuing our efforts for

>improvement semester by semester.

>Any ideas? I am grateful as always for any help you can offer.

>Best regards,

>Judy

[NIFL-ESL:8396] Re: Need your thoughts on ESL program assessment...