Low Literate Adult ESOL Assessment Using Touch Screens

LESLLA Conference, September 2011

Linda TaylorDirector of Assessment Development, CASAS

ltaylor@casas.org

Assessment Overview

Approach to Assessing Literacy

Test Overview (and Demo)

Additional Project Resources

Participation in field testing

Agenda

To develop a valid and reliable standardized assessment

…that measures basic literacy and aural English language skills…

…of low literacy level adult ESOL learners and

…adult ESOL learners from non-Roman alphabet languages (Arabic, Chinese, etc)

Purpose

Florida has many immigrants who are low literate or non-literate in their native language and in English◦ Especially Haitians and Central/South Americans

FL DOE funds three levels of adult ESOL literacy with state money

Florida DOE awarded a contract to CASAS to develop assessment for these courses in 2008 – 09◦ a continuation contract was awarded for August 2009 to June

2010◦ CASAS continues to field test the assessment to complete all

required research studies

Background

Visited Florida adult ESOL literacy programs and classes to review Florida’s current ESOL literacy intake process

Conducted a survey of FL literacy programs focused on the intake process and placement practices

Revised the ESOL Literacy Standards◦ Contains Basic Literacy Skill Anchors and Life Skill

standards◦ All test items measure priority Florida ESOL Literacy

Standards

Initial Project Activities

Created and met with two advisory groups:

FLAG (Florida Literacy Assessment Group)◦ 10 ESOL Program Coordinators and practitioners◦ Provide guidance on test development and assist

with tryouts and field testing

National Literacy Assessment Advisory Group◦ 14 national literacy experts◦ Provide guidance on literacy research, best

practices and test development

Initial Project Activities

Phil Anderson, FL Linda Mrowicki

Edwidge C. Bryant, FL Barbara Sample

JoAnn Crandall, MD Kathy Santopietro-Weddell,

CO

Nancy Faux Lynn Savage, CA

Allene Grognet, LA Michelle Ueland, DC

Astrid Liden, MN Claire Valier, FL

Helaine Marshall, NY Heide Wrigley, NM

National Literacy Assessment Advisory Group Members

Lack basic reading and writing skills needed to succeed in the core ESOL program

Skill Range• Reading:

no print awareness reads some words, knows some phonics

• Writing: never held pencil can write address

• Listening and Speaking: very low meets basic survival

needs

Low Level ESOL Literacy Learners

◦ Oral skills come first see Oral vs. Literacy Skills matrix

◦ 4 Groups, 3 Literacy Levels (in Florida) Low Oral -- with No or Some Literacy Some Oral – with Low Literacy Some Oral – with Some Literacy

◦ What to do with Non-Roman Alphabetics???

Approach to Assessing ESL Literacy

One-on-one

Big decision to use touch screen computer delivery instead of paper delivery

◦ More appropriate for literacy learners

◦ Less expensive than consumable color paper tests, even considering cost of touch screen and eTests units

◦ Enables standardized intake process embedded in software

◦ No need to score tests; tracks test results

Test Delivery

1. Data Collection before giving the field test

2. Oral Screening

3. Reading Level Locator

4. Listening Assessment

5. Reading Assessment

6. Post-test Feedback & Data Submission

Description of Field Test Assessment Parts

Offers choice of native language or English

Includes a sequence of reading tasks • Read single-digit numbers• Read Name and Address on a form• Read short story in native language or English• Reading Testlet- 8 Read & Touch items• Simple sentences in English

Determines if learner is at the literacy level

Places learner in Low or High level Reading test

Native Language Reading Locator

◦One item type - Listen and Touch Uses color photos No written prompts or distractors Audio repeated once

◦One test level

◦2 final alternate forms

Listening Assessment

Listening - Listen and touch

◦Two Item types: Listen and Touch Reading Read and Touch

◦Measure basic literacy skills and basic life skills

◦Two test levels – Low and High

◦2 final alternate forms at each test level

Reading Assessment

Reading – Listen and Read

Reading – Read and Touch

◦ Visual discrimination skills (same vs. different) In numbers, letters, and words

◦ Number knowledge (basic numeracy) Relate a numeral to a quantity Read one- and two-digit numbers

◦ Alphabet knowledge Identify letters by name Match upper- and lowercase letters Find same letter in different font

◦ Basic Personal Form words (uppercase)◦ Environmental Print◦ Phonics – initial consonant sounds

Diagnostic Reporting – Reading Low

Basic sight words in context◦ Including days, months, dates

Basic personal form words

Phonemic awareness

Phonics – initial, medial and final

Diagnostic Reporting – Reading High

◦Florida’s Adult ESOL Literacy Standards

◦Compilation of Literature on Adult Second Language Literacy Learners (annotated)

Research

Resources for Teachers and Teacher-Trainers

◦Seven Guiding Principles for ESL Literacy Instruction

Additional Project Resources

1. Adult learners’ perspectives, strengths, and learning needs are different from those of children.

2. Adults learners can and should take charge of their learning.

3. Effective ESOL/literacy teaching offers extensive practice in oral language skills.

4. Peer-to-peer collaboration facilitates learning.

Seven Guiding Principlesfor ESL Literacy Instruction

5. Judicious native-language use helps learners develop skills.

6. Learning to read requires pre-reading, decoding and comprehension skills.

7. Reading and writing skills develop in tandem.

Seven Guiding Principles

Who administers the field test assessment? A CASAS-trained teacher or tester

To which low literacy students? Students currently enrolled in literacy classes with

fewer than 6 years of L1 education

Agency commitment to administering a certain number of tests in standardized way within specific time frame

Where? One-to-one in a quiet, separate space

Field Testing

How long does it take? Assessment takes ~45 min.

What’s the Field Test timeframe? Through 2011

What equipment is needed? Windows-based computer and Touch screen (overlay or monitor)

◦ CASAS will assist with touch screen for field testing, if necessary

Field Testing

Go to CASAS web site www.casas.org Fill out field testing Interest Form For more field test information, contact

Margaret Lyman -- mlyman@casas.org CASAS phone: 800-255-1036, ext. 517

Other contact information: Linda Taylor

ltaylor@casas.org, ext. 186Amy Studerastuder@casas.org, ext. 130Emily Wheelerewheeler@casas.org, ext. 518

How to participate in field testing