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[Assessment] Question - When to test?Gustav Kocsis gkocsis at sfccnm.eduThu Nov 10 13:53:37 EST 2005
In our ESL program, we are using the CASAS. We have found that the CASAS is a very poor indicator of level of English use skills. The CASAS tests give us indicators such as "student knows how to fill out XYZ form" and it doesn't tell us if the student can use the future tense or the simple present or past tenses. We use CASAS for NRS reporting. The Best Plus would be nice and we like it and at the same time we find it very difficult to administer to a large number of students. We don't use the CASAS for our GED program. Gustav A. Kocsis English as a Second Language Coordinator Adult Basic Education Santa Fe Community College 6401 Richards Ave Santa Fe, NM 87508 505-428-1444 Gkocsis at sfccnm.edu -----Original Message----- From: assessment-bounces at dev.nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at dev.nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Lynn Hinson Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 8:28 AM To: The Assessment Discussion List Subject: RE: [Assessment] Question - When to test? I work with Adult ESL students and we are trying to prepare them for the GED. Does anyone have any recommendations regarding the CASAS scoring as an indicator? Thanks, Lynn Hinson -----Original Message----- From: assessment-bounces at dev.nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at dev.nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Katrina Hinson Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 7:51 PM To: <The Assessment Discussion List Subject: [Assessment] Question - When to test? Good evening everyone. I've had an interesting question come up lately from an instructor. "How do I know when to test my students?" They were asking in relation to the GED first of all. I got to thinking about it, got to asking other ppl in my department and learned, a lot of people have very different ideas. According to a memo from the state level - we're told it's "ok" , "recommended" or desired to give a student the Practice Test if they have scored at least the 9.0 level on the TABE. The implication is a student takes the placement test, is assigned to a class and simply because his/her TABE Scores are at the 9.0 level - they are then "ready" to take the GED Practice Test. Granted, there is a clause that says "if the student doesn't pass the practice test, they're to be referred back to the classroom for additional work/practice." There are no other "guidelines" at the state level regarding when or how to give a practice test in terms of the GED. The way I'm told it's supposed to work is if they score at 9.0 or above on say the TABE Reading area, they're to be given the Practice Test for SS, SCI and Reading. If they're not at the 9.0 level then of course it's recommended that they do some kind of class work to show that they can or cannot or have or have not learned what they are lacking in. I was curious as to how other instructors or test administrators etc, determine the criteria for administering the GED Practice Test? Does anyone have written policies or guidelines in place within their program to help instructors determine if a student is ready or not? Also, how ready for post secondary education is a student that only has a TABE of 9.0 and maybe average to slightly above average GED Scores (say b/w 450-500 or even lower 410-470) ? I thought the goal was to help students attain academic success - if all they are ever given is a "test" do they really know success and do they really "learn"? How "equivalent" is the GED at that point - to the education a student would have attained in a classroom environment? Does anyone else equate TABE levels with readiness to pass the GED Practice Test or the GED itself? I know there are a lot of questions but the feedback will be appreciated. Regards Katrina Hinson We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors...but they all have to learn to live in the same box. _______________________________________________ Assessment mailing list Assessment at dev.nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://dev.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment _______________________________________________ Assessment mailing list Assessment at dev.nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://dev.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment
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