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.

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