When I was in not for profit adult/community education:



1.  What is the best assessment tool for ESL adult learners?  I used both CASAS language and reading for ESL Learners. I will say though that I found that while CASAS measures competencies, it is difficult to separate out language skills levels related to the task analysis.
 
2.  What is the most widely used assessment tool for them?  CT is a CASAS state.
 
3.  How much movement from one level to another do your programs see among these learners? We did see multiple level jumps, though my most recent job was a WIA-funded high-intensit/duration program. As many of you know, level jumps don't 'count" in the NRS. in the literacy volunteers program level gain was smaller and sometimes nil, but that was for a minimum 2/hrs/wk volunteer tutoring. Highly motivated and educated students in their own language did better.

Now I use Accuplacer for all university testing, and we have far fewer ESL students than we did. Even when we did, the testing was a more informal oral interview/writing sample assessment. I've found that while ESL students I work with have fewer problems communicating orally,so are not easily spotted, they have a terrifically hard time with writing, and reading academic-level texts. but then again, that's true for the general under-prepared "developmental" population.
 
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.
Writing Center Director and Adjunct Professor, Post University, Waterbury, CT

 
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National Institute for Literacy
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