Assessing Literacy

1. Low Literate Adult ESOL Assessment Using Touch ScreensLESLLA Conference, September 2011 Linda Taylor Director of Assessment Development, CASAS ltaylor@casas.org

2. Assessment Overview Approach to Assessing Literacy Test Overview (and Demo) Additional Project Resources Participation in field testing Agenda

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. National Literacy Assessment Advisory Group Members Phil Anderson, FL Linda Mrowicki Edwidge C. Bryant, FL Barbara Sample JoAnn Crandall, MD Kathy Santopietro-Weddell, CO Nancy Faux Lynn Savage, CA AlleneGrognet, LA Michelle Ueland, DC Astrid Liden, MN Claire Valier, FL HelaineMarshall, NY HeideWrigley, NM

9. Listening and Speaking: very low  meets basicsurvival needsLow Level ESOL Literacy Learners

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

14. Includes a sequence of reading tasks

15. Read single-digit numbers

16. Read Name and Address on a form

17. Read short story in native language or English

18. Reading Testlet- 8 Read & Touch items

19. Simple sentences in English

20. Determines if learner is at the literacy level

21. Places learner in Low or High level Reading testNative Language Reading Locator

22. Listening Assessment One item type - Listen and Touch Uses color photos No written prompts or distractors Audio repeated once One test level 2 final alternate forms

23. Listening - Listen and touch

24. Reading Assessment 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

25. Reading – Listen and Read

26. Reading – Read and Touch

27. Diagnostic Reporting – Reading Low 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

28. Basic sight words in context Including days, months, dates Basic personal form words Phonemic awareness Phonics – initial, medial and final Diagnostic Reporting – Reading High

29. 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

30. Adult learners’ perspectives, strengths, and learning needs are different from those of children. Adults learners can and should take charge of their learning. Effective ESOL/literacy teaching offers extensive practice in oral language skills. Peer-to-peer collaboration facilitates learning. Seven Guiding Principlesfor ESL Literacy Instruction

31. Judicious native-language use helps learners develop skills. Learning to read requires pre-reading, decoding and comprehension skills. Reading and writing skills develop in tandem. Seven Guiding Principles

32. 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

33. 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

34. Go to CASAS web site www.casas.org Fill out field testing Interest Form For more field test information, contact Margaret Lyman -- mlyman@casas.orgCASAS phone: 800-255-1036, ext. 517 Other contact information: Linda Taylor ltaylor@casas.org, ext. 186 Amy Studer astuder@casas.org, ext. 130 Emily Wheeler ewheeler@casas.org, ext. 518 How to participate in field testing